Stock Images: Best websites to get royalty free images

Has it ever happened to you that you're about to publish a new post and you're missing the most important thing? That's right, we're talking about the photo. It has happened to us too and we realized that image banks are a definite solution for those cases. 

Imagine that there are sites where expert photographers leave their work in exchange for some payment that's completely optional. Yes, you can use the work of others for your own project and for free! 

This is how image banks work, so you don't have to become an expert designer or photographer to add the right image to your blog. 

Want to know how to take advantage of this option? Sit back and find out: 

What’s an image bank?

In short, image banks are websites where you can buy or download multimedia files, from photographs, vectors, backgrounds, drawings and much more. 

Their main characteristic is that they are royalty-free works, so you are authorized to use them for any non-commercial use you want. 

If you analyze it carefully you'll realize that this is a great advantage for your website.

You know very well that content with multimedia files is more likely to be read, since all of us like to see videos or images as a complement to texts. 

It's time to take advantage of the benefits of this tool in your digital project. 

What’s an image bank for?

Once you access the site of your choice you can download different files. Depending on the website, you'll find reference images, wallpapers, graphics, stickers, drawings, illustrations and much more. 

You can use each of them as you wish as long as it's not for commercial purposes. You can add them to your blog, social networks or personal project.

Some of the alternatives offered by image banks are:

• Graphic material for social networks.

• Annual reports.

• Infographics.

• Flyers.

• Photos for emails.

You decide what you want to use them for, but the truth is that it offers so many advantages that we wouldn't know where to start.

Best image banks on the market

Want to take advantage of all the benefits of royalty-free images? Let's see which are the best sites that are available for you:

1. Little Visuals

Yes, we admit it, Little Visuals is not a tool that enjoys great popularity, but this doesn't mean that it has nothing to offer you.

They focus on a very specific niche, and the images they have are mainly related to landscapes and products. 

Want to captivate your visitors and inspire them to have a peaceful day? Enter the website and download the image you like the most.

2. Libreshot

Libreshot is an image bank owned by Seo consultant Martin Vorel. The professional knows how important these resources are for the success of any digital project, so he puts at your disposal more than 200 royalty-free images.

If you use them, we recommend you give credit to Vorel, so you‘ll help his site grow and we will all continue to benefit. 

3. Negative Space

The main feature of Negative Space is that its images are divided into 16 categories, so you can put together a collage in different ways. 

It's great for getting out of the routine and surprising your visitors, so log in now and see what’s in store for you. 

4. Pixabay

Pixabay is one of the leading sites when it comes to image banks. Millions of users log in every day and it's time for you to do the same. 

No matter what category you're looking for, we're sure you'll find it. Moreover, you can choose between royalty-free and copyrighted images. If you choose the latter, you'll have to make a small monetary contribution. 

5. Picography

We love Picography because all their images are of great quality and they offer you thousands of alternatives for free. 

No matter what it is, it can be textures, beaches, models, abstract figures and much more, you'll find it in no time at all at Picography!

6. Pexels

Pexels is another image bank, but it differs from the others because it has a number of contributors who upload some of their work to the platform. 

Here you will find thousands of options for your business and you can choose between free or paid images. Because of this, you will be able to economically support the efforts of other digital creators. 

7. Flickr

Flickr is another platform that offers you images from professional photographers from all over the world. The good news is that all of them are free and you can use them as you wish, so you only have to adjust the search to the category of your preference.

3 Tips to get the most out of image banks

The truth is that no one denies that image banks are a very useful resource for your business, but you have to use them properly to get the most out of them. 

Let's take a look at some tips for you to start using them as soon as possible:

1. Don't abuse

In image banks you'll find everything from professional images with great details to photos that seem unreal. 

So, you have to choose well when to use them, since users don't like too much fantasy. Make sure that the photos fit the content and that it's as unnoticeable as possible that they belong to a stock image.

2. Personalization

This is related to the previous point. The idea is that each multimedia resource should be as personalized as possible and fit the graphic lines of your business. 

Every time you download them, see how you can customize them. It can be from a water brand or a specific color. 

Apply this and you will see how engagement will increase in no time! 

3. Be careful with the limits

Before downloading an image, check the text on the right. There you'll see the specifications of the resource and the requirements of the author or the platform. 

In most cases they will tell you whether or not you can use it commercially. In other cases you will be asked to credit the owner every time you publish it. 

However, some ask for some kind of money in exchange for the use you want to make of it. You decide what fits your situation, so it's essential to read the terms and conditions before deciding. 

It's time to use image banks to accelerate the achievement of results in your business. Apply this now and you will see how in a short time your indicators will improve in every way!

Have you already chosen your preferred image bank?