How to increase your visibility on Unsplash

Because our curation process is conducted by our team, a lot of thought goes into the photos we accept onto the site. Every image is carefully considered before it is accepted, tagged or featured on the homepage. We strive for quantity and quality.

With the Unsplash visual library growing every day, there is an increasing number of ways to get your content seen by Unsplash users. While trends change and the content becomes more diverse, the team behind curation has the same ethos and dedication that we’ve always had.

Our team aims to showcase a diverse section of photos daily, a visual snapshot that represents an overview of what our community is shooting and sharing. Imagery that represents the diversity of our community; professionals, hobbyists and those just starting to dip their toes into the world of photography. Here are a few of the things to think about to increase your visibility on the platform.

Curatorial considerations

Photos that evoke a mood 😎

Sometimes our curation team simply goes by how a photo feels. Forget technical perfections for a moment, and strip things back — it’s how the photo makes you feel. Photos that evoke a mood often feel more authentic, less ‘stocky’ and in turn have great appeal.

Photos that are different 🦄

Never before have we all been exposed to so much imagery in our day to day lives. Photographers that experiment and explore creatively are producing eye-catching content, that grabs your attention and won’t let go. For example, unique perspectives, exploration of light and materials, creative use of color and inventive framing.

Human content 👋

As it stands, Unsplash is not accepting AI generated imagery. In fact, content that feels especially human is performing very well (hello, film photos!) in response to evolving tech conversations. Try film, collage, or something else that evokes the handmade spirit.

Find your strengths

Submit to Topics 🌳

Remember that while being featured on the homepage is great for discoverability, you can also increase your visibility by being featured in a Topic or Collection. In addition to perennial favorites like Nature, Wallpapers and Textures, why not try submitting to the growing Film topic? Knowing your niche is a great way to develop your visual eye on Unsplash.

Content gaps 🔍

While we might have 8 million images (and counting), you might be surprised to learn there are still images that we'd like to see more of in the library. We'll be honest about this, which is where you come in. If you're searching for an image and can't quite find what you're looking for... shoot it! Also, it is helpful to follow our socials — including the niche one like our Reddit Community and Threads —for secret tips and daily insights.

Think like a user

Trending searches 📈

When the solar eclipse date was getting close, our curation team was keen to feature images that captured the event. In particular, we love seeing unique perspectives on global events, trends and conversations. The main point? Make use of trending searches and global conversations to get your content seen.

Photos that are useful 🙌

Usability, usability, usability. The overall goal of Unsplash is to create a library of visuals that can be used openly to create anything, and so we take a lot of time to understand what people are looking for in a photo. What might seem like ‘just a photo of a wall’ can serve a multitude of uses, and are always very popular.

How might the image be used? 💭

It's important to consider why people download the images they do as well as what they download. There are so many reasons, whether it's personal or professional. Remember some people use images for social media, book covers, posters... while others use the images for brand assets and wallpapers. Think about this when you're creating your imagery.

Promoted photos are always evolving

As the volume of submissions have evolved, so has our homepage. Changes in the types of imagery being featured are fuelled by the photographers who are choosing to share their photos. This means that the photos we choose to feature are not always the same.

The type of imagery being submitted often follows trends, these aren’t conscious directions that we take when curating, but rather organic changes in photography in general. What's important to remember is that curation is subjective and evolving. Pay attention to visual trends, search trends, changing topics and remember to find your style. Unsplash is a place that values creativity, originality and quality.

Love this? Explore the 9 eras of the internet on Unsplash from our celebration of 9 billion downloads.