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For the marketer intent on expressing authenticity, what kind of an argument may be made for the use of stock photos, video, images and music?
For many marketers, this would seem to be a stretch. For Storyblocks’ CEO TJ Leonard the value of stock media is virtually unassailable. I recently asked Leonard a few questions about the state of the stock media industry.
Paul Talbot: How has the use of stock images evolved over the past several years?
TJ Leonard: All visual imagery, both photos and video, have experienced a tectonic shift the last few years because of several trends much larger than the stock media market.
First, you have incredibly affordable and powerful tools – everything from Creative Cloud to Canva – that make it easier than ever for someone to make their own content. As a result, more marketers are keeping content creation in house.
At the same time, social media platforms have driven content to become more bite sized. Consequently, the amount of content a marketer needs to produce is skyrocketing. Put it together, and you are seeing content creators of all types looking for ways to save time and money and increase efficiency without sacrificing creative quality.
This is where stock media can be a helpful tool in a digital marketer’s toolkit.
Talbot: What would you tell a marketer who claims stock images are dead because they derail attempts to be authentic?
Leonard: I would tell them to take a second look! Even five years ago, they would have absolutely been right. But the reality is many marketers have demanded more diverse, authentic content for years now.
They understand that in order to capture and hold someone’s attention in today’s visually crowded world, the content needs to reflect the imperfect, yet emotionally compelling world we experience every day.
And each year – like we are seeing now with raw unfiltered imagery – the bar for authenticity rises. We first spotted this trend developing in 2016, and the more progressive companies and contributors have responded by building a library that reflects these qualities.
Talbot: What about the role of the image in conveying a message? Is it changing as more content is consumed on mobile devices?
Leonard: Absolutely. Everyone knows the saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ I was curious to know, how much is a video worth? It turns out Forrester conducted a study and pegged the value at 1.8M words. Point being that marketers have less time and real estate than ever to make their point to customers, and this is one of the big reasons we believe video will be the reserve currency for digital storytellers for the next fifty years.
Talbot: Is there a rule of thumb that guides marketers on when to use video and when to use a still image?
Leonard: When in doubt, test it! But if I had to give a rule of thumb, I would say use video if you have the time. There is lots of compelling data that shows video drives everything from more engagement to higher conversion rates to stronger brand recall.
The reality is making a video requires more time and energy, whereas a still image comes ready to post. Images will always have a role, but the scales have tipped and video is the new standard.
Talbot: What do we know about the role that images play when it comes to recall and engagement?
Leonard: We know that images are more impactful than words, and videos are more impactful than images. No matter what medium you choose, remember to define brand standards around visual content with the same (or more) rigor that you do with the written word.
Too often we see marketers who spend months creating voice guidelines and design standards but fail to give their companies the same level of direction around the images and videos that best communicate brand positioning.
Talbot: Images can attract attention, demonstrate a product, tell a story or reinforce a message told in copy. What do images seem to be most effective at right now? Are they losing effectiveness with any of these objectives?
Leonard: Yes, with all of the above. Just as friction (aka ROAS) in a bidded marketplace declines with time, as more and more marketers use imagery, the relative advantage you possess will also decline with time. I would say if you are still relying on images alone, you are already lagging behind your competitors.
Look for new ways to incorporate video, add music, layer in interesting effects and animations. Be bold, challenge creative conventions, and never stop moving forward. Because whatever is working today, won’t work as well a year from now.
Talbot: Any other observations you would care to share?
Leonard: Don’t be intimidated. We see so many marketers who are hesitant to wade into the video creation waters. Just as the old caricature of businessmen in ill-fitting suits awkwardly shaking hands over a mahogany boardroom table no longer applies, it is not nearly as complicated as it once was to create a promotional video, how-to or social media post. There are great tools and authentic content out there waiting to be discovered.
