Authenticity Beats “Cheesy Handshake” — Why Pay for Real Photos Instead of Downloading Stock
- Alan McAleavey
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Ever searched “business success” on a stock site and been assaulted by a grinning team high-fiving in front of a whiteboard that says Synergy?Your customers have seen it too — and they scroll straight past.
The Data (a.k.a. Evidence That Your Audience Isn’t Stupid)
Real faces convert. A case study by Marketing Experiments swapped a generic stock model for an actual employee and increased sign-ups by 35 %. MarketingExperiments
Authenticity sells. 88 % of consumers say they choose brands that look real, not staged. Inspired Marketing & Design
Engagement doubles with authentic imagery. Facebook pages saw impressions jump 114 % — and engagement 100 % — when they ditched link posts for real photo posts. INMA
Why Stock Falls Flat
Stock Image Problem | Real-Photo Fix |
Everyone’s seen “Laughing Salad Lady.” | Show your team, your studio, your latte art. |
No local credibility. | Feature recognisable Wirral / Liverpool backdrops — instant trust signal. |
Licence limits (& hidden fees). | Full rights when you commission the shoot. |
Looks great… until your competitor buys the same pic. | Original imagery = brand moat. |
Cost vs. Value (Maths Even Creatives Can Love)
One custom shoot = a library of reusable assets: banners, blogs, ads, proposals, LinkedIn posts. Compare that to paying £10–£30 per decent stock photo — which still looks generic.
The Humour Test
Show two images to a friend:
Stock Guy triumphantly fist-pumping a laptop.
You, actually celebrating your first big sale in West Kirby — crumbs and coffee stains included.
Ask which feels more honest. If they don’t laugh at #1, buy them new glasses.
TL;DR
Stock is quick — but audiences spot it a mile away.
Real photos build trust and boost clicks, likes, and, yes, sales.
Local authenticity (hello, Mersey skyline) is impossible to download.
Ready to retire “Laughing Salad Lady” and show the real you?Drop me a message — I’ll bring the camera, you bring… anything but Synergy on a whiteboard.
(All stats linked in sources above for the fellow data nerds.)
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