10 Ways to Use Stock Photography for your Blog - Amy Howard Social (2024)

I don’t know where my business would be without styled stock photography ladies. Seriously, I use stock images throughout my website, blog, across social media, and throughout other marketing strategies. Today, I wanted to share with you 10 Ways to Use Stock Photography for your Blog – and the ultimate source for purchasing affordable stock photography – Haute Chocolate!

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Social Media

THROUGHOUT YOUR INSTAGRAM FEED

Ahh, Instagram! IG is becoming one of my favorite social media channels. Have you upgraded to a biz account yet? I am LOVING the new changes and updates. 🙂 Anyways, stock photos are a must for IG. Are you stumped as to what you should be sharing on IG? If so, here are 5 content ideas for yours truly. Your Instagram feed should tell a story – your story. Choose photos to share that represent you + your brand and tell that story – we would love to hear it!

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A PINTEREST IMAGE WITHIN YOUR BLOG POST

If you have been here a while, you know my deep love for Pinterest. Pinterest is my number one traffic driver to my website! If you want to up your game on Pinterest, include easy to locate – Pinterest friendly images within your blog post. Always remember to edit your photo’s ALT TEXT description so that your pin’s description matches. Remember, that Pinterest is the new Google, a search engine – so make sure that every single one of your pins has an SEO friendly description. To make things even easier for your readers, add a PIN IT button to your blog. Want to learn more about Pinterest (I totally hope that you do) check out this blog post that I wrote a while back, 5 Ways to More Repins on Pinterest.

IN YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS

I have my AHS Facebook page and have recently launched a Facebook Group, Social Media Sisters. You’re in there, right?! Throughout both pages, I definitely include stock photography. Having Haute Chocolate’s photosreadily available helps keep my branding on point and assures me that I will always have a gorgeous photo ready to use!

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SOCIAL MEDIA COVER PHOTOS

Have you seen the FB update to the business pages? We can now see the entire cover photo, woop woop – no more being covered by text and buttons. Take advantage of your cover photos by including current news in your business, etc. Here are my photos that I use on Facebook:

AHS Facebook:

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Social Media Sisters Facebook Group:

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Blog

ON YOUR WEBSITE’S HOMEPAGE

Your site’s homepage is the first impression that a reader has of you and your brand. Needless to say, it needs to look true, inviting, and flawless. I use Haute Chocolate’s images throughout my entire site, especially on my home page.The possibilities are endless as to how you can use stock images on your site + blog. Here is a shot of my homepage; I have stock photos in the hero image, as well as in those three boxes.

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ON YOUR BLOG’S SIDEBAR

Your blog’s sidebar is a great location to insert promotional graphics. Take advantage of this space and insert branded stock photographythat your audience can easily click on!

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Marketing

IN YOUR EMAIL HEADERS

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Email newsletters are an amazing tool, that every blogger should be utilizing. I admit, that I haven’t jumped on this train like I should, but I do have this awesome email newsletter header created. 🙂 Who wouldn’t want to open pretty party mail?

ON OPT-INS OR FREEBIES

Us bloggers usually have an amazing opt-in or freebie for our even more amazing readers, am I right? What better way to promote these freebies than with stock photos?Here is a desktop mockup promoting my website, gorgeous right?! You can totally create images with text promoting sales, etc. using this approach.

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ON DIGITAL PRODUCTS

Whatever you’re promoting, whether it’s physical products, or a program or service, you can use the images fromthe Styled Stock Libraryto really uplevel your branding and create gorgeous eye-catching images in a snap! Keep these few things in mind when creating your graphics: Stay on brand with your color and font choices, add call to actions, intrigue them with your text, and make the graphics easy to find!

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Want to see more from thestyled stocklibrary? Here is a sneak of a few ofHaute Chocolate’s newestcollections:

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ARE YOU READY TO START INCREASING SALES BY USING PROFESSIONAL STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY?

JOIN THE HAUTE CHOCOLATE STYLED STOCK LIBRARY

Also, be sure to get on Rachel’s Haute Chocolate newsletter and gain access to FREE stock images each month, holla!

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Sponsored by the Haute Chocolate Stock Library – my go-to resource for feminine, affordable stock photography! All opinions are 100% my own.

Related Posts

  • How to Increase Sales by Using Stock Photography
  • Where to Find Affordable, Feminine Stock Photos
  • How to Update Pinterest Board Covers w/ Stock Photography
  • How to be a Social Media Boss: Interview with Haute Chocolate
10 Ways to Use Stock Photography for your Blog - Amy Howard Social (2024)

FAQs

Can you legally use stock photos? ›

Stock photos for commercial use can be placed on websites and in marketing materials and editorial work ― some stock photos can only be used for editorial purposes. The one caveat is that they cannot be used in materials related to illegal or morally sensitive areas, nor can they be resold or distributed.

How to photograph stock photos? ›

It comes down to a few factors: evocative subject matter, flawless appearance, and some unique qualities.
  1. Picking a subject. ...
  2. Submit exceptional, unique content. ...
  3. Check the overall composition. ...
  4. Make your images look their best. ...
  5. Eliminate imperfections. ...
  6. Improve focus and sharpen the image.
Feb 28, 2023

How to be successful in stock photography? ›

10 Helpful Tips to Jumpstart Your Stock Photography Business
  1. Get model releases early. ...
  2. Take time to keyword your photos. ...
  3. Photographers are their own worst editors. ...
  4. Be the supply to the demand. ...
  5. Be aware of brands and logos. ...
  6. Be a thought leader. ...
  7. Master your domain. ...
  8. Keep the bar high.

When you are using stock images in your web site a royalty free license allows you to? ›

Royalty Free License (RF)

It allows you to use the same image or same photo multiple times in different projects without incurring additional fees. However, there may be restrictions on the number of copies of the free stock photos or viewers.

Can I use stock photos on my blog? ›

Using stock images on your website or blog can be a good way to add visual interest and professional-looking content to your site. However, it's important to use stock images responsibly and to make sure you have the proper permissions to use them.

Is tracing stock photos illegal? ›

Tracing copyrighted or other photos online without permission can potentially be considered unethical and could infringe on the copyright owner's rights. It's always a good idea to obtain permission from the copyright owner before tracing their work.

What stock photos sell best? ›

What kinds of photos sell best
CategorySize (% of total)
Business12.9%
People11.5%
Landscapes8.9%
Animals5.3%
1 more row
Dec 17, 2023

Should I use stock photos on my website? ›

Stock photos come from a supply of photographs and are usually licensed for specific purposes. These photos tend to be generic and are obvious to spot. If possible, it's always best to use your own original photographs, but having a stock photo throughout content can be better than no images at all.

How do I use stock photos on my website? ›

Purchase the Appropriate License: Select a license that aligns with your intended use of the image. If you plan to use it for commercial purposes, make sure to purchase a commercial license. Keep Records: Maintain a record of all the images you've purchased, including their licenses.

How do beginners sell stock photos? ›

What is the best way to sell photographs? The best way to sell photographs online is by selling them as stock images for sale on third-party websites like iStockPhoto, Dreamstime, Shutterstock, or 123RF. Selling your photos through stock sites is quick, easy, and affordable.

Do stock photos make money? ›

Stock photography, the practice of capturing images that anyone can license for a fee, can be a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time job. For photographers, it can be a steady source of income using both previous works and new shoots in which they call the shots from the subject to the post-processing treatment.

What makes a photo sellable? ›

A sellable image must convey more than just a person, place, or thing. The fact that we can't see the model's face makes it more engaging, as it forces the viewer to fill in the blank about who this person is.

What pictures are not copyrighted? ›

Public Domain: Images in the public domain aren't protected by copyright because either the copyright has expired, or the creator has willingly forfeited their copyright. Such images are free to use without obtaining a license or permission.

What images can I use without permission? ›

Public Domain Images (a.k.a. 'No Copyright' Images)

Images in the public domain are free to use without any copyright restrictions. This is because one of the following things is true: The copyright has expired. The work never had a copyright, to begin with.

What happens if you use a stock photo without buying it? ›

Using a stock image without paying for a license is a violation of copyright laws, and can result in legal consequences such as fines or lawsuits. Stock image companies like Shutterstock use digital tracking tools and software to monitor the usage of their images across the internet.

Can I use free stock photos for my business? ›

What about usage rights on free stock photos? Nearly all images on these free stock sites have a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. This means you can copy, adapt or distribute the images — even for commercial purposes — without requiring author consent. In other words, do whatever you want with them!

Can I use stock photos on my social media? ›

After paying for a stock image, you'll typically get a license, which grants you the rights to use the image in specific ways. That can include using the image on social media platforms like Instagram, and other mediums like in marketing materials or on website pages.

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