Startup aims to make it easier to look for localised stock content in SEA
As the old saying goes: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This is particularly true in this age of visual storytelling and shorter attention spans, when photos and videos are the most engaging content, particularly on social media.
We see this trend in journalism, where, for instance, BBC News has been experimenting with Instagram Stories to engage a younger audience with photos, videos, and animated stills.
Meanwhile, visual content marketing has become a vital tool for engaging an otherwise jaded or easily distracted audience.
And with companies continuing to invest in online advertising and e-commerce, the estimated US$4B stock photo industry is expected to grow even more. It is this industry that startup Raydar, which is based in Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, aims to disrupt with the launch of a first-of-its-kind stock photo search portal that combines search with an e-commerce checkout.
“Searching for stock photos has long been a global pain point with users needing to jump from site to site to search and compare photos, even more so in Southeast Asia where localised stock content is still in its early days. By aggregating the top stock photo brands from Asia and the world into a simple website, combined with a strong search engine, we save our users at least 50 per cent from their previous search time,” Keith Teo, Co-founder and CEO of Raydar, said in a press statement.
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The difficulty in finding localised stock content is certainly evident in a lot of the generic material used for advertisements and other collateral, or news stories and other articles. Raydar aims to make the lives of these content creators easier by simplifying the process to just one click, with its proprietary “Find Similar” feature. Raydar’s search recommendation technology also leverages on machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The search portal brings together 11 global stock photos brands, including 123RF, Alamy and Mint Images. These partnerships give users access to more than 100 million paid stock photos and/or 70,000 free high quality stock photos.
Its e-commerce checkout feature has also simplified the buying process. Unlike other sites, Raydar does not require a monthly subscription or a minimum number of photos to be purchased.
Fittingly enough, Raydar was born because of Teo’s own frustration with looking for high-quality stock photos for strong visuals when he was still a marketer for Swiss conglomerate DKSH.
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“Our platform saves designers many hours per week, freeing them up to work on creative executions or service new clients, resulting in tangible positive financial impact,” Teo said.
In this increasingly competitive world, brands will need strong visuals to stand out and differentiate themselves from other companies — so that their customers can literally see the difference.
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