The days of text-based ads are over. Now it’s all about visuals. If your ads are not visually appealing and engaging, no one will click on them. Hubspot’s report shows that ads with images are the most popular type of content to increase traffic and CTR.
Now there may be some questions on your mind. Where can you find good images? Should you spend hundreds of dollars on commercial photography? Is there a more accessible and affordable way to find photos for your Facebook ads?
The answer to all your queries is: “Stock Photos”
Stock photos refer to a collection of licensed images for specific projects. They are widely used in advertising, marketing, and personal use. Many websites provide royalty-free and high-quality stock photos for immediate download.
Benefits Of Using Stock Images In Facebook
Easily Accessible
Accessibility is one of the benefits of stock photos. You can access thousands of stock images with just one click.
Stock photos are typically high-resolution, so you don’t have to worry about their quality either. Just tweak them to suit your brand’s aesthetic. Compared to acquiring original photographs, they save a lot of time and get the job done faster. Simply search for relevant stock images from the numerous libraries and use them almost instantly for your Facebook ads.
Cost-Effective
Nowadays, commercial photography is quite expensive. Preparing and executing even a single photoshoot takes time and money. On the other hand, stock photos make every step easy and inexpensive.
They are a great option when it comes to choosing visuals for your social media ads. Many websites offer royalty-free stock images with little or no fees, giving you the financial freedom to invest in other areas of your business.
Unlimited Creative Options
You have access to unlimited options when it comes to stock image libraries. You find various professional photos in every category: lifestyle, business, fashion, food, tech, electronics, and more.
Stock photos offer diversity and creativity that your own custom shoots cannot match.
How To Craft Engaging Facebook Ads With Stock Photos
Here’s a list of 6 result-driven approaches that can help you create engaging Facebook ads using stock photos.
1) Brand Visual Consistency
In Facebook advertising, brand consistency is the key. Everything needs to be consistent with your brand, from the aesthetics of the ad imagery to the tone of the voice. This makes your content immediately recognizable to your target audience.
If you’re using multiple images or creating multiple ad versions, make sure they all tie together visually and follow a similar theme.
For example, take a look at the below Facebook ad by Amazon which has used a stock image of a dog. They have done well by restricting the focus to the product with minimal text and no clutter in the background. There are six versions of this ad, yet all follow the same theme and design.
2) Relevance
The options are endless when it comes to stock photos. Though some would look more attractive than others, they would have no relevance to your product or service. Now, which one would you choose? Obviously, the most relevant ones.
No matter how attractive your images are, they won’t convey your brand’s message if they aren’t related to your products.
With relevant images, your ads will garner more clicks since your audience will be able to see what your offer is actually about.
A good example is NAPA Autoparts, who have used a stock image of actual auto parts in its ad, making it directly relevant to the company’s products.
3) Keep It Real
When selecting stock photos for your Facebook ads, choose more natural and realistic images. Ads with human faces or body parts engage more viewers than those with just objects and graphic illustrations.
Real photos will also resonate with your target audience since they will understand the intent behind your ad campaign.
This ad for Remarkable Hospice is a good example. With a stock image of a real healthcare provider holding the hands of a patient, the ad has accurately communicated the message regarding hospice and life care.
4) Avoid Clutter
While editing pictures, people tend to overdo the text and graphic elements. They end up with design elements scattered all over the place, losing track of the ad’s actual message.
The secret to engaging Facebook ads is SIMPLICITY. The image should have a clear focal point. Avoid cluttering with too much text and design elements. Keep it crisp and clean.
Below is an example of a Facebook ad by Hub Coworking Hawaii, which features a stock photo of a woman sitting and working at her desk. They have added their logo and call-to-action as well. Not only does it look clean, but it’s also clearly focused on what they’re trying to sell.
5) Personalize The Images
You can customize your stock photos to be consistent and aligned with your branding. Unstock your images to give them a personal touch. Make them your own by following these tips:
Apply overlays to the photo that match the brand’s colour palette
Crop away the unnecessary areas of the image
Add your company’s logo and tagline
Add a bold and clear call to action
Add more design elements and graphics if needed
6) Make Your CTA Clear
Your goal is to call people to take action when they see your ad. Take advantage of this opportunity to get more customers into your sales funnel.
While creating a Facebook ad, ensure your stock photo has a bold and clearly visible Call to Action. It should stand out in the picture.
You can also use a value proposition like a free trial, limited offer, avail 10% discount now, etc., to grab the attention of more viewers.
Fincent’s Facebook ad, for example, has a clearly visible and highlighted value proposition “One Month of Free Bookkeeping – Avail this offer now.” Prospective buyers will be immediately attracted to it as they will want to try its services.
Final Words
If used correctly, stock photos are an excellent way to increase engagement on Facebook ads. Use relevant, high-quality, and product-focused stock photos. Don’t forget to personalize them to reflect your brand’s personality. With our tips and tricks, you should definitely see more engagement for your ads.
For some tips on what Facebook social media advertising strategies ‘to do’ check out these recent Marketing.com.au articles:
Amos Struck is a publisher and entrepreneur in the stock imagery field. He is an expert digital marketer. Amos is a recurrent speaker at Photokina Official Stage and an industry consultant at StockPhotoInsight. He is passionate about technology, marketing, and visual imagery.
