Nothing lets a site down more than $5 stock photography that took all of 5 minutes to source. Images of this sort lack authenticity and undermine credibility. And it indicates laziness.
A homepage, back-page or post should capture interest within the first few seconds of being viewed – well considered images can do that. But you’ll need to invest more than $5 – don’t be a tight-arse when it comes to the imagery and design elements online which are speaking for you in your absence.
Here are a few of the hackneyed classics that haunt my browser…
The Smiling Businessman
Is he high on drugs or what? And those teeth.
The Signpost
Of course, over there silly…
Writing on Glass
Because business is easy.
Inspirational
…and I’m feeling queazy in the tummy now.
Chess Pieces
So super-strategic it hurts.
The Bullseye
Get it? Do ya?
The Contact Centre Babe
Call me… or at least someone not vaguely like me.
The Lightbulb
More of the same original thinking.
The Superhero Kid
Super annoying. Not quirky.
The Dealmakers
Taking your money – we’re laughing all the way to the bank.
The Thinkers
Here’s our workplace… well, not literally.
The ‘Upward And To The Right’ Graph
Dumbing it down (while magically making it go up).