Just a few years ago, organic space for licensable images was dominated by giants like Unsplash and Shutterstock, with many small competitors lagging far behind.
However, the dynamic shifted with Google’s Site Diversity update in 2019.
Emerging players saw explosive growth, making the organic space far more crowded and competitive.
In the meantime, more established companies pursued business acquisitions to neutralize or absorb competition.
Fast-forward to today and a small handful of players dominate the organic market through diverse portfolios of stock photos, videos, and creative assets websites, relying on a mix of SEO strategies to grow and mitigate risk.
To understand this space, let’s explore the key players and their strategies to maintain dominance in organic search.
Getty Images
Getty has built its empire on diversification and premium content.
Through iStock, its mid-tier site, Getty offers a more affordable option for stock imagery, while Unsplash provides free-to-use images for a broader audience.
Getty Images itself targets high-end, exclusive content for corporate clients and media outlets, with a strong emphasis on regional exposure through several local brands and dedicated country TLD websites.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock’s strategy has been marked by an aggressive acquisition spree. Recent additions include:
- Pond5 (video and audio).
- Envato (templates, design assets).
- TurboSquid (3D models).
- Picmonkey.
- Giphy.
Despite the SEO opportunities of its extensive portfolio, Shutterstock has not fully capitalized on these acquisitions to the extent it could.
