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Picking the Best Stock Images & How to Optimise Them


When you clicked on this blog, what was the first thing that caught your eye? Was it the headline, the blurb, or the photo? As humans, we’re generally visually oriented, so an image attached to a piece of content tends to attract the initial attention. Whether that content is a blog post or a landing page, the image(s) associated with it play an important role in the formation of the audience’s first impression. Will they want to keep reading after seeing the visuals attached?


Things to Consider When Choosing a Stock Image

There are so many great free stock image sites such as Unsplash, and of course the giant of all stock image websites – Shutterstock. It’s awesome that there are so many out there for public use, but it can become overwhelming and confusing when there are so many options. Should you go with an abstract or specific photo? What is the best colour profile? What is the best orientation?

Keep these in mind to pick the right stock photo:

  1. Know where your image is going
  2. Understand the contrast of your image
  3. Choose colours that elicit an emotional or visceral response
  4. Choose an image that supports your message
  5. Pick a suitable size and shape

How to Perform a Search for a Stock Image

Allthefreestock.com is a library of stock image websites. There are even categories such as food, placeholders, and patterns, so it’s easier to find what you’re looking for in one place. You can use a single word or multiple words to search for a stock image, and if it’s free to download you don’t even need to create an account!


How to Optimise a Stock Image

Once you’ve chosen the image you want, consider adjusting the file size. A lot of stock images are too big for ordinary websites, so use a tool like Optimizilla to reduce the file size. To optimize an image, change the filename to include keywords and to make it easier for search engines like Google to determine what the content attached to the image is about. For example, the image filename for this blog post could be seo-online-marketing. It is relevant to both the content and the image.

For more optimisation tips, subscribe to the Pure SEO blog today!

Rachel Matela

Rachel is a Filipino Kiwi with a passion for the arts. Having graduated with an Arts Degree in English from UoA, she found writing work at PureSEO as a Junior Copywriter and quickly moved on to the role of Editor. In her spare time, she reads Austen and teaches dance classes in the weekend.

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