Many senior living communities lean towards using stock photography on their websites and marketing materials to protect the privacy of their residents. Unfortunately, originality is often sacrificed because of this reliance on stock images. A lot of senior living facilities end up using the same exact images as others, or at least images of the same people.
Around the holidays, many companies want to send the message that their product or service improves or aids you in spending cherished time with your loved ones around the holidays.
Many of these images may be stock photos that companies use to convey family time without requiring their own actors, models, or community members.
While this stock photography can make it easy to find images that convey the message you’re trying to send with your holiday campaign, it should be used without neglecting originality. However, there are a few ways to make sure your campaign does not suffer from the use of stock photography, regardless of what business you’re in.
Using discretion when choosing stock images to make sure they feel authentic, personal, and relatable to your audience is an important first step to making sure your ads still feel original. Keep in mind that stock images don’t work for every company and campaign. If you’re selling a specific product that customers are expecting to see in your marketing materials, short of adding it in with Photoshop, you might want to steer clear of stock images.
Make sure that the photos you’re using still feel cohesive with your overall brand presence and marketing strategy. If the stock images have a completely different feel and personality than the rest of your brand, no editing will make it feel authentic to your company. Simply searching “family Christmas” and using the first image that comes up is not going to cut it. Take your time looking through the search results for a shot you feel fits your brand presence. Once you’ve found the right photos, you can make the stock images feel more personal to your brand by adding text overlays or filters, cropping, and changing colors.
When used correctly, stock photography can help make the busier times of the year feel a little less hectic. Remember to choose stock images selectively, only use them when they make sense in the context of your campaign, and edit them to add brand-specific imagery. Following these basic guidelines can help you effectively use stock photography in your holiday campaigns and beyond!
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