Last updated on January 11th, 2023
You might have used Google very often to get images to insert in your blog post or social account. Many content marketer do that to impress their audiences on social media for the impression.
Such images are mostly stock photos that are just for illustrating a topic of discussion. The main purpose of these images is to get something illustrated and to break the monotony of a text page or message.
However, it would be a huge mistake to use the stock images from Google Search for your business promotion. These images have the potential for grave consequences for your enterprise and its business in the end.
Stock images are generally free to access but they can ruin your reputation and online success. It may also be that you are in some legal trouble. Many stock photos are actually for personal use. But if you use them for commercial purpose such as in your blogs, you may be breaching the legal rights of someone to invite legal action.
Cheap images, another name for stock images, should be avoided if you intend to run a serious online business.
Here Are 3 Mistakes Every Content Marketer Must Avoid
1.Stock Photography Looks Fake
People must have trust in your business so that they come back for a repeat purchasing. Global brands are very conscious that the customers trust their business, products or services.
Most of the enterprises spend huge money and a lifetime in building a brand image based on trust. Stock photographs look fake to the people.
Stock photographs should be ignored for business promotion simply because the images are of common landmarks, events, places, animals or people. Many people have already used these images from the Internet.
So, your audience may build a negative image of your business upon seeing the clichéd images on your business promotion blogs.
Your audience will stop reacting to your business when confronting the stock images because of the cheap quality and lack of creativity.
Instead, hire a professional photographer and have own pictures of the products or services that your business wishes to promote. Such images boost your target customers’ confidence in your business.
Having said that, stock images of the landscape are usually safe as all of them look beautiful. People are mesmerized by nature’s beauty and so they do not mind looking at such images taken from the Internet. But ignore using people’s stock photos.
Read Another Blog: 3 Critical Mistake Businesses Make With Content Marketing
2.Clichéd Images Are Boring
A boring image is the one that fails to ignite any excitement and emotion from the audience. An exciting image is the one that evokes some emotions due to some story told to the audience.
There is no element of surprise and uniqueness in the images which we usually swipe away quickly upon seeing them on Facebook news feed. If you use one such image in your blog post, people will have no notice of it and it may also ruin your brand image ultimately.
When your Facebook page for business promotion has more boring images, people may not like to visit the page again. That person may not come to the page again. For that person, your Facebook page does not exist anymore even if you post a great image next time.
Ultimately, lack of activity on your social media page may adversely affect your business, as the number of people visiting your business website will decrease to the larger extent.
3.You May Face Legal Issues
The temptation of using stock photos is hard to resist. But not only the cheap photographs ultimately cost you in terms of a dent on your brand image, but you may also have to fight a legal battle too.
Stock photos come free with a catch. They are usually free of cost for personal use only. Many small businesses use the photos for commercial use also which may be an illegal activity. Stock photo owners want to make money by issuing the copyrights of the photos by charging some money.
So, after you downloaded an image from Google and put it on your blog or social media, owner of the photo may notice it. You are likely to get a legal notice from the stock photo owner soon.
The photographer who clicked the image will not be sending you legal notices over copyright breach. You may be asked to remove the image from your social media site or website. You may end up paying expensive fines.
Do not forget that copyright infringement in the U.S comes with a huge fine of anywhere between $200 to $150,000 depending on the damages the owner suffered and the amount of profit you earned.
To close, it is better to hire a photographer and have your own photos of products or people clicked. These are your original photos that people will see for the first time.
Make sure that the photos have some story to tell about your business. People want to be told some story through images. Use this instinct for your business promotion.
Now you know content marketers aren’t invincible. They can also make mistakes. But as a marketer, you can avoid mistakes by staying alert, aware, and ethical.