Tag Archive for: Rosewood VA Web Design

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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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Should Your Small Business Run a Boxing Day Promotion?

Should Your Business Run a Boxing Day Promotion?

Black Friday and Cyber Monday recently passed and Boxing Day is coming up.  Did you buy something on Black Friday?  If so, what was it that lead you to make a purchase?  Perhaps you had signed up to a newsletter list and received their special offer right to your inbox. Perhaps you were waiting for a sale on a specific product, and did a Google search to find the best sale.

Should Your Small Business Run a Boxing Day Promotion?

I will admit that I made two purchases, one on Black Friday and one on Cyber Monday. On Black Friday I purchased a pair of much needed winter boots.  How did I find the best deal? I subscribed to several store websites earlier that week, then I received all the deals directly via email. Then on Cyber Monday, I monitored deals from one of my favourite websites www.well.ca and www.indigo.ca and made purchases for Christmas presents for my family (I can’t mention them here, because they’ll read this!).

Whatever method you used, as a business owner, it’s important to reflect upon your own consumer habits.  Can your habits be translated to your business?

What Type of Products/Services Sell Best on Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Boxing Day

After reviewing a list of the best Black Friday deals of Amazon.com, the top items all seem to come in under $100, or at least with multiple options of pricing, with the lowest being under $100.  Take for example the Instant Pot.  This has been and continues to be one of the best sellers on Amazon.  They have options of:

  • Under $70
  • Under $100
  • Under $150
  • Over $200

I feel that items under $100 make for perfect gifts, while over $100 would be someone buying for themselves that has done their research about the features they need.

If your products are over $200 or the pride of your business is amazing customer service rather than low prices, you may need a different marketing plan…

Promoting and UnFriday / UnCyber / UnBoxing Day Sale

I work with businesses in a variety of industries and I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all solution. One client sells stand up paddle boards and accessories. His products range from $500-$4000 and his audience is narrow in that they have to be interested in water sports, or looking to upgrade to a better board. For him, we tried a few Black Friday promotions, but ultimately weren’t getting any calls. He prides his business on exceptional knowledge and customer service. We felt that this sale day just didn’t fit with the vision of his business.

So we posted an UnFriday / UnCyber promotion to social media.  Connecting with followers and sending the message that Maui North isn’t about pushing tons of products at cheap prices, but about building a relationship with its customers. The process of picking the perfect board is hard to do by yourself.  But when you contact Maui North they’ll take care of you personally to find the best one for you. We encouraged them to unplug, and enjoy family time.  While letting them know that we’d still love to help them when they are looking.

Our strategy did a complete 180, and we actually found better results by being honest to the brand and vision.  Just because they didn’t’ make a sale on that day, we may have made a connection so that when that person is looking for SUP, they trust us enough to call us.

Be True to Yourself

I find myself always repeating that message, be true to yourself as an entrepreneur in business and great things can happen!  I finally listened to my own advice and did a complete rebrand of Rosewood VA. The new branding better reflects my personality, and I think it looks great!

Don’t forget to join the conversation online on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. And sign up for our monthly news for even more tips.

Until next time,

Deanna

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Tag Archive for: Rosewood VA Web Design