Is A Picture Really Worth A Thousand Words?
15 Aug 2021 10:00am
Selecting the right photo or creating a video for the right job can be challenging.
No matter which way you look at it, images and videos can be hugely impactful and at the same time they can be challenging – especially if you are not naturally drawn to images.
Here’s my guide to selecting the right image or video to do the right job.
1. Know your key message
What is the core message you are trying to convey with your social media post, website or blog post? It is this message which needs to be reflected in your image. If you are writing a blog for sharing on social media, then you may have several key points in your blog, but finding the central theme and using the appropriate image is critical.
Make sure your chosen image or images align with your keywords to help improve your Google ranking, reach your target audience and send a clear message that you know what you are doing.
2. Respect Copyright
Artists and photographers around the world make their living by creating beautiful images and videos. Using someone else’s work in a social media post or on your blog, without their permission is a breach of copyright law. It’s essentially stealing – so don’t do it. Not only is it illegal, it makes your business look mean and dodgy – and I’m guessing these are not things you want to be known for.
There are tools on Google Images that allow you to select the appropriate Usage Rights. Drop down the Usage Rights menu and select “Creative Commons License” – that is your safest option. This means you can use the image without fear of breaking the law. It’s still good practice to acknowledge the source if you can find it.
If you don’t want acknowledgement all over your images, then a simple footer in your Social Media post or as a caption under the image can work well. On your blog, you can add the appropriate source into your key words – this also helps the image provider be found by other searchers. It has the added advantage of bringing your site up in search results if someone is searching for the artist or photographer.