When ever the conversation shifts to using stock photos in your business, people have questions.

Is it inauthentic to use them? Won’t people know you’re using them? How can you fit them in to your feed, but not rely ONLY on stock photos…. the list goes on.

What if I told you to pause, and that you may be overthinking it a tiny bit. Now hear me out. I asked the same exact questions when I first started running my business online. I was afraid my followers would unfollow me, think that I was a fraud, <insert more lies here> etc, etc. but here’s the thing I quickly learned– that’s just not true.

When you use stock photos strategically, AND you create engaging/genuine captions with them, they can actually save you time, and they can help you create a gorgeous online presence that takes your brand to the next level. Social media is a VISUAL game, especially Instagram. The photos draw you in, but the captions make you stay.

Having stock images to pull from, makes it so much easier to stay on top of creating posts on a daily basis. And if you are busy like me, you KNOW how important that is.

But stock photos are only ONE small piece of the social media puzzle. That’s why WSE isn’t just a stock photo membership. I want to make things easier for you for all pieces of the social media puzzle. That’s where the prompts, the planning calendars, the graphics, the educational guides AND the mobile presets come in.

Check out my friend and Well Styled Essentials member, Katy’s Instagram.

She has a mix of personal images she’s taking on her iPhone and editing with WSE, AND she has stock photos sprinkled in. Her feed is stunning, but when you read her captions you see that the real engagement is there. She’s drawing you in, she’s asking you questions, she’s piecing together every part of the social media puzzle!!

So to answer your questions, YES I absolutely think your business can benefit from stock photos. No, I don’t think it’s inauthentic to use them. Especially if you’re taking the time to find the rest of the puzzle pieces that come with social media!!

I hope this helps friends. Don’t do what I did several years ago; don’t overthink this!Stock photos can be an amazing tool to make running a business online, EASIER, and you know we’re all about that easy button right?!

If you haven’t yet, check out Well Styled Essentials. As a member you get access to hundreds of lifestyle stock photos, presets to make your personal images match in your feed, daily social media prompts, planning calendars, graphics, educational guides, and free bonus stock images & graphics that include Young Living products in them!