A picture on the internet isn’t automatically free to use
Beautiful images can completely change the way a website feels.
They can show your products, introduce the people behind your business, demonstrate what you do and help visitors connect with your story.
But there is one important rule to remember:
Finding an image online doesn’t mean you have permission to use it.
It’s surprisingly easy to assume that if an image appears in Google Images, on social media or on another website, it is available for anyone to save and use.
It isn’t.
In Australia, photographs, illustrations and other original visual works are generally protected by copyright automatically. You normally need the appropriate permission or licence to use someone else’s image commercially.
Google Images is a search tool, not an image library
This is probably one of the most common mistakes.
You search Google for something such as woman working from home, find the perfect photograph, save it and put it on your website.
The problem is that Google didn’t give you that photograph.
Google simply helped you find it.
The image may belong to a photographer, another business, a newspaper, a stock photography company or somebody who posted it on their own website.
The same applies to images you find on Pinterest, Facebook and other websites or social platforms.
Giving the creator a credit doesn’t automatically give you permission either. Our original Her Place material specifically identified saving images from search results or other people’s websites without permission as something to avoid.
So, what images can you use?
There are several safer options.
You can use photographs you’ve taken yourself.
You can commission a photographer, illustrator or designer and make sure your agreement gives you the rights you need to use the finished work.
You can purchase or download images from a reputable stock image library, provided its license allows the type of commercial use you intend.
Some Creative Commons images may also be suitable, but you need to check the specific license. Different licenses have different rules, including whether commercial use is permitted and whether attribution is required.
If a supplier provides product photographs, check that you have permission to use those images on your own website rather than simply assuming you do.
Keep a record of where your images came from
This is a habit worth starting early.
If you download a licensed image, keep a record of:
- Where you obtained it
- When you downloaded or purchased it
- The licence or terms that applied
- Your receipt or invoice, if you purchased it
- Any written permission you’ve received
You don’t need an elaborate system. A simple folder containing the image and its license information can save a lot of uncertainty later.
Our original material actually suggested creating a folder of “safe images” and recording where each image came from and what license applied.
What if someone else created the images for your business?
This is another area where assumptions can cause problems.
Perhaps a photographer took your business photographs several years ago. Maybe a graphic designer created graphics for you, or a previous web designer supplied some of the images on your site.
Don’t automatically assume that because you paid for the work, you own every right associated with it.
Look at the original agreement, license, invoice or emails and establish what you are permitted to do with the images.
If you’re commissioning new work, ask about this before the work begins.
Already have a website? Do a quick image audit
You don’t need to panic and replace every image.
Just start checking.
Look for images that:
- Were saved from Google Images
- Came from Pinterest or social media
- Were copied from another website
- Came from an old stock library account you can no longer access
- Were supplied by someone else and you’re unsure about the usage rights
- Were provided by a supplier without clear permission for website use
If you’re not confident that you have permission to use an image, investigate it.
And if you can’t establish where it came from or what rights you have, replacing it with an image you know you can use is often the simplest option.
Your own images have value too
Copyright isn’t only something that belongs to other people.
The photographs, graphics and original content your business creates can also be valuable business assets.
That is particularly important if you’re a photographer, artist, designer, maker or product-based business where your images represent a significant part of your work.
One simple rule makes this much easier
Before putting an image on your website, ask:
Do I know where this image came from, and do I have the right to use it here?
If the answer is yes, great.
If the answer is “Well… I found it on Google three years ago…” it’s probably time to find another image. 😁
