As we move towards the final push of the year, client budgets are getting tighter yet demand for exceptional and effective creative is higher than ever. The team at Aotearoa’s stock image marketplace, Picky, chatted to us on how adding crafted, local and authentic stock images to your design mix, will not only work within your budget, but help you build beautiful and high performing websites for your Clients.
Why local stock, why now?
Bespoke content and photography shoots are best practice when creating branded content for your clients. But as budgets tighten there’s another cost-effective and speedy way to complement bespoke photography while still retaining brand personality and flair.
It’s in times like now where many designers will turn to stock imagery. With many overseas-based stock sites being the go-to. Using International stock image libraries typically result in a more generic look and feel, which can feel at odds with the brand tone already established. As humans, we’re very visually oriented, not only do images attract our attention but they spark emotions and draw us in. Images also help customers interpret and understand your website. So it’s pretty key that these images reflect local brands and audiences in the right manner.
As such, there is huge value in using authentic, genuine imagery to represent our country, businesses, people, and culture. Showcasing our way of life is so important, not just for portraying our country as it should be seen, but ensuring your client’s brand resonates with its audience.
Alongside authentically local, premium imagery is key. It’s worth investing in crafted images from professional photographers – whether that’s through bespoke content creation or by being highly selective in the stock imagery chosen to support. Ensuring that what you’ve selected compliments your clients’ design aesthetic and branding, for use across a variety of assets.
Top tips to get incredible images across the line:
- Looking and feeling local is incredibly important right now. If in doubt, showcase two versions of your creative designs. One with more generic international stock imagery and the other with local to visually compare the difference.
- Remember, designers and clients get ‘bored’ of the creative before the audience ever will. Invest in good imagery and use it as much as you can, a great, compelling image will not tire.
- Remind your clients on the importance of supporting local creatives and initiatives. They in turn know what it’s like to have and rely on local and community support, so it’s a great reminder to keep campaigns NZ made.
- Some local stock sites also feature top NZ photographers. It’s a way of getting a super professional-level aesthetic into your creative, to maintain the level of investment you may have created using a high end bespoke photography shoot.
- Get your hands on RAW image files if possible. A RAW file will give you more control over matching colour grades, dialing up your client’s brand colours, match image filters between assets and create a more cohesive suit of content overall between photography shoots and stock imagery.
- Check the licenses – if you only need an image for one-off social post, look for lower-cost Online Only licensing. If you’re going to re-use the asset multiple times, look for royalty-free all media pricing to make the most of the content. Royalty-free licensing also means you’ve bought the right to use that image in perpetuity – that’s a one-off, up-front cost to use it forever.
- Most stock sites offer partnership deals, offering even more cost-effective pricing. If you bill to yourself or your studio, and then on to the client you can often work up to higher partnership pricing tiers quicker.
The wrap up:
Now is the perfect time to look local for commercially available stock imagery when it comes to sourcing content to support existing brand assets. Authentic, premium stock imagery will ensure you’re creating beautiful and effective design solutions for your clients, without sacrificing form, function or funds.
What’s Picky?
Picky.co.nz is a NZ-based stock and mock image marketplace. Representing a more authentic and diverse Aotearoa through imagery from over 55 contributing photographers from all corners of our country. Picky uniquely offers RAW image files alongside industry-competitive licensing and partnership deals. For a Rocketspark exclusive on your first order, use “ROCKETSPARK15” to get 15% off.
Local stock sites like Picky ensure local, professional photographers are still being supported in times of economic downturn. And the rise of NZ-based stock image websites mean you can even get hyperlocal – supporting photographers within your region.
