We all believe that the perfect image will make an otherwise mediocre email marketing campaign but the truth is that most people will glance at one in the same way they will scan-read the text. It is unfortunate that this does not mean any old picture will do.
Whilst it is unlikely your images will be studied, if picked correctly they can produce positive responses in your subscribers. If you want to emphasise the dependability of a product, show them something impressively solid. If it is a holiday, then what better than images of spectacular views?
It is inexcusable to regurgitate images when the one that is just right is easy enough to find. All it takes is a little time on the internet.
Image libraries abound on the net, as a Google search will show. All are not made equal however. I’ll describe how to choose a good one.
Almost all have a vast stock of images and most cover a great range, making it hard to find one you want. To your rescue comes the search facility. If the images have been stored correctly, you will be able to find one that will speak to the subscribers on your email marketing lists. If you can’t, go somewhere else.
Copyright is a minefield. There is always someone who owns the rights to an image. These libraries only allow you to purchase certain rights to them. It is up to you to discover what you have bought.
Reputable businesses will make your rights clear, both before purchase and afterwards. Most have the rights displayed on their websites, but they can vary between sellers. Don’t think, ‘Oh, they won’t mind,’ because they normally do.
There is the option of going via Creative Commons. Again, there is a vast range, but again there are limitations as to your rights. They often require you to display certain captions and acknowledgements every time the image is used. This can clutter a marketing email. Nothing is really free.
Images can indeed make an email marketing campaign by getting the subscriber on board. However, outsourcing them is not the only option. We’ll cover alternatives in the future.
