It seems that everywhere you look on the internet these days, you're bombarded with visual content. Regardless of if it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even blogs...visual content is quickly becoming the preferred method of taking in information.
In fact, the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text according to the 3M Corporation.
But not every small business has the budget to purchase a ton of stock photos or hire a photographer to take them for you. While you're committed to marketing your website, it seems like compelling visual content could be a problem.
So, what can you do to address this?
The Answer: Free Stock Photos
Where To Get Free Stock Photos
Stock photos used to be kinda cheesy, we’ll admit. But over the last few years, thankfully, there’s been a growing number of websites with a wide variety of high-quality stock photography popping up all over the internet.
Did you know that your content can actually generate up to 94% more views if you add compelling visual elements and graphics?
With more and more content becoming visual, here are 5 websites you can use to get free stock photos for commercial use…
StockSnap.io
Stock Snap is a popular resource for business owners who want high-quality free stock photos to use on their website and social media. Whether you're looking for outdoorsy photos or something a little more corporate, you'll be able to find it in StockSnap's large database. Everything on the site falls under the Creative Commons CC0 license, meaning you can copy, modify, and distribute any photo on the site for free.
Unsplash.com
Unsplash adds 10 new photos every day, so the database is growing rapidly. The photos are completely free to use in your projects AND you can sort by collections, keywords, and themes to find the perfect image for your site. You do not need to provide attributions, as everything on the site falls under the Creative Commons CC0 license.
Pixabay.com
Pixabay has one of the largest libraries of high-quality free stock photos perfectly oriented for marketing and blogging. Its easy search feature can even be filtered by orientation, category, size, and color. In their own words, “You can copy, modify, distribute, and use the images, even for commercial purposes, all without asking for permission or giving credits to the artist.”
Picjumbo.com
Every photo on the site is from one photographer, Viktor Hanacek. When he was tired of his photos getting rejected by other major stock sites...he decided to create his own. Every day, new photos are added to a wide range of different categories, or you can sign up to receive them via email.
FreeStocks.org
FreeStocks lets you use photos in personal and commercial projects. There are a few categories you can search, or you can simply look for subjects based on keywords or tags. Giving credit is not necessary, but always appreciated!
Before You Go...
While we've done our best to provide accurate information regarding the usage of these free stock photos, it is always in your best interest to check the terms and conditions yourself. These rules can change over time and may not necessarily reflect what we know at the time of this publication.
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Kellyann Doyle is a Content Marketing Writer at Zoek, an SEO, Web Design, and Digital Marketing Agency that assists small and medium-sized businesses with their online footprint. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in 2013 from the University of Houston with a Major in Communications and a Minor in Marketing and has been working in the Digital Marketing world ever since. When not working, you can find Kellyann trying new recipes, enjoying a good nap, or watching Friends for the 500th time.