When it comes to finding personal brand photos, you might want to click the little cross on those ten+ stock photo tabs open in your browser and slowly walk away from the laptop.
No judgement lady, we’ve all been there!
Browsing Shutterstock, iStock, or even Canva, for the bestest photo that represents “corporate woman on laptop”, or “business woman with house plant on desk”, or “happy mother and baby laying in meadow”.
We’re all desperately trying to find the cleanest, crispest photo that we can use on our next blog, for our social posts, or maybe even to include in advertising.
Your instinct may be to grab the first series of stock photos you find that somewhat resonate with you and plaster them all over your digital things. And even though I am a professional photographer, I completely understand why.
Stock photos may seem like the perfect solution for a time-poor, yet creative, entrepreneur trying to pull together a professional-looking branding board with ease and minimal fuss….
BUT there are some key differences between using stock and real photos for your personal branding, and you might be interested to learn why real photos should ALWAYS be your go-to.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at why personal brand photos are far more effective at attracting and converting your audience than stock photos.
The difference between stock and real photos
So, let me just say this one little thing: stock images are NOT the enemy.
Many photographers make a real and profitable living shooting stock images. It can be a great little side-hustle for photography students or those just breaking through into the market.
And there have been some excellent meme-worthy stock photo series that have gone viral recently that most definitely give me a good laugh. Anyone remember “Distracted Boyfriend”?
But, what gives stock images a bad rap is really the poor decision-making that goes into how and why the images have been chosen to represent a certain product or service. How images are chosen matters and an image is only as valuable as the value it communicates.
So, ask yourself this: What are you trying to communicate when you choose your personal brand photos?
If your answer is a generic website with overused images that are untrustworthy and can go against your overall brand, then stock images are for you.
However, if you want to create authenticity, realness, trustworthiness, rapport, and add a human factor that appeals to your audience’s emotions, real photos are your answer. Read on!
Why personal photos are more powerful at attracting clients
Without diving into a detailed science lesson here, I do want to mention something called the Picture Superiority Effect because it plays an important role in helping your audience to remember what you’re talking about.
We know a lot about how people learn and remember things and what the Picture Superiority Effect tells us is that people tend to remember the pictures that they see more frequently than the words that they read.
And when the images you choose to accompany your copy are personal, emotive, real, and authentic they are going to be far more powerful at attracting your audience. Because they’re painting a real story that resonates and leaves a lasting memory.
Yes, your copy is important at weaving the elements of your story together, but your personal brand photos are going to make those words come alive on the screen, thereby encouraging your audience to take notice.
How to ensure your personal photos convert better than stock photos
After you’ve attracted your audience to your content, it’s now all about converting and making sales.
This is where your personal photos are really going to pack a punch. Particularly if you’ve spent some time working with your photographer on shooting a portfolio with a mixture of poses, gazes, props, and other powerful elements.
You are likely going to use your bank of personal brand photos in your different content types including blogs, social media posts, ads, email marketing, signatures, and website pages, so it makes sense to think about the various different elements that will go into your branding shoot.
Here are some quick takeaways for ensuring that your personal photos convert better than using standard stock photos:
- Your gaze and stance are going to say a lot about your personal brand – so try out a few different power poses and relaxed styles to get a combination to match your differing copy and messaging.
- Your photos are a part of your overall brand – so make sure they match your style and palette and appeal to your audience. Ensure they position you so that you show up as your authentic self, show your drive and determination, and demonstrate your passion and personality.
- Your audience won’t be able to resist following your gaze – so make sure you’re looking in various directions in your photos. These will be particularly powerful for use in sales funnels to generate leads and draw your audience’s attention to where you want them to look.
Essentially your personal brand photos are going to create connections with your audience in order to evoke emotions and match the messaging you’re portraying in your copy. Do this right and your conversions won’t be far behind.
How to use personal photos for full advantage
One of the best things about building a bank of personal brand photos is that your library of images will be your own, forever! You can use them indefinitely and they will represent you, your brand, and your business.
There are often limitations on stock photography usage and the most popular ones are often overused and can lose their appeal with an audience.
With your own personal library available to you, you can use your images on your:
- Website – your Home, About, Services, Contact pages
- Social media platforms – as your profile image, as tiles on Instagram, in your boards on Pinterest, in your bio on LinkedIn, throughout Facebook for Business
- Blog posts – either as feature images or peppered throughout text heavy posts
- Sales funnel pages – your landing pages, course pages, upsell pages, used as calls to action, or to draw your audience’s attention to a place on the page.
- Email signature – the popularity of using a thumb size profile image is skyrocketing.
- Online shop pages – yes personal photos can showcase your products!
Have a branding shoot to fill your photo bank
Putting YOU into your branding is simply a must if you’re looking to capture your business story and dig deep into where you’re going on your journey.
It’s about showing up as your authentic self and connecting with your audience on a personal level to create rapport and build relationships.
Doing so means investing in a personal branding shoot to build a bank of images that represent you as a driven entrepreneur, with a strong work ethic and a relaxed and relatable personality, who isn’t afraid to have fun.
And I can help you with that!
Apply for a Branding Photography Package with me and we can create a beautiful branding shoot experience to build up a portfolio of unique and personalised images that you can use to build authority, attract your ideal clients, and become instantly recognisable.
Contact me for more information or book in your branding photoshoot right now.
Much Love
