Stock photos have swiftly become a favoured way for businesses to quickly and inexpensively populate their websites with professional-looking imagery.

However, what if we told you that – in a lot of cases – these ready-made snaps are doing your business more harm than good?

A polished, high-quality photo of a fake meeting or perhaps a perfectly-positioned coffee cup may seem more appealing than a page full of text. But, with an increasing volume of companies using the same resources for stock imagery, it’s becoming harder to tell different websites apart.

This abundance of stock photos has led to users quickly being turned off by a brand in the first few moments of visiting a website.

In the meantime, illustrations can be a way to stand out from your competitors, generate an intrigue around your brand and engage with your audience in an entirely different way.

We’ve put together a list of reasons why you should consider using illustration in your branding.

Bespoke to your brand.

Illustrations can be completely tailored to you because they are created with your business in mind.

This allows you to avoid that frustrating moment of discovering that someone else is using the same set of photographs that you painstakingly sourced for your website design.

Naturally, the illustrations will match your branding, its colours, tone and style. The drawings can be crafted to perfectly encapsulate what your business is about, combining your core message, values and approach.

Stand out in your industry.

As we previously mentioned, using illustrations instead of stock images can be a fantastic way of making your brand pop, especially if you work in a traditional industry, such as accounting, IT, or legal services.

Who says that these sectors can’t be fun, vibrant and current?

By using hand-drawn imagery, you can truly make your mark and become a recognisable name.

Engage with your audience.

When people see something new, they are more likely to engage with it. It’s as simple as that.

A colourful sketch that clearly outlines your services is a lot more eye-catching than your usual page of text accompanied by a generic stock image.

Tell your story.

At the moment, a huge trend in how businesses sell themselves is by revealing their backstories and how they came to be.

With illustration, you can execute this beautifully by tying in distinctive visuals that are exclusive to your business.

Your story is unique, so why shouldn’t it be conveyed in that way?

Focus on your business.

Following on from this, illustration empowers you to communicate the exact message that you want to with your current and potential clientele.

You have full control of what is going to be included in the imagery, rather than relying on the chance that the right pre-made photo that flawlessly encapsulates your brand message is out there.

Now, we’re not saying avoid stock imagery altogether. They can be used very effectively on various websites, such as on blog posts (like this one) and social media.

In short, including illustration on your website allows you to add a more personal touch to your business, which is great when trying to communicate what you do to customers.

If you want to find out how illustration could boost your business, please get in touch with a member of the Mattix Design Ltd team.