Authentic visual content: The powerhouse of modern branding

In today’s digital age, visual content isn’t just an accessory; it’s a powerhouse. Building a brand goes far beyond crafted messages and catchy slogans. We live in a world driven by images and videos, where people crave real, authentic connections and experiences. It’s not just about what you say, but how you show it. The photos and videos you use to represent your company can essentially make or break the connection you build with your audience.

Here, we explore the power of visual authenticity and why moving beyond stock imagery is crucial in building a unique identity, and elevating your brand and audience connections.

The drawbacks of using stock photos

In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards disingenuous marketing. Companies frequently employ exaggerated claims, overly polished images, and staged scenarios to attract their audiences. With the floodgates now open for AI-generated imagery, the challenge is growing, along with audience scepticism.

Stock imagery is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing. Many companies turn to stock photos as the extensive libraries available offer a quick, simple solution, especially when pressed for time and budget. However, relying too much on stock images has its downsides—assets are not unique, and viewers can detect this! Since stock images are widely used, you might end up seeing the same visuals across different brands, making your company blend in rather than stand out.

The impact of authentic imagery

While stock content can serve its purpose, the power of authentic visuals cannot be overstated. People are drawn to authenticity, particularly in marketing and recruitment. The figures don’t lie:

• Better performance: Marketing campaigns featuring real people had over 35% better conversion rates than those using stock photos.
• Higher engagement: Studies with eye-tracking technology show that people often overlook stock photos, focusing instead on real people and relevant content.
• More views: Relevant images attract 94% more views than content without them.
• Brand perception: It is believed that 88% of job seekers look into a company’s brand before applying, and imagery plays a crucial role in shaping their views. (LinkedIn)
• Boosted job posting visibility: One study showed that Job postings with images and videos get 94% more views than those without.

Authentic visuals add uniqueness, build trust, foster emotional connections, and enhance engagement, ultimately elevating your brand presence. By thoughtfully combining authentic visuals with abstract designs and elements of nature, you can create a visually compelling and genuine brand identity that resonates with your audience.

How to balance the brand vs budget trade-off

If stock imagery feels inauthentic but creating custom visuals seems too costly or time-consuming, the key is to find a balance and own your visual identity. Here are some strategies to consider:

1. Adapt stock images for a personalised touch
   • Customise stock photos to align with your brand’s aesthetic. This can involve adding brand colours, overlaying text, or incorporating unique graphic elements to create a stronger connection with your brand.
   • And remember to use advanced search filters, within stock imagery platforms, to identify lesser-used shots or content elements and, where possible, licence images from trusted sources rather than using free-content.
2. Use abstract imagery
   • Abstract designs can illustrate complex ideas and emotions simply and effectively. For example, a flowing lines and shapes that convey a sense of motion and fluidity; different elements, contrasts and colours can be uses to communicate feelings of dynamism, elegance, or tension.
3. Incorporate symbolism
   • Symbolic imagery in branding leverages recognisable symbols to convey deeper meanings and values. For example nature-based imagery can be powerful in conveying brand values such as a flock birds symbolising harmony, collaboration, and forward movement.
4. Leverage employee-generated content (EGC)
   • Leveraging the authentic experiences, insights, and creativity of employees to create brand-related content is a great option. This strategy enhances credibility and trust, as potential customers/clients perceive content created by employees as more genuine and relatable compared to traditional marketing materials.
5. Repurpose Existing Content
   • Reuse and repurpose content across different platforms and formats. For example, a single photoshoot can yield a variety of images for social media posts, website banners, and promotional materials.
6. Cost-effective content shoots
   • Modern digital cameras, editing software, and online platforms have lowered the barrier to entry, enabling agencies and photographers to offer high-quality services at competitive rates. So when building a brand asset repository, it’s worth considering capturing bespoke imagery as it may be more cost-effective than you think!

It’s crucial to evaluate your brand and think deeply about what you want to show your audience. Authenticity doesn’t always mean real-life images; it means visuals that truly represent your brand’s values and culture.

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” which later evolved to “a picture is worth 10,000 words.”(Fred R. Barnard)

So, choose your visuals with care; it’s a critical component of your brand’s narrative.