It’s not just about what you can do, or about the words that you write on the page. Your website needs great eye-catching imagery in order to draw interest to your brand. The cleaner and more visually appealing your website looks, the better that will be for your brand. But it’s important to keep copyright protection in mind when adding images to your website — and it’s just as essential to protect your own intellectual property as it is to not infringe on the IP of others.
There are any number of ways that you can use prominent images on your website. They might serve as the header for each webpage, or break your webpages into visually pleasing sections. You may even use an image as a header for each landing page or blog. In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s important to obtain copyright registration for prominent images on your website.
Obtaining Copyright Registration For Images
When it comes to protecting your IP in the form of original photography or art, you want to obtain a copyright registration. This copyright protects any image or work of art and ensures that it cannot be used without your permission. When using these images to promote and represent your brand — as on your website — this is especially crucial.
Obtaining copyright registration for images on your website ensures that your website is one of a kind: distinct from your competition. It also ensures that pictures of your brand, your employees, or events that you host, are not used without your permission in ways that might be less than appealing.
It is important to obtain copyright registration as soon as possible. Although you already have the copyright for your original artwork, you will not be able to defend your ownership of it in court without an official registration through the USPTO. Copyright registration, with help from Garcia-Zamor, is easy to obtain and will keep your work protected as your brand grows and thrives.
Understanding Creative Commons Licenses
If you’ve ever searched for images not your own to use on your website or on social media, you have likely seen licenses such as “creative commons license” and “non-commercial license.” These are types of copyright licenses. They are determined by you based on your ownership of the copyright registration. These licenses dictate how others may use your images.
A creative commons license may be used by others with no royalty charge, but you may demand credit for the image. Non-commercial use is a type of creative commons license that means that your image can be used royalty free but only for personal, non-commercial uses. This is something you choose for yourself, with the advice of your attorneys at Garcia-Zamor.
If you use any prominent images on social media or in email marketing, it’s a good idea to obtain copyright protection for these images as well. Contact Garcia-Zamor today to learn more about how we can help you protect your art, promotional or otherwise.
