Should I use stock photos on my business website?

Where stock hurts

A team page full of models, a “recent projects” section with photos of someone else’s kitchen, a clinic with an image of a waiting room that isn’t theirs. Visitors notice, and when they notice they start doubting the rest of the page. Some even run a reverse image search. For any business where trust drives the sale, this is the wrong place to save money.

Where stock is fine

• Atmospheric backgrounds and textures.
• Illustrating a concept in a blog post or guide.
• Landscape or city shots that set a sense of place, such as the Calgary skyline or the Rockies.
• Product or ingredient close-ups where authenticity isn’t the point.

The test: would a visitor feel misled if they found out it wasn’t yours? If yes, don’t use it.

Choosing and licensing well

Avoid the obvious clichés: handshakes, headsets, people pointing at laptops. Look for natural light, real-looking settings and a consistent style. Read the licence: stock images are licensed to you, not owned, and photos found through a Google search aren’t free to use. Free libraries usually permit commercial use, but terms vary, and some paid images restrict use in logos or ads. Keep a record of where each image came from. This is general information, not legal advice; a lawyer can confirm anything unusual. Add descriptive alt text and optimize the files like any other image.

I use stock very rarely, and almost never above the fold. On most projects I’d sooner design a strong typographic hero than put a stranger’s face on someone’s homepage. If a client has no photos yet, I plan the site so real images can drop in later without a redesign.

If you’re stuck with stock for now, choose fewer, better images and keep them away from anything that claims to be you.