1206865518, AleksandarNakic

In today’s marketplace, brands are more than just the product, service, or content they sell—they’re a reflection of who consumers want to associate (and spend their money and valuable time) with. So, what does a homepage that hasn’t been updated in months, a neglected social profile, or an ad that runs with outdated imagery say about a brand? It might mean that they’re stuck in the past, are no longer relevant, or worse, they simply don’t care—not exactly things that win over hearts and minds.

With everything else it takes to run a business, keeping your creative marketing mix fresh (with the frequency that’s expected these days) can seem like yet another burden—but it doesn’t have to be. You simply need to know what questions to ask.

Is Your Current Creative Working?

Start by taking stock of your marketing content across all your channels. Does it resonate the way it did when it was first created? Metrics such as email click-through rates, page views, and social engagement can help you understand the current state, determine what needs updating, and then track the results. The key to using data effectively is to identify clear, quantifiable goals and stick with consistent means of measurement.

Do You like What You See?

Visual trends come and go. Consumer expectations change. It’s important to keep up with them if you want to remain current. Technology, clothing, and cars can be telltale signs of dated photography. Don’t let a flip phone or Von Dutch t-shirt put your brand image back ten years.

Next, take a big, broad look across the whole range of your marketing content. Do you see visual consistency between your homepage and your social profiles? Consumers expect a seamless experience no matter where they interact with your brand. Refreshing one channel is a good start, now replicate those changes across your portfolio to create a 360-degree experience.

What Are You Trying to Accomplish?

To re-energize the look and feel of your content effectively, you have to be clear about the task at hand.

• Creating programmatic ads? It’s critical that your images reflect your audience—especially true if you’re trying to connect with particular cultural, linguistic, or ethnic groups. Adding culturally relevant images to your marketing is more than a means to update your look; it’s also a way to hone in on a particularly important market with visually compelling stories.
• Getting more traction from mobile users than desktop? Build even stronger engagement with images that look good on a variety of screen sizes.
• Want your social media to show that you’re on the forefront of inclusion? Be loud, proud, and body-positive by adding diversity of age, body shape, and abilities to your posts.

iStock gives you countless testable options for every possible target, situation, or persona. Use your credit pack to select imagery for A/B testing that can help you determine what delivers the best results. The more you apply what you learn, the more you’re likely to succeed.

How Often Should I Refresh?

There are no set rules, but updating imagery frequently keeps your public persona looking fresh, shows consumers that your content is current and credible, and gives you a convenient, manageable way to keep your brand, campaigns, or any message new and interesting. How often you do it depends on the channel, the industry, and the expectations of your consumers.

You’ve Got the Credits to Make It Happen.

With your iStock credits, you already have access to exclusive images, videos, and graphics that keep the look of your marketing engaging, modern, and on-trend. Need more inspiration? Check out some of the images we love.