{"id":1463,"date":"2024-02-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T13:44:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T13:44:28","slug":"image-copyright-rules-for-businesses","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wondering the best way to start using images in your marketing? And how about finding royalty-free images to make your website stand out? Whether you\u2019re taking your own photos or using stock photography, it\u2019s important to understand image copyright laws in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Images are central to creating a brand and marketing your small business online and in print \u2013 from website pages and social media posts to flyers and business cards. And whatever your trade, you\u2019ll probably start out looking for free images that are kinder on your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-consistency-creativity-and-copyright-laws\">Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using images in a creative and consistent way can elevate your brand and attract more customers. If you feel daunted by picking up a camera to <a href=\"\/knowledge\/marketing\/product-photography-for-small-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1497\" >take your own photos<\/a>, you might be considering using photos you find online \u2013 from a stock library for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But just like with books, songs, and films \u2013 photos and images are copyrighted too. This means any unauthorised use of an image can lead to costly legal fees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s a few things to remember when choosing your images: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Consistency <\/strong>\u2013 you want your images to reflect your <a href=\"\/knowledge\/marketing\/how-to-create-a-brand-identity\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1114\" >brand identity<\/a>, perhaps in how you feature real people or colours in the image. A consistent style helps build trust among your audience and create a memorable brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Creativity<\/strong> \u2013 try to avoid images that look too \u2018staged\u2019. An image should tell a story and choosing authentic photos to represent your product or service is crucial to promoting your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Copyright<\/strong> \u2013 make sure you have permission to use the images you find online. You might pay for it or add a photo credit whenever you use it, or permission could come as part of a platform subscription price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more about <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-structure\/what-is-intellectual-property\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"976\" >intellectual property law<\/a>, and how to protect copyright of your own images. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-copyright-rules-for-images\">What are the copyright rules for images? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government has published a copyright notice to help people \u2013 particularly small businesses \u2013 understand the complexities of copyright law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/copyright-notice-digital-images-photographs-and-the-internet\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Using digital images and photos on the internet<\/a> \u2013 this notice explains how these images are considered \u2018artistic works\u2019 and you\u2019ll need permission from the owner of the copyright if you want to copy or share the image online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s a few things to consider: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">most images online are likely to be protected by copyright law, so it\u2019s important you acknowledge the copyright owner if using the work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">use your own images and photos however you like (unless it\u2019s a photo of protected work, for example)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">check image copyright terms <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019ve used a professional photographer to take marketing images for your business, you\u2019ll need to check the photographer\u2019s terms of use. These licence terms are agreed when you negotiate the contract. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-do-i-know-if-a-photo-is-copyrighted\">How do I know if a photo is copyrighted? <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An image is copyright protected for the whole life of the creator \u2013 plus 70 years after the end of the calendar year they died. This means if an image was created less than 70 years ago then it\u2019ll definitely be protected under copyright law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-copyright-and-social-media-images\">Copyright and social media images<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Image copyright laws are the same for social media as they are for images used elsewhere. This means you\u2019ll need permission from the creator before sharing someone else\u2019s image on your <a href=\"\/knowledge\/marketing\/advantages-of-social-media-advertising\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1121\" >social channels<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You shouldn\u2019t post content that infringes on someone else\u2019s intellectual property rights. For example, Instagram says: \u201cThe best way to help make sure that what you post to Instagram doesn&#8217;t violate copyright law is to only post content that you&#8217;ve created yourself.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, using the in-built share and repost functionality isn\u2019t a copyright infringement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having a <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-structure\/social-media-policy-template\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1531\" >social media policy<\/a> can help you and your team stay within the law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-give-image-credit\">How to give image credit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There\u2019s a few ways to give image credit. You might do a mix of these depending on the small print:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">add a credit next to the image whenever you use it. This can simply be something like: Photo: [name of photographer\/artist, source]<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">pay \u2013 when buying from a stock library or photographer (though sometimes you\u2019ll still be required to credit the photographer, so always check the terms and conditions of the platform you used) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">check you have the right to use images for commercial purposes (for example, advertising on your <a href=\"\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-create-a-business-website\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1424\" >business website<\/a>) <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-image-licensing\">Image licensing <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/share-your-work\/cclicenses\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Creative Commons<\/a> has a range of licences that let you use and share images under copyright law. Some are for non-commercial use, so make sure you choose a licence that allows you to use images for commercial purposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also get licences from online stock libraries when buying an image or a subscription. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"815\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/editing-images-for-business-marketing.jpg?w=815\" alt=\"Photographer editing images\" class=\"wp-image-3415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/editing-images-for-business-marketing.jpg 815w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/editing-images-for-business-marketing.jpg?resize=800,534 800w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/editing-images-for-business-marketing.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/editing-images-for-business-marketing.jpg?resize=150,100 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Photograph: Rawpixel.com\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-find-royalty-free-images\">How to find royalty-free images <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2018Royalty-free\u2019 means it\u2019s a copyright free image, so you don\u2019t need to have a licence or pay royalties to use the asset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stock photography sites and subscription platforms are a good place to look for royalty-free images, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/search.creativecommons.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Creative Commons<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 as well as granting image licences, Creative Commons offers a database of free images you can use for marketing your business (just be sure to credit the creator)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Flickr<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 this one\u2019s been around for 20 years but is still a great place to go for royalty-free images \u2013 just make sure photos are tagged with a Creative Commons License for commercial use (you can filter this way when you\u2019re searching)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>iStock<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 you\u2019ll have to pay but iStock does offer royalty-free images. The basic subscription starts at \u00a319 a month for 10 downloads, or you can buy a package of credits and pay as you go<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/en_gb\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Canva<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 you can create assets with Canva or use existing templates, either for free or with a monthly subscription<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Pexels<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 get free stock photos with Pexels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Unsplash<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 all images and photos on Unsplash are free to download and use to promote your small business<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Pixabay<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>\u2013 these royalty-free images can be used for editorial purposes, and sometimes commercially, depending on the licence the creator has chosen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/explore\/royalty-free-images\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shutterstock<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 a subscription plan starts at \u00a319 a month, or you can buy download packages for one-off projects <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-copyright-and-business-insurance\">Copyright and business insurance <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">Professional indemnity insurance<\/a> can cover you if there\u2019s a case of intellectual property infringement against you. Always check your policy wording and speak to your insurer to check what you\u2019re covered for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simply Business can help you build a <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5152\" >tailored business insurance<\/a> quote so you only pay for the cover you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How do you use images to market your business? Let us know in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-small-business-guides\">More small business guides<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/marketing\/ai-marketing-for-small-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1236\" >AI marketing \u2013 is this the future of your small business?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-do-a-trademark-search-uk\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1115\" >Naming your business \u2013 how to do a UK trademark search <\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/technology-for-small-businesses\/best-social-media-management-tools\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1347\" >Best social media tools for social media management<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/faq\/what-does-professional-indemnity-insurance-cover\/\">What does professional indemnity insurance cover? <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-upsell-001\" class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"h-looking-for-self-employed-insurance\">Looking for self-employed insurance?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">With Simply Business you can build a single <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/self-employed-insurance\/\">self employed insurance<\/a> policy combining the covers that are relevant to you. Whether it&#8217;s <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a>, <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">professional indemnity<\/a> or whatever else you need, we&#8217;ll run you a quick quote online, and let you decide if we&#8217;re a good fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\">Start your quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Photograph: Yakobchuk Olena\/stock.adobe.com<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws are three things to remember when choosing images in your marketing. Here\u2019s how to elevate your brand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3414,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[336,111,110],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[25],"class_list":["post-1463","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-structure","category-marketing","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws are three things to remember when choosing images in your marketing. Here\u2019s how to elevate your brand.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Copyright laws and tips for using images in your marketing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From how to find free images to understanding copyright laws, here\u2019s your guide.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Catriona Fuller\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Catriona Fuller\",\"description\":\"Catriona Fuller is a content and marketing professional with 12 years\u2019 experience across the financial services, higher education, and insurance sectors. She\u2019s also a trained NCTJ Gold Standard journalist. As a Senior Copywriter at Simply Business, Catriona has in-depth knowledge of small business concerns and specialises in tax, marketing, and business operations. Catriona lives in the seaside city of Brighton where she\u2019s also a freelance yoga teacher.\"},\"headline\":\"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-16T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\"},\"wordCount\":1202,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business structure\",\"Marketing your business\",\"Small business news\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\",\"name\":\"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-16T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00\",\"description\":\"Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws are three things to remember when choosing images in your marketing. Here\u2019s how to elevate your brand.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\",\"width\":815,\"height\":543,\"caption\":\"Women at a desk editing images\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Knowledge\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049\",\"name\":\"elliottstocks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"caption\":\"elliottstocks\"}},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row\",\"addressLocality\":\"London\",\"postalCode\":\"EC1Y 8LZ\",\"addressCountry\":\"GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"width\":533,\"height\":187,\"caption\":\"Simply Business UK\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta name=\"geo.placename\" content=\"London\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.region\" content=\"United Kingdom (UK)\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing","description":"Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws are three things to remember when choosing images in your marketing. Here\u2019s how to elevate your brand.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Copyright laws and tips for using images in your marketing","og_description":"From how to find free images to understanding copyright laws, here\u2019s your guide.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","og_site_name":"Simply Business UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness","article_modified_time":"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing","twitter_site":"@simplybusiness","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"6 minutes","Written by":"Catriona Fuller"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Catriona Fuller","description":"Catriona Fuller is a content and marketing professional with 12 years\u2019 experience across the financial services, higher education, and insurance sectors. She\u2019s also a trained NCTJ Gold Standard journalist. As a Senior Copywriter at Simply Business, Catriona has in-depth knowledge of small business concerns and specialises in tax, marketing, and business operations. Catriona lives in the seaside city of Brighton where she\u2019s also a freelance yoga teacher."},"headline":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing","datePublished":"2024-02-16T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/"},"wordCount":1202,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg","articleSection":["Business structure","Marketing your business","Small business news"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","name":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg","datePublished":"2024-02-16T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-16T13:44:28+00:00","description":"Consistency, creativity, and copyright laws are three things to remember when choosing images in your marketing. Here\u2019s how to elevate your brand.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg","width":815,"height":543,"caption":"Women at a desk editing images"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Knowledge","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/","name":"Simply Business UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049","name":"elliottstocks","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","caption":"elliottstocks"}},{"@type":"PostalAddress","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#local-main-place-address","streetAddress":"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row","addressLocality":"London","postalCode":"EC1Y 8LZ","addressCountry":"GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","width":533,"height":187,"caption":"Simply Business UK"}]},"geo.placename":"London","geo.region":"United Kingdom (UK)"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Image copyright laws \u2013 tips for using images in your marketing","url":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/business-structure\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg"},"articleSection":"Business structure","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Catriona Fuller"}],"creator":["Catriona Fuller"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Simply Business UK","logo":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/icon-512x512-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2024-02-16T00:00:00Z","datePublished":"2024-02-16T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-06-16T13:44:28Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Image copyright laws \\u2013 tips for using images in your marketing\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/business-structure\\\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/business-structure\\\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/image-copyright-rules-for-businesses.jpg\"},\"articleSection\":\"Business structure\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Catriona Fuller\"}],\"creator\":[\"Catriona Fuller\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/icon-512x512-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2024-02-16T00:00:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-02-16T00:00:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-16T13:44:28Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/p.js"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1463"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37286,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/1463\/revisions\/37286"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1463"},{"taxonomy":"hidden-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hidden-category?post=1463"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}