Screenshot Courtesy of Nimbus Screenshot
I think it’s fair to say that a large majority of us (but of course not everybody!) have been guilty of copying an image or two. Most of which would have been from either a search engine such as Google or a website we have visited at some point whilst online.
Over the years, I have not only learnt the potential consequences of this practice but the more I looked into it, the more I discovered that there is actually less and less reason for doing it.
There are now more sites than ever offering you either free images, ways of searching for free images or tools to help you produce your own, including content images such as Info-graphics
Free Images
Image courtesy of imagerymajestic at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
For those of you that are just starting out or perhaps are thinking of re-launching their website, free images can be found (but are not restricted to) these following websites…
1. http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
2. http://www.stockfreeimages.com/
3. http://www.freephotosbank.com/
4. http://www.morguefile.com/
5. http://www.stockvault.net/
6. http://www.istockphoto.com/
7. http://www.freefoto.com/
8. http://www.freerangestock.com/
9. http://www.everystockphoto.com
10. http://search.creativecommons.org/
Now, before you go copying and pasting ‘Royalty Free’ images rather than registering and downloading, you will need to be aware that there is a difference between what is ‘free’, ‘royalty free’ ‘free for commercial use’ and other various licences.
To help you distinguish between each meaning, these articles make informative reading.
Paid Images
Image courtesy of Nimbus Screenshot – funphotobox.com
You can even be more creative these days by using free online tools. Whether you want to make some changes to boring selfies or produce photos with your slogan on, producing something different from the norm will always raise an eyebrow or two.
Try these sites just to get you started…
- Funphotobox.com
- Photofunia.com
- Photofacefun.com
- Deefunia.com
- fotojet.com
Free Screenshot Software
Image courtesy of Nimbus Screenshot – Google Images
Another tool marketers use to produce free images is the good old ‘screen shot’ tool. I would often wonder how people got some great images of their own websites, logos, search bars etc. I must admit, using screen saver on the keyboard and then editing in PowerPoint didn’t produce quite the same results!
I am now using Nimbus Screenshot but if you have taken a look and thought it’s not for you, then you may wish to take a look at this article. It lists over thirty different screen capture tools across different platforms.
But if you like using Chrome extensions, then here are just two more of the many free downloads that are on offer –Webpage Screenshot & Awesome Screenshot
Info-graphics
Image courtesy of Nimbus Screenshot – Canva
If you’re a little bit more adventurous though, you may want to try your hand at designing your own Info-graphics. It is without a doubt that these have become more popular over the past few years. With free tools to help create your own, all you need is an artistic flair, facts and the skill (or tool) to produce an attention-grabbing headline.
I personally use Canva (because it can be free and it offers great training videos when you sign up) but if you’re looking to produce maps and charts, then you may want to consider Venngage. Although Venngage offers a free service, it is limited, depending on the level of subscription you take out.
As with all these things though, it is so easy to overdo it, so before you have a go for the first time, you may wish to read these blogs on what to and what not to do…
- 3 Good Reasons to Use Infographics for Branding
- 9 reasons to use infographics in your content marketing
- How to Keep Infographics from Ruining Your Visual Content: 8 Rules
If you’re really serious about learning then as I mentioned earlier, sign up to Canvas‘ newsletter and they will send you some tutorials on a weekly basis. For those of you that have the tools (Adobe Illustrator) and are willing to pay a subscription, then you may find this link useful.
If you like the idea of Info-graphics but have neither the time nor the skill, you can always outsource your work. As to be expected, sites such as Fiverr.com will always offer some great talent at exceptional prices.
Buying images in bundles
Image courtesy of Nimbus Screenshot – mightydeals.com
If you are serious about website design or Internet Marketing and see yourself continuing in this line of work for the foreseeable future, then it might be wise to spend your pennies on ‘bundles’ rather than individual images.
I remember a few years ago being able to purchase a disk from a high street shop with 10,000 ‘royalty free’ images on. But it would appear that these days, such products are becoming harder to find.
You can however still find some on the normal sites such as Amazon or e-Bay whilst I tend to buy mine from Serif.com. But as you can see from the prices, you may be better off comparing prices with a site called mightydeals.com, as recommended by Kim Roach.
Common Courtesy
Whether you find yourself using a Screenshot tool or downloading a ‘ free to use’ image from Google Chrome, you should always remember to use common courtesy.
- Where possible, complement the website that the Screenshot was taken off.
- If possible, provide a back link to the website your image represents.
- Let them know about your article (you may even get a back link in return).
- Never take things for granted. If you are unsure, ask for permission first.
And for those of you that have been asking the question – ‘ but how will they know I have used their images?’ – this tool (and I’m sure there must be others) helps to search for websites that contain the same images. Of course, it can also be used by you to check that nobody has been using your images too.
Conclusion
The above information is why I believe that there is now no need to copy other peoples images. Experienced marketers will most probably already know about the above links but this is aimed at the inexperienced Newbie’s that are just starting out.
Whilst it is tempting to simply copy and paste, there are enough options on offer to either source free images, purchase on a budget, or have a go at creating and designing your own.
Please remember that the above has been provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be used as a legal guideline of any sort. Always seek further advice if you’re unsure about whether or not you can use an image.
Peace of mind – As you will discover, none of the links are affiliated nor do they lead to sites that are associated with me.
Well, that’s it for now. I hope anybody that’s new to Internet Marketing will find this post useful and informative
Link Count
There are 45 unique links on this post. If you have any other suggestions that you feel would benefit other readers, please feel free to leave them in the comments below.
Polite Notice – All irrelevant comments will not be approved – Thanks.
