The importance of obtaining proper permissions, and how to legally use images in your small business marketing
What is image copyright?
Images can be powerful attention-grabbing tools in marketing
However, it's essential to understand how image permissions work
Doing so will save your company from future conflicts and unnecessary legal costs
Copyrights grant a creator the rights to control and protect the use and distribution of their work, governed by the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976
There are different kinds of licenses that restrict and grant rights to others
When you buy an image in a stock site, normally the rights are shared with others and the same image can appear in multiple campaigns
Brands with larger budgets and strict branding guidelines stage their own photoshoots to have unique images that adapt to their campaign goals
Creators and makers are encouraged to learn or recruit photographers to get compelling and unique products of your products & guests
For our social media images & content we download images from free libraries, & adapt them under fair use considerations
Doing it right
It is very easy to infringe on image copyrights by using any image found on Google as-is
Some companies are using Generative AI to create images, which many discourage in moral and legal grounds
To avoid copyright infringemnets you should look for pictures in open collections, buy the rights in a stock photo site or directly from the artist, perform modifications to be considered a derivative under fair use, or comision the work
Under the fair use doctrine of the U.S. copyright statute, it is permissible to use limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports
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Recommended collections
The library of congress has a vast collection of different media kinds
We recommend creating templates in Canva, or Photoshop where is easy to import photos
Use these resources as well for research and expanding your visual vocabulary
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Getty is a leading global arts organization committed to exhibiting, conserving, and understanding the world’s artistic and cultural heritage.
The Getty Museum Collection includes digital versions, descriptions & resources to inspire a wide variety of visual styles
Unsplash is a large collection powered by the community, with optional paid plans
Adobe has stock photo plans for subscribers, and a collection of images that are free to use
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Conclusion
Brands & creators can avoid legal risks and develop a sincere brand by respecting copyright and creators
With multiple sources for free stock images, combined with digital alterations, is easy to avoid problems from the start
Your users, investors & partners might find your brand easier to trust after seeing consistent branding across your assets