Stock photos can be a great way to make a website pop. They’re easy to find, relatively cheap, of a high quality and are available in a wide range of subjects and genres. The problem is, many web designers don’t take advantage of this breadth, sticking instead to a few tried and true photos and looks that do little to separate a site or business from the pack. It doesn’t have to be that way, just as long as web designers think creatively about choosing, applying and editing stock photos in unique ways.

Avoid Cliches

While no formal study has yet to be completed on the exact number of times the image of sanitized-looking business people shaking hands has appeared on the front page of a business website, we’re betting it’s formidable. Using clichéd photos like this says to consumers, “We’re neither innovative nor up to date on the latest trends, and we don’t care what this says about us.” Stay away from tired imagery, including anyone laughing into a salad or struggling to drink water, families laughing together in fields, and a woman at a call center smiling into the camera. Modernize your imagery to create more powerful response on a much cleaner design. Compare your website to real world architecture and recognize trends. Feel free to get a little bit riskier in your design, and react appropriately. You cannot A/B test enough.