3 Types of Life Coaching Images for a Strong Online Presence

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Visuals are a powerful yet often overlooked aspect of brands. The right life coaching images can convey your values, build trust, and establish a strong emotional connection with potential clients.

While investing in a professional photoshoot is ideal for some key images, not every image you use needs to be original. With smart planning and the right tools, you can create a polished and cohesive visual identity without breaking the bank.

Let’s look into what imagery you need for your digital assets, where to source them, and how to make them stand out.

Must-Have Images for a Life Coach

Your visual presence as a life coach begins with the images you choose for your website, social media, and marketing materials. These visuals aren’t just illustrative but essential to conveying your personality and unique value.

Website Images

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Your coaching website is your digital storefront, and your images determine the first impressions you make with it. The right photos can set the tone for your brand and encourage visitors to learn more about your services.

  • Hero image: For your homepage header, choose a welcoming, high-quality image that reflects your coaching style. For example, if your coaching focuses on mindfulness, a serene image shot in nature might work well.
  • About page photos: Feature a mix of professional headshots and candid images that show your personality and work environment. Clients want to see the real person behind the business.
  • Service page visuals: Use images that represent the essence of each service you offer. For instance, for group coaching, you can use a photo from a team session, ideally shot at one of your events.
  • Testimonial photos: Add profile images of clients (with permission) to make your testimonials more personal and authentic.
  • Blog post covers: Include eye-catching featured images related to each blog post to grab attention and improve shareability.

If you set up your website with Paperbell, adding images will only take a few clicks. You don’t need to deal with adjusting themes and repositioning visuals; you can simply fill in the blanks on a ready-made, coach-friendly website.

Social Media Images

social media images

Your social media visuals must stop the scroll while reinforcing your brand identity. Create a captivating online presence by shortlisting:

  • Profile pictures: Use a high-quality, approachable headshot that is consistent across platforms.
  • Cover photos: Choose an image that highlights your tagline, services, or personality. It could be your mission statement or a candid image of you, different from your headshot.
  • Post visuals: Shortlist images for various content types, like educational slideshows, portraits accompanied by your personal story, and behind-the-scenes photos of running group sessions. Create templates for your designs to maintain a cohesive look and save time.

Marketing Materials

Every touchpoint with potential clients is an opportunity to build a relationship. For marketing materials, prioritize visuals that are both evocative and relevant to your brand essence.

  • Email newsletter headers: Use quality images that complement your email content. It could be a serene image for tips on work-life balance or an energizing photo for productivity advice.
  • Lead magnet covers: Create visually appealing covers for your downloadable resources, such as eBooks or guides.
  • Presentation slides: Include visuals that add a backdrop to your points without distracting from them. Stick to a consistent color palette and style.
must-have images for a life coach

Where to Find Great Coaching Images

While original images are perfect for showcasing your unique personality, such as headshots, action shots of you coaching, or candid moments, stock photos can complement these by filling in gaps where specific visuals are needed.

For example, stock photos work well for blog posts, lead magnets, or illustrative visuals on your website. Here’s where you can find them.

Stock Photos

Using stock photos can go both ways. Generic images can hurt your brand, while quality photography can elevate your designs and help convey your brand messages. Here are some platforms to search for ready-made imagery:

  • Paid options: Consider paid platforms like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock for a broader selection and unique images.

The trick is to search specific terms related to your services and content, like “meditation” or “happy couple,” instead of generic terms like life coach. This way, you will be more likely to find candid photos related to what you offer instead of overused visuals—like a guy standing on top of a mountain.

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Images on paid stock photo sites tend to be better edited, but you can enhance raw ones too with a little readjustment in a photo editing tool (more on this in a bit). You can also use these apps to crop your stock images and add text in your brand fonts and colors.

Make sure you always check licensing and attribution requirements on the website you download from to source photos ethically and avoid legal issues.

AI Images

AI tools can generate the exact shots you’re looking for without getting sucked into the rabbit hole of photo banks. However, AI image tools are fairly new and far from perfect at this point.

You can experiment with platforms like DALL·E, Midjourney, or Canva’s AI tool to generate unique images and then refine them with more detail. You can adjust color tones, the subjects of images, and their visual style.

Even with refinement, these images still tend to look artificial and lack the raw, authentic details real photos provide. However, this approach works for some brands. For example, Mindvalley’s blog mostly uses AI-generated images.

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However, Mindvalley’s original and stock photography is also enhanced so these (carefully refined) AI images don’t stick out. Plus, Mindvalley’s brand is future-oriented and highly stylized, so it makes sense for the team to incorporate AI images into their visual language.

The bottom line is that if you go for AI images, make sure they blend into the overall visual language of your digital presence.

Original Images

Using your own photography adds a personal touch that stock or AI visuals can’t replicate, but you must plan your shoot carefully.

Decide on the shots and formats you’ll need for each platform, from wide cover images to vertical headshots. Create a mood board on Pinterest with photos you want to emulate and narrow them down to a cohesive style. This board will also help you convey your expectations to your photographer.

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Then, choose locations, outfits, and props that fit your brand and visual references. For example, you can shoot headshots in a studio with a professional set and get your eco-coaching-themed shots outdoors.

Hire a professional photographer who understands great lighting and can guide you in adjusting poses. It’s important that they’ve done similar work and that you connect with them personally, as this will show in the final result.

Free Image Editing Tools for Coaches

Editing tools help you polish your visuals and create a cohesive look for your brand. Here are some easy-to-use apps to try.

  • Canva: You can work with thousands of templates for any type of design, from social media posts to lead magnets and brochures. The free version is great for most basic design needs and has plenty of coaching-related templates.
  • GIMP: A free alternative to Photoshop you can use for complex edits like layer masking and color correction. Great for both social media graphics and retouching professional photos.
  • Snapseed: A mobile app for quick photo edits, like adjusting brightness or adding filters. You can crop images and adjust colors in a few taps.

5 Common Image Mistakes to Avoid

Using the wrong images can undermine your efforts to build a professional brand image and connect with your target audience. Watch out for these common mistakes to keep your brand look and feel polished.

  1. Generic photos: Avoid imagery that acts out clichés in coaching, overused themes, and rigid, corporate-looking photos. Instead, go for visuals that feel authentic and relatable.
  1. Poor quality: Make sure all your images are sharp and high resolution, especially those used full-screen like hero images and slide backgrounds. It’s worth investing in an experienced photographer so your shots will convey quality.
  1. Over-editing: Don’t go overboard with filters or effects. This can make your visuals look artificial and unflattering.
  1. Ignoring audience relevance: Choose a visual language that resonates with your target audience’s personality. Some will appreciate a sharp office look, while others will prefer more casual and warm styling and body language.
  1. Inconsistent branding: Stick to a cohesive color palette, style, and tone across all your visuals.

FAQ

What Images Do I Need for My Coaching Business?

You’ll need professional photography of yourself (headshots and mood shots) and other high-quality images for your various platforms, like your website, social media, and lead magnets.

Can I Use Free Stock Photos?

Yes! If they match your brand’s visual style. Check the stock photo site’s licensing terms—some restrict commercial use or require attribution, even if free. Always verify usage rights before adding them to marketing materials.

When to Use AI Images?

AI images can be useful for creating unique visuals that you can’t find on stock photo sites. However, AI images can look artificial and may not be a great fit for all brands.

Picture This: A Stunning Coaching Website in a Few Clicks

Strong visuals help you connect with your audience. While a professional photoshoot is essential for your main brand assets, stock photos and editing tools can round out your library.

Once your images are at hand, Paperbell makes it easy to showcase them on your website.

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Its intuitive website editor lets you upload visuals and create a polished coaching website without dealing with themes or drag-and-drop builders. Simply fill in the blanks and get a fully functioning website optimized for coaches. Your scheduling, payments, contracts, and all other client management needs will all be plugged into it.

Try Paperbell today for free.

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By Annamaria Nagy
Annamaria Nagy is a Brand Identity Coach and Copywriter. She's been writing for over 10 years about topics like personal development, coaching, and business. She was previously the Head of SEO at the leading transformational education company, Mindvalley.
February 3, 2025

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