It’s no secret that here at Chayil Media Publishing HQ, I love a great aesthetic. For years, I shot my own stories as a reporter which could explain why I’m so particular about every angle of videography or photography.
I believe that a great visual tied to amazing words tells a wonderful brand story.
In fact, for a while now, I’ve invested in not only lifestyle photography for my own brand but also stock photography. Pixistock has been my absolute favorite for go-to stock photos.
Alicia Powell, the woman behind it all started Pixistock because she wanted to create an online space where female entrepreneurs could get all the visual resources they need to tell their brand story and grow their business. She has a passion for helping other women stand out online and show their best selves.
Pixistock is not only a way for Alicia to work for herself but also a way to use her creative talents to help other women get the brand awareness they deserve.
I reached out to Alicia to talk about why quality stock photography matters for creative brands. I’m so excited that she’s joining us and I hope you enjoy! – Danielle
CMP: I love a great brand story and how it’s conveyed within a brand’s social media communities. How can creatives use stock photos to effectively tell their brand story on social media?
Alicia: A lot of people underestimate the value of visual content. It’s important to tell your story visually as well as written because it’s usually how you make the best first impression. Stock photos and graphics are a simple resource that when used in a cohesive way, give your brand a visual boost. Used consistently, they can be the reason you get noticed online, stand out on social media, while presenting your brand as clean, and professional.
“My tip is to try not to ONLY incorporate stock photos in your branding. Mix them up with your own images and graphics and use them as filler content to help save you time.” – Alicia Powell
Being a part of a subscription gives you regular images that you can pull from to keep your brand consistent. And consistency is EVERYTHING when it comes to growing your personal brand.
for Chayil Media Publishing’s Instagram page.
CMP: Maybe there is someone who is planning to launch a website soon or thinking of rebranding their website – what advice would you give when incorporating stock photos into their design?
Alicia: Start with choosing a stock photo bundle. A bundle of 10-20 photos can be a great starter to help you design your website fast. A simple, clean image can be great for website headers, banner images or blog post headers. From there, you’ll need regular visual content for social media – images that are cohesive with your brand’s look and message. This is where a stock subscription would come in. Also, don’t be afraid to choose photos with a variety of different color types to give visual interest and variation. Sometimes staying with the same colors and the same type of images can leave your brand stagnant and uninteresting.
CMP: Some people are concerned that stock photos aren’t unique to their brand. How can creatives give their own “brand touch” to stock photos?
Alicia: In order to make your images unique, you’ll need to alter the images to make them “your own.” Think about adding your own filters and presets to them, or adding your logo, text and other design elements to them. Simple color overlays, vignettes and presets help take a simple stock photo to one that fits right in with your branding with these subtle changes. Additionally, think about paying for stock subscriptions. Because subscription photos are more exclusive and have a particular style, a much smaller number of people will be using them, unlike free stock photo sites.
CMP: It’s one thing to have quality stock photos but many people tend to use them the wrong way. What is the number one mistake that you’ve seen brands do with stock photos?
Alicia: One mistake I’ve seen, is that brands use stock photos as is, without adding their own brand touch or visual touch to them. Incorporating them in graphics, adding them to things like your marketing materials, ebooks, headers, social media graphics and more can really make all the difference. Making these small changes and alterations to your photos consistently enough will help your imagery stand out from all others.
Were Alicia’s tips helpful?
To learn more about Pixistock click here to visit her site.
You can also catch Alicia on social media! Click on the following links to catch her on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
As always, if you have questions on getting clear on your brand messaging or leveraging your digital content, click here to contact me.
Talk soon! – Danielle Wallace, Founder + Strategic Brand Storyteller, Chayil Media Publishing
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