Since the advent of royalty-free stock photography, Web sites selling such imagery have mushroomed into a flourish of what are known as microstock photography Web retailers. These Web sites sell royalty free imagery at very low prices, often 10 to 20 cents per photo, which has attracted a slew of small businesses, affiliate marketers and freelance designers. Microstock photo Web sites source their imagery from a wide range of photographers including amateurs and hobbyists, thus the lower prices they are able to offer. While this may seem like a smart alternative to higher-end photography agencies, there is more to the price than you might think.

When you publish an image in relation to your brand, you're contributing to the evolution of your brand-its changing face to consumers. Images should be selected carefully and be integral to the message as well as the tenets of your brand. Just the other day in an Arizona business publication, there were two ads for commercial real estate companies using the same stock photo. What's worse, the ads were displayed on the same page. Where is the differentiation among these competing companies? This coincidence serves as an instant downgrade in what might otherwise have been a great piece of marketing. Going further, the ads might cost both companies dearly, detracting from their brands and losing them money.

There are a few key considerations to keep in mind when choosing stock photography:

1. How specific is the image to your message? The more generic an image, the more likely it is to be used across your industry or many industries. Choose genre-specific photos that really drive home the message you are trying to send.
2. Look for quality. Choose honest images with good lighting, color and angling. Look for subtext-how does this tie in with the copy, with the brand?
3. How do you want your brand perceived? Don't turn generic by overlapping your look with your competitors. Stand out. Be memorable.

The solution isn't just investing in rights managed photography or conducting custom photo shoots for every campaign. Royalty free stock photography does exist that meets all of the criteria above. It just takes planning and strategic thinking to pull it off. Why settle for less when it's your brand that's on the line?