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Using Stock Photos for Your Business’s Online Marketing

using stock photos rosewoodva deanna simone website design york region

If you’re using social media for business, chances are you’ve used stock photos. The challenging part is knowing whether the photos you are using could be cause for a lawsuit! If you use stock photos, as a marketing manager or even HR manager who posts to social media, you’re going to want to read this one. I’m talking all about stock photo use and giving you my best kept secret stock photo source!

Copyright Infringement Can Lead to REAL Lawsuits

It’s easy to believe that the World Wide Web is so large that “no one will find out.” However, it is very simple to do a reverse lookup search for an image on the web.

A few years ago, stock photo giant Getty Images was actively searching out illegal uses of their images and mailing legal action warnings to businesses. I personally know of two business owners who received these letters (not my clients at the time!). The proposed fines were approximately $4000! It was a big news story, and really forced people to pay attention to their image sources.

Since that time, you really have to be careful about where you are getting your images.

Depending on budget, there are stock photos out there for every interest and industry. From healthcare to automotive, entrepreneurs to large corporations. I have researched many stock photo sites over the years and have narrowed my list of where I go for images down to these five.

My Top 5 Image Sources:

  1. pexels.com (Free!)
  2. pixabay.com (Free! This is my best kept secret, until now!)
  3. 123rf.com (mid-range)
  4. istockphoto.com (premium photos)
  5. fotolia.com (premium photos)

Watch for Licensing Regulations and Restrictions on Stock Photos

While the aforementioned sites offer images for sale, it’s important to check the license information. Some photos may be “for editorial use only”, meaning you cannot use them for business, simply for story-purposes. These are typically images of private buildings/events or government-related images. There are other regulations as well, such as using an image on items you plan to resell. It’s always best to double-check.

Common Questions:

Q: But I just shared the post, so I’m not liable, the other person is.

A: Technically, you have now shared it to your networks and are also responsible for the unlawful distribution of the content.

Q: Do I need to give author credit?

A: With stock photos that you have purchased, this is not required. I would recommend giving credit when you share an artist or colleague’s work with their permission, as a thank you.

So, before you use an image for your blog or social media marketing campaign, always remember to check the license and restrictions on image use. A little bit of extra legwork in the beginning can save you a major headache in the end. When in doubt, ask the author directly about use and photo credit.

What are some of your favourite stock photo websites? Please share in the comments!

If you’d like to discuss your website needs with us, or for more tips like these you can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter as well for more education and inspiration!

Deanna

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To Blog or Not to Blog, That is the Question

Blogging, RosewoodVA, Deanna Simone, Aurora, Newmarket, York Region, Website Designer

As an entrepreneur it can feel like you are endlessly changing hats. You are simultaneously your CEO, IT team, marketing agency, financier and cheerleader. When every moment matters and time management is essential, adding one more task to the mix, blogging, might have you skeptical. But blogging, writing small topic-specific posts on your website, can have incredible benefits for your business.

The Benefits of Blogging

We live in a world where people want to feel connected to the companies and services they choose to spend their time or money on. It’s the reason you will see any large company like Coca-Cola, or Nike with a ‘news’ page on their website.

Blogging on your website is a quick way to create these connections with your clients, while controlling the topics you share. It gives you the opportunity to resonate with your readers, to give clients a taste of your personality and the things that matter to you as a business owner, and to boost your credibility by communicating your knowledge of your industry.

And the marketing machine that is Google loves new content! Google wants to show searches the most recent and most relevant content specific to their search terms. Every time you create a new post for your website you help your SEO (search engine optimization) by letting the cyber world know that you are still an active thriving business.

What to Blog About

For those just starting out, this is one of the biggest hurdles, what do I write about? I’m an aesthetician, an arborist, a lawyer, what do I have to say? The answer to that is, anything.

The problem with blogging falls under our perceptions of it. Sometimes we view it as mindless drivel, when really it’s an opportunity to share knowledge about our industries. Whatever you’re business, you’ve probably been asked a question about it.

Every time someone asks you a question, this is a potential blog topic.

Maybe they want to know what the benefits of using essential oils in pedicures are, or what type of trees grow best in full sun. In my case, people often ask me what the benefits of blogging are and is it really worth their time.

Regardless of the business you’re in, questions equal opportunities for blogs, and more importantly questions equal connections with those asking.

If you’re still struggling with where to start, think about the question you get asked the most. Right there you have at least ten potential blog topics. Challenge yourself to answer those questions in a minimum of three hundred words and show your clients what you know, who you are, and why you deserve their business.

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How I Helped My Favourite Food Blogger via Instagram!

how I helped my favourite food blogger via Instagram

This is a feel-good story of how a stranger helped another stranger over Instagram, thousands of miles away!  I love Instagram.  It’s my favourite way to unwind at the end of a long day.  I love being inspired by foodies, fitness experts, yogis and other local small businesses; learning recipes and exercises! And I was able to give back a little bit to one of my favourite bloggers.

Helping Kelsey from Little Bits Of

Last week, I was watching the Stories of one of my favourite food bloggers – Kelsey from Little Bits Of – when she mentioned she was having issues with her WordPress website.  She was so sad!  In short, she had some malware on her site, then when her hosting company resolved the main malware issues, her permalink structure was accidentally reset.  Basically, her old posts were linking to error messages, and her 44,000 followers could no longer find their favourite saved recipes!

Why Is This a Big Deal?

This may not seem like the biggest deal, but for an entrepreneur whose livelihood depends on your website being up and functional, this is a HUGE deal! Your followers can’t find their favourite recipes anymore!

Trust a WordPress Expert

She mentioned that the hosting company had said they weren’t exactly sure what the issue was. Because it was directly related to WordPress setup, it would be hard for them to know. Luckily, I had been through this same issue a month ago with a client’s website.

Thankfully, it was a very easy solution!  All we had to do was change the permalink settings back to the originals that matched the old links, and VOILA – good as new!

I have used and continue to recommend this hosting company to many clients.  They are very good at providing great hosting services and technical support for hosting issues.  But when it comes to issues specifically related to WordPress, I recommend finding a WordPress expert to help you.  You’ll save time, money and a potential headache!

Helping a Stranger from a Thousand Miles Away

I wanted to share this story to remind people to be kind and pay it forward when they can.  I saw how upset Kelsey was and knew I could help turn her day around!  I’m loving it!  Kelsey even gave me a few shout outs on Instagram to all her followers.  How cool is that?!

If you’re looking for great healthy recipes, and just plain entertaining Instagram Stories, make sure you check her out @littlebitsof_realfood.

At the end of the day, be kind to one another and pay it forward when you can!

We’re here to help!  You can contact us directly, or comment on this blog post.  You can find us everywhere online on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Until next time,

Deanna

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