I was talking to a client about images she wanted to use in the header of her new website design.  She had just attended a webinar conducted by someone from one of the very well-known (or should I say top;-) real estate vendors. 

A good portion of the webinar centered around using Google Images to find photos for use in real estate marketing efforts.  To my total amazement, the person conducting the webinar never even mentioned the issue of copyright infringement!!  Certainly a representative of this well-known firm should have known better!!

As you may know, Internet theft drives me crazy.  It’s not legal, it’s not necessary, and I encourage everyone to take strong action to stop Internet theft.  And, I know of more than one instance where an Internet theft issue was taken to court and the plaintiff won.  Internet theft isn’t something to be taken lightly.  You can’t just figure “How will anyone know?”  There are more ways than you think to spot thefts, so the best bet is just not to get involved.  Learn more about what to do about Internet theft.

How CAN You Use Google Images and Stay Out of Court?

If I were Google, I’d have set up Google Images a lot differently.   As it stands now, for my money, Google is encouraging Internet theft, and I really think it’s about time that they address the issue.

When you go to Google Images, it looks like a great way to find images you need.  There is nothing on the “home page” that says anything that is even remotely like a notice or warning about using photos you find there.

The “Options” link you see after you’ve performed a search simply gives you options to limit your search by type, size and color of the image.  But, if you dig around through the Google Images support pages long enough, you’ll come across this page.

Ah, Usage Rights!!  Imagine that!  A small indication that perhaps you can’t just use any image you find!  Read that page carefully. 

Then, you need to understand that anything you produce related to your business (such as brochures, postcards, websites, etc) is considered to be a commercial use.  You’re not using these images to go in a personal scrapbooking project, you’re using them to promote your business, so it’s a commercial application.

Google - Advanced Search

Looking at the Advanced Search page, you’ll notice a link that you have to open called “Date, usage rights, numberic range, and more”.  After you click on  that link, you’ll see a number of alternatives under the Usage Rights category.  There are two alternatives that relate to commercial usage:

• free to use or share, even commercially
• free to use, share or modify, even commercially

You need to be searching for one of those two alternatives.  If you want a photo to place on a page of your website, you’d look for the first alternative above.  If you want a photo to incorporate into a website header, you would actually be modifying the image, so you’d look for the second alternative.

Google - Advanced Image Search

If you use the Advanced Image Search, you’ll also find a Usage Rights category.  There, you’ll find the following options under Usage Rights:

• Labeled for commercial reuse
• Labeled for commercial reuse with modification

The same rules apply to these options as to the ones available under the Advanced Search.

Using Google Images the Right Way

Using Google Images the right way isn’t as exciting as using it the wrong way.  You won’t find all the amazing shots taken (and copyrighted) by professionals, but you will find some shots you can use.  Actually, a number of them will be on Flickr.

There are a lot of very good photographers on Flickr who may not be professionals, but who come up with some great photographs.  And, you won’t end up in court if you use them!