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Where to Find Free Images for Your Blogs, Posts, and Web Pages
Graphics are attention-grabbing, no doubt about it. But be careful where you grab your images from or you could be in legal trouble! Here are some safe, free resources:
It goes without saying that photographers and other artists deserve credit and compensation for their work, and plenty of options for purchasing images exist from organizations such as Getty Images, Shutterstock, and iStock. Using these services might be your business’s best choice if you want to purchase usage rights.
But there are many small businesses, fledgling entrepreneurs, and struggling not-for-profits that simply can’t afford to buy a lot of images. Nor will they be able to afford the penalties for infringing on the copyright to someone’s intellectual property. Being careful to follow licensing laws is not only the right thing to do, but also smart.
Most people these days know not to just lift any image they see on the internet. They may even do an Images search on Google and use Tools in the menu to see the Usage Rights so they can choose images listed under Creative Common licenses. We caution folks to still be wary because it’s possible someone borrowed an image from someone before listing it as Creative Commons.
The best way to ensure that you aren’t violating copyright is to take your own photos, of course. Everyone has a camera on their phone and you could be regularly collecting interesting images or setting up some shots on purpose. Or draw from the family vacation photos you already have.
But not all of us have that photographer’s eye or we simply don’t have the right image available. That’s when it’s good to have photo resources available.
When we wrote about free photos back in 2016, there were not a lot of options. We recommended MorgueFile back then. It’s still around, but even more options are available today. Here are a few to check out:
Take the time to read each platform’s licensing agreement to be sure that you are using the images correctly. Most are free to use, even for commercial purposes, but you don’t want an unpleasant surprise. Attribution is not always necessary, but it’s a nice thing to do to thank the photographer for sharing their work.
An eye-catching photo can make all the difference to your marketing materials, so make the effort to choose the perfect image. With so many alternatives today, you’re bound to find something you like.
Not interested in poking around for website images? Let the Sprocket team put together your web page content and images as well as add the appropriate terms and tags for Search Engine Optimization. Then you can spend your time on more important issues in your business. Give us a call to learn more
Photo by Pixabay
This article is an update to “Finding Free Photos” dated 3/25/2016.
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Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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