At first glance, they usually look good thanks to perfectly beautiful models and smiling, handshake-shaking employees: stock images. We all know them and we've probably all used them at some point.

However, even if all of this sounds promising at first, stock photos always present a repetitive, artificial world, thus creating a certain distance from your customers. Yet, when searching for the perfect provider, customers are primarily looking for closeness, authenticity, and genuineness.

What are stock images?

You've probably heard the term before, but what exactly are stock images? Stock images are generic images that, because they are licensed, can often be purchased for a small price on various websites.

The disadvantages of stock images

Stock images are tempting. However, you should use them with caution . Keep the following disadvantages in mind:

#1: Stock images look quickly staged

As the saying goes, nobody's born a master. And yet, stock images often appear very perfect and therefore staged . The models' postures sometimes seem unnatural, and the emotions portrayed can quickly come across as inauthentic.

Finding stock images that fully reflect your business can be a difficult task – despite the countless providers of such stock images.

#2: Stock images can be used by everyone – not just your company.

For this reason, stock images are far from being a unique selling point and can quickly undermine your brand identity. Many of these images have also been seen multiple times before, making it difficult to associate them with a specific company.

If your competitors suddenly start using the same motifs and images, it can be particularly unpleasant in front of an audience.

#3: Stock images are interchangeable

Because stock images often look very similar, they are unsuitable for representing a company or product. They are simply interchangeable , meaning they lack brand recognition and therefore don't form a good basis for brand loyalty. In the worst case, this evokes negative associations among your potential customers, which then also reflects poorly on your brand.

Poor content reduces brand loyalty.

It's no secret that content, whether visual or not, shapes brand image . Every single image or video, and every text or post on social media, influences the opinions of interested parties regarding your brand or product.

And do you really want your sales to drop just because you used stock images? No? Then we've compiled some tips for you in the next paragraph on what you can use as an alternative to stock images .

The alternative: Build your own image database

One of the simplest solutions is to invest the money and organize a photo shoot to build your own image database . This way, you can present your company, products, and employees as they are and create a visual identity that matches your corporate design .

If you come across as authentic and likeable, your viewers will be able to identify better with your company's content.

A very good example of a company-wide image database that all employees can access is Canto. The images can be downloaded in various formats and resolutions and inserted directly into PowerPoint presentations.

Also: Better rules for using images in corporate presentations

We also recommend that you establish clear guidelines for the use of images in presentations by your employees. And if you do use stock images, have them edited by a designer to ensure they match your corporate design.

Conclusion: Stock Images - How to create better alternatives

Images are so important because they can reflect and tell the company's story . The style of your images determines how your brand and company are perceived.

Do you have questions about stock images or PowerPoint in general? Don't hesitate to contact us at info@presentationload.de ; we'll be happy to help.

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