Relying on stock footage is self-sabotage
Authors: Kellyn Liberty
Read time: 4 minutes
No matter your industry or size, custom multimedia is a worthwhile investment
In an age where royalty-free stock photos are ubiquitous and AI-generated images are fast becoming the norm, the value of custom multimedia cannot be overstated. Photo and video shoots aren’t just for slick consumer-facing brands. Investing in bespoke visual content has become a necessity, regardless of company size or sector – whether you are a manufacturer, chemical company, med tech, or pedaling an entirely new innovation.
Take Econic Technologies, for example. Econic is a deep tech company focused on renewable carbon. A UK-based start-up, the company licenses its technology to manufacturers around the world across a range of industries from polyurethanes to personal care ingredients. As Econic ramped up its marketing efforts in recent months, the company’s leadership decided to invest in a video shoot for the first time.
Their approach was practical: a one-day video shoot. “Taking a few hours with key team members and producing a large quantity of video content clips was a very efficient use of time and provided us with a large number of video assets,” said Liz Manning, Head of Commercial.
The result? “There is a clear increased engagement from our audience with video content,” said Manning.
1. Authenticity and trust
Customers are more likely to engage with and trust a company that showcases its unique identity through custom content with real people, products, and places. Unlike generic stock photos, real photos and videos provide a genuine glimpse into your business. This authenticity fosters trust and builds stronger connections with your audience.
For example, the video below features Econic’s CEO and one of their technical experts.
See how much more powerful this is than reading a webpage? If you can imagine the various audiences (e.g. investors, prospects in technical roles, brand owners in non-technocal roles, sustainability specialists, future employees), it’s easy to see how this type of content builds credibility.
Additionally, video can help clarify complex topics. “There is a benefit with technical content where it’s easier to understand in verbal form rather than written,” explained Manning.
2. Differentiation in a crowded market
Let’s say you work in the chemical industry. Here’s a scenario that’s probably familiar. You are at a tradeshow. Or maybe you are researching a topic and browsing a number of company websites. On every exhibit, you see the same image of a smiling woman with beautiful hair prancing through a field. Or you see the same plastic bottle going into a recycling bin on site after site. With the explosion of free stock photos and video, many displays and websites look strikingly similar.
“There are only so many free or low-cost images that feel relevant to certain industries. So every company uses them. It gets tired and it’s hard to stand out,” explained Jackie MacAllen, communications expert and founder of MacAllen Media & Public Affairs.
“When I’m working with a team that’s spending hours searching for halfway decent stock photos, I gently suggest it may be time to consider a photo or video shoot. It can seem expensive, but so is wasting your team’s valuable hours, especially when there is a high likelihood that competitors will find and use the same royalty free photos anyway,” she said.
Custom visuals set your brand apart, highlighting your company’s unique attributes and values. They tell your story in a way that stock photos or AI-generated content simply cannot, helping you to capture attention and remain memorable in a sea of sameness.
3. Higher engagement and conversion rates
Studies have shown that custom visuals can significantly increase engagement rates. People are more likely to watch a video or engage with a photo that feels unique and relevant to them. For B2B companies, this can translate into higher conversion rates as potential clients feel more connected to and interested in your offerings. According to LinkedIn, "There’s a reason video is cited as the #1 area of planned B2B content marketing investment…it’s very engaging! We certainly see this [on LinkedIn], where video drives 5x more engagement than other types of content."
In addition to professionally filmed content, MacAllen suggests mixing in “lo-fi” vieos like vlogs to up the authenticity factor and leverage the professional networks of employees and external experts. “People love to click on faces, even better if it’s a face they know. They are naturally curious, and companies can use that to their benefit on LinkedIn.”
This type of content can be filmed on a smartphone, making it a relatively simple and affordable way to increase engagement.
Here’s an example from Econic.
3. Enhanced brand identity
Your brand’s visual identity is crucial in communicating who you are and what you stand for. Custom content gives you complete control over the aesthetics, style, and messaging, ensuring everything aligns perfectly with your brand identity. This consistency helps reinforce your brand message across all platforms, from your website to social media channels.
For example, TRI-K Industries, a personal care ingredients provider, wanted to have a fresh image that appealed to independent beauty brands. That meant featuring more diverse models in their social media feed and on their website. Instead of typing “African American man hair” or “diverse models hair beach” into every stock footage site, they hired a group of young models and set up a photo and video shoot that yielded months of content and plenty of image options for future marketing and sales collaterals.
5. SEO benefits
Search engines favor original content. According to Google, "We have systems to help ensure we are showing original content prominently in search results, including original reporting, ahead of those who merely cite it. This includes support of a special canonical markup creators can use to help us better understand what is the primary page if a page has been duplicated in several places."
In conclusion
In an era where digital content is abundant, custom photography and videos offer a way for B2B companies to truly stand out. By investing in bespoke visuals, you not only enhance your brand’s authenticity and identity but also drive higher engagement and conversion rates. As AI-generated and stock content becomes more prevalent, the distinctiveness and genuine nature of custom content will continue to be a key differentiator in the B2B landscape.
About the author
Kellyn Liberty is a campaign and brand strategist who has worked with dozens of Fortune 500 companies. If you have questions about branding and brand style guides, please don’t hesitate to send her a message.
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