If you want to keep things on the up-and-up and avoid any legal drama, let’s explore the basics of image licensing.

The Risks of Using Unlicensed Images

Here’s the deal—every image on the internet doesn’t automatically belong to the public. Just because you can right-click and save doesn’t mean you can actually use that image. When you use an image without the proper license or permission, you’re essentially using an unlicensed image. That’s where the trouble starts.

Now, I get it. Maybe you think, “Who’s going to notice? I’m just a small business. No one’s going to come after me.” That’s where you’d be wrong. Content creators, stock image companies, and copyright holders have systems in place that can detect unauthorized use. They’re not always looking for the “big fish” either—small businesses are fair game, too.

Using an unlicensed image could lead to a copyright infringement claim, and trust me, no one wants that. It’s not just about being sued (though that could happen)—it’s also about protecting your money, since you might be asked to pay a fine in addition to image’s licensing cost. It can be a nightmare, but it’s completely avoidable.

The best thing you can do is make sure any image you use is licensed correctly. I don’t personally think it’s worth the gamble.

Fair Use vs. Commercial Use: What You Need to Know

You might have heard the term “fair use” thrown around and assumed it protects you. But here’s the deal: fair use doesn’t apply to small businesses in most cases. 

Fair use is a legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission, mainly for things like commentary, criticism, or educational purposes. But if you’re using an image to promote your business or your products (i.e., for commercial gain), fair use is out the window. You need a license for that image, no exceptions.

When you’re using images for anything remotely tied to making money—whether it’s your website, social media, or ads—you need to either buy the image, use a free image from a reputable site that grants commercial use rights, or make sure you’re following the correct guidelines.

The Meme Trap

Memes are everywhere, and it’s super tempting to hop on a viral trend for your business. Who doesn’t want more engagement, likes, and shares? Memes can be gold for that, and we’re all chasing those sweet, sweet views Mosseri told us we need now. But here’s the kicker—if you’re using an unlicensed image in a meme, you could be setting yourself up for a legal trouble. It might seem harmless, but remember, you’re using that image to promote your business. 

Let’s say the meme you want to use features a stock photo or someone’s copyrighted material. Unless you’ve licensed (paid for) that image, you’re risking a copyright infringement notice. Sure, you could roll the dice and hope no one notices, but is that a risk you really want to take?

The Moo Deng Dilemma

Speaking of trends, let’s talk about Moo Deng—the adorable pygmy hippo that stole our hearts. I was all set to create a meme about her for a post, but then I remembered: I’d need to license her photo. I can’t just grab any old picture of her and call it a day.

As a small business, you have to play by the same rules as the big guys. The moment you use an image for commercial purposes, the fair use rule flies out the window.

When I went to see how much money I’d have to fork over for a Moo Deng image as someone with fewer than 1M followers, I was shocked to learn how much it cost.

Don’t Forget Your Website

Unfortunately, your website is in the same boat. Every image you use on your site must be properly licensed. This brings me to a common misconception with stock image licensing sites like Death to Stock. While they offer stunning photos, there’s a catch: if you cancel your subscription, you lose the right to use the images. That’s right. Once your membership ends, those beautiful photos could get you in trouble if you don’t swap them out. And I hate that.

Top 3 Affordable Image Licensing Sites

Now that I’ve scared you a little, let’s talk about where to find image licensing options that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. There are tons of options out there, but here are my top three picks for affordable stock imagery:

• Pexels: Pexels is a great option for small businesses on a budget. It’s free, offers high-quality images, and everything is submitted by photographers around the world. This is my go-to stock imagery site.
• Unsplash: Another (mostly) free favorite. Unsplash is pretty similar to Pexels, offering a massive library of crowd-sourced photos. 
• Canva Pro: If you’re already using Canva for your design work (and who isn’t these days?), their Pro plan includes access to a huge library of stock images. It’s a paid option, but you get design tools and imagery in one neat package.

Why Getty Images Isn’t Always Ideal

What about the big names, like Getty Images? We’ve all heard of them, but—Getty’s pricing on image licensing can be a little intense for small businesses. When I looked into licensing a photo of Moo Deng through Getty, the cost was way out of reach for someone with fewer than a million followers. It’s an option if you’re a larger business with a big budget, but for most small businesses, affordable alternatives like Pexels and Unsplash are the way to go.

A Note on Crediting Photographers

If you’re seeking (free) image licensing from sites like Pexels or Unsplash, it’s always a nice gesture to credit the photographer. Sure, it’s not required, but it’s a good practice that supports the photography community. Consider adding a small credit at the bottom of your post or in the caption. It’s an easy way to show appreciation, and who knows—it might even increase your credibility with your audience.

In Conclusion

It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to potential legal issues, and thankfully, there are plenty of affordable ways to access high-quality, licensed images without risking a lawsuit.

Until next time! Me and Moo Deng love you <3

—Lauren Crow

P.S., Want to learn how Considerate Support can help you source brand-aligned stock photography for your brand? Get in touch.

P.S.S., Instead of licensing a photo of Moo Deng, I went the homemade illustration direction.

The post Image Licensing Explained: How to Use Photos Legally in Your Marketing appeared first on Considerate Support Strategy Studio.

In this post, we delve into seven compelling reasons why a robust social media strategy is integral for your digital marketing success, allowing you to get offline and get into your actual life way more often.

1. Intentionality: Deliberate Steps Toward Growth

Well-crafted marketing strategy gives purpose and direction to everything you do online. From deciding which platforms to leverage, to determining the content your audience enjoys the most, a comprehensive social media strategy ensures that every action you take on social media is a deliberate movement toward business growth. One way to practice this is to regularly refer to a visual moodboard and list of your business’ foundational values whenever you create content. I’m a post-it person, so Considerate Support’s values are stuck to my computer monitor, and the CS moodboard is my desktop background.

2. Consistency: Aligning Your Content with Your Brand Identity

Brand identity is what sets your business apart in the eyes of your audience. It’s the face and voice of your business, and is visually represented by elements like your logo, color palette, and typography. Ultimately, brand identity is the overarching personality of your business expressed both visually and verbally.

Your social media strategy is your compass; it aligns your content with your brand identity. It creates uniformity in your brand’s visuals and voice across various social media platforms—a critical aspect of maintaining professionalism online. Visual and verbal consistency does more than just look good; it builds trust with your audience, embedding your brand in your followers’ minds and fostering their loyalty. And in business, trust and loyalty are priceless. 

The importance of a robust social media strategy cannot be overstated for those looking to optimize their digital marketing efforts. An effective strategy does more than streamline the content creation process; it leverages the power of consistency to create visuals and written content that your audience genuinely has fun interacting with. Ever been to someone’s Instagram feed and instantly get the warm fuzzies? For me, @floracreative_co is the definition of Instagram bliss.

3. Rapidly Streamline Your Content Planning

Every minute counts when you’re running a business, or else you’d never come up for air. The more minutes you save, the more time you have to do what you really really want to do in life. With a strategic social media plan, you help to eliminate the stress of last-minute content creation, as it clearly outlines what, when, and where you should publish your work ahead of time. This streamlined approach to content planning saves you valuable time that you can invest in, well, whatever you want. If you want to start using a simple and reliable system to streamline your content creation process, check out our customizable ClickUp template that helps you bring content from a vague idea, to a published post.

4. Strategic Posting for Optimal Reach

Understanding your target audience is fundamental to effective digital marketing. A well-structured social media strategy helps you align your content with what your ideal audience cares about. To determine who your ideal audience is, decide who you’d most enjoy doing business with, and share with them in mind. Make it personal: Like you’re talking with a friend that is hanging on your every word! Because why not? Confidence is the key to success, and it’s the key to connection too, a lot of the time. But that’s a whole different conversation.

5. Continuously Adapting to Support Continued Growth

The social media environment is always evolving. Platforms change, user habits shift, and new trends emerge. By regularly reviewing and adjusting your social media strategy, you stay ahead of the curve, seize new opportunities for growth and continuously improve your online presence.

Regular reassessment of your social media strategy is like a routine health check-up for your business. It involves reviewing who’s engaging with your content, when, and how. This can be as simple as checking your account’s built-in analytics once a week to see which posts got the most likes, shares, or comments. Over time, you may begin noticing patterns that suggest what’s working and what isn’t, allowing you to adjust your strategy to better engage your audience. Remember, the goal isn’t for your strategy to be set in stone, but to allow it to adapt over time as you learn about what works best for you and your audience, as you both grow and transform over the course of time.

6. Shining Bright: Harnessing Your Unique Brand Identity

In the digital marketplace, a well-designed social media strategy allows your brand to shine with its own unique light. You don’t have to chase every trend to succeed online, but strategy gives you the chance to experiment with new formats, platforms, or themes that align with your brand’s voice and your audience’s interests. Moreover, a good strategy involves truly listening to your audience—their feedback and engagement provide invaluable insights into what they really receive value from. It’s not about trying to outshine others in your field. Instead, strategy helps you illuminate your unique corner of the digital market, attracting exactly who you most want to work with, and having a blast doing so.

7. Coherence: Telling a Compelling Brand Story with a Strategic Social Media Approach

In a world saturated with all kinds of content, it’s your unique brand story that captivates and retains your audience. But don’t fret—out of 7 billion people in the world, your best friend still chose to love you, because you’re exactly who they want as a friend. The same goes for brands: There’s room for everyone, and who you uniquely are, as you are now, is your greatest asset.

A high-quality social media strategy preserves your brand’s unique story, ensuring that everything you post contributes coherently to the narrative you want to tell. It’s not just about posting; it’s about weaving a storyline that aligns with your business goals, strengthens your online presence, and resonates deeply with your audience. This strategic coherence not only makes your brand memorable, it enriches the bond you share with your followers.

Remember, social media is not just a platform to showcase your products or services; it’s a digital stage to tell your brand story, as well as your personal one. This unified narrative, set into motion by a clear strategy, sets your brand apart and creates lasting, impactful relationships with your audience. And I don’t know about you, but that is so deeply satisfying to me.

Conclusion

A comprehensive social media strategy acts as a second brain for your business, simplifying and guiding your brand’s narrative in the digital marketing sphere. It transforms your social media presence from a disjointed collection of posts into a powerful representation of who you are and what you care about most. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or leading a team, investing in a robust social media strategy is a crucial step towards success in your digital marketing.

If you’re interested in learning more about our social media strategy offering, book a discovery call with us here.

The post 7 Compelling Reasons to Prioritize Social Media Strategy in Your Marketing Plan appeared first on Considerate Support Strategy Studio.