Thursday Press #105: no one gets me like you do
[9 NOV 2023] how to create a cohesive visual identity
Spotify knows me better than anyone else in my life, and they want to make DAMN sure I'm aware of it
My primary musical crime is that I'm a shameless album (and playlist) repeater. At any given moment, I'm only listening to about 3-6 different musical choices on repeat and I rarely stray from my comfort albums.
But that's enough for the musical algorithm to spit out comically specific and accurate suggestions like these...
(to keep me honest, the november fog one was recommended to my avid-twilight-fan partner but I also like it so there)
Who doesn't love feeling seen?
From ~aesthetic~ Tumblr mood boards to tag-urself zodiac meme posts, everyone loves something specific and recognizable, whether you're recognizing yourself in something or someone/thing else.
I mean, you can tell someone's favorite coffee shop just by the color of the straw.
(Starbucks Green or Dunkin Orange, you tell me!)
Specific, recognizable elements are a language of their own. Without saying anything, you're creating a shortcut to recognition and TRUST
In the online space, there are a lot of voices saying a lot of super similar things. So what makes the difference between your ideal client booking with you vs Designer Debby over there? Whoever they see, recognize, and trust more.
That's why it's crucial to establish a consistent visual identity beyond just your brand colors and fonts, particularly on Pinterest.
You wanna know a secret? Pinterest actually likes stock photos...
I know, I know, you think everything has to be super unique and you want your face on the pins because it's your content and brand recognition and all that.
Sorry, but your Pinterest audience doesn't know your face unless you're paying half a mil in ads or are currently dating the best pop artist of our generation. 👀
And the Pinterest robots 🤖 (aka algorithm) don't recognize your face either.
Pinterest is a visual search engine, which means it uses visual cues as well as the written words you give it to decode and understand your content. And your brand photos don't have a clear category tied to them, no matter how gorgeous they are.
At the same time, I know we all hate the cheesy af, overposed stock photos.
Annnd nothing disrupts a creative flow more than having to hunt every dark corner of the internet for the perfect non-stock stock image to use in your graphic.
What's the answer? Spending the time upfront to source and organize an archive of ready-to-use imagery that fits your brand and your content.
But identifying your own visual language AND figuring out how to describe it to actually find that is admittedly a bit tricky.
That's what I'm here for.
After spending way too many hours in Canva and other stock databases searching for juuuust the right photos or videos to use for my clients' pins, I'd like to consider myself a pretty good Googler.
And now I'm sharing my best stock-searching tips with you! 🎉
BELOW THE FOLD
We can argue about what the best stock resource is later, because just like any tool, the results you get are only going to be as good as the ingredients (aka search terms) you put in.
Before you even head to the search bar on your favorite stock photo repository, you need to start paying attention to what sort of imagery you're drawn to.
Think about what you already use frequently and what catches your eye when you're scrolling. What patterns emerge?
Are you drawn to more dark and moody photos? Or bright and airy?
Colorful or neutral?
People or no people?
Interior vs. exterior?
Are there any common objects or actions you can identify?
Knowing that first is going to make your stock photo search a lot easier.
For the sake of this email, let's say you want your visual identity to give off a high-end Parisian Barbie vibe. 💕🥐✨🍾👠🤍
Searching for that probably isn't going to give you what you're looking for.
Instead, search for related objects or settings that evoke that vibe — champagne, architecture, feminine aesthetic.
Then, once you find a few photos you like, deep dive into their descriptions. What keywords did the stock photographer use to describe the photo? Add that to your list to search.
Also check out the rest of the photographer's work. If you find a few you like, it'll be easier to sort through their galleries to find similar images.
Bonus: using stock photos from the same photographer makes it more likely the images will go well together.
The biggest tip of all is to diligently use whatever organization/categorization feature is available on the platform you're using.
If you're in Canva, you can add stock photos and elements to different folders in your account. Unsplash and Pexels also allow you to save and categorize images you find.
Use it. Create at least one folder for all your photos, but if you want to get even more specific and detailed with your categories, GO FOR IT.
Here are a few of my favorite stock photographers:
Karolina Grabowska
Cup of Couple
Mathilde Langevin
Paulina Lazauskaite
Marissa Grootes
And some good keywords to start searching from:
editorial
walking
shadow
workspace
anything + "aesthetic"
It's totally possible to find amazing, free stock photos. But I'd be letting you down if I didn't mention that my favorite place to get stock photos and videos is Haute Stock.
I've talked about Haute Stock's membership before, but it just keeps getting better. They have so much gorgeous imagery PLUS kick-ass Canva templates for Instagram posts, pins, email marketing, presentations, and more!
'Tis the season of business investments and sales, so I put together a comprehensive guide to whether or not Haute Stock is worth it. Spoiler alert: I think it totally is, but I'll let you read the blog and make the final decision for yourself 😘
If you do decide you wanna join the "Hautie" community, you can always use the code 'SARAHB' and get 15% off your membership FOREVER.
Is Haute Stock worth the membership cost?
To recap, if you want to find the best stock photos to use in your Instagram content, website, emails, blogs, pins, or whatever, here's what you're going to do:
Identify common themes and objects in your visual identity
Look for keywords in the photos you already like
Find stock photographers you like the vibe of
Save your favorite photos to make them easy to find again and use
If all else fails, consider investing in a stock photo membership like Haute Stock
HAVE FUN STOCKING UP ON YOUR STOCK IMAGERY!