On Using Google Stock Photos

Two Googlers discussed the use of stock photography in a recent Search Off the Record podcast, where they explored the app’s relative benefits and drawbacks.

There are many arguments for and against the use of stock photography. There may be an agreed point that it might be inappropriate in certain contexts, such as “our team” pages, where a user might expect images from real users.

But what do the people who compile Google’s support documentation think about it?

Googlers share the same concerns as anyone who posts content.

Cons of Stock Photography?

Lizzi Sassman, curator of Google’s Search Central documentation, starts the discussion on stock photography by first asking if there are any considerations against its use.

“Lizzie Sassman:

Well, it might be for fun. Sometimes we say, “Oh, we want a fun cosmetic picture for a blog post or something like that.”

John Mueller:
I mean…

Lizzi Sassman:
You say, “Okay?” you will say.

John Mueller:
Sure.

Lizzi Sassman:
Or would there be disadvantages to using stock photography?

John Mueller:
If you want to use them as a decorative element on a page, I think they’re fine.

It adds a little flavor, a little more color to the post or the content we have there.

So if it’s a, I don’t know, Halloween-themed article, I add… I don’t know… a stock photo of a spider…

I guess spider, you don’t want it to be too real.

This can be a trigger for some people.

But some stock photos that are Halloween-themed and not too scary for our site, I guess…that would definitely be fine.”

Mueller affirms that stock photos are appropriate to use in the context of animating textual context, and also implies that the image should be appropriate for the target audience, for example, not using images that are overly scary in the context of Google’s Search Center documents. context Halloween.

Common sense, right?

Stock Photo and Image Search

Googlers then move on to discussing stock photography in the context of image search.

As a reminder, please note that Mueller is discussing stock images in the hypothetical context of Search Central using stock images.

“John Mueller:
But I think there is an aspect of it that is stock photography.

And if people are looking for Halloween photos, we’re unlikely to show up in search results for it.

We would have that image, but I probably don’t know, 20, 30 other sites have the same image and they all have a license for it and it’s okay to show it.

And maybe even the original stock photo site has this image in their search results.

If you’re looking for something like a Halloween image, you probably want to use the original site.

Google’s documentation doesn’t need to be sorted for this query.

I guess the other aspect is that you don’t rank for it in Image Search, but it doesn’t count against it.

So you have other beautiful images on the same page or site… or if you’re talking about Web Search, that won’t hurt your site.

More so, decorative, but not the subject of your site.

That’s why you don’t rank for that particular stock photography.

But everything else will be fine.

We don’t say “Oh, this is a public site”. We shouldn’t show it in Search.”

Stock Photo – Pros and Cons

The Search Off the Record podcast clarifies a few points about stock photography.

Stock photography will not have a negative impact on web search performance for a web page; this should alleviate any anxiety felt by those who use or consider it.

On the other hand, don’t expect stock photography to rank high in image search.

There are those who believe that stock photography can distract site visitors or reflect a lack of originality.

However, this is only true if the stock photography is in a context that requires authenticity, such as on the “about us” or “our team” web page.

John Mueller had this to say about stock photography and authenticity in an Office Hours Hangout from 2020:

“For image search, it will be more difficult if it is the same image used in many places.

It also has potential impact on users after the search is done, for example: if your team photo is an obvious stock photo, will it affect conversions?

One thing not mentioned is that there is some value in using structured data for images on the web page.

So even if the featured image is a stock image, it can still be useful for Google to know through structured data that it’s a featured image.

Images from structured data are suitable for inclusion in any rich result.

According to Google’s documentation:

“If you add structured data, Google Images can display your images as rich results, including a conspicuous badge that gives users information about your page and can drive better targeted traffic to your site.”

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Quotation

Listen to this episode of the Search Off the Record podcast at the 4:21 minute mark

Featured image by Shutterstock/Asier Romero