Are you wondering if it’s okay to use other people’s content on your website?
Maybe you found something so awesome and thought it was worth sharing. Or maybe you don’t consider yourself a writer or have time to content yourself. In either case, it may be tempting to take something already made, and use that on your website. So is it okay to use other people’s content? And if so, how can it be done?
When it it not okay to use other people’s content?
Unfortunately, just because you can find content for free on the internet, it doesn’t mean it’s okay to use it.
This goes for all kinds of original work: Text, images, video, sound clips, etc. Even if you are not making any money from the piece of work, authors have the right to decide how and where it gets used. This is why you might find that TV shows or music clips get removed from YouTube.
This is copyright law. To understand more about misconceptions around copyright law, I highly recommend 10 Big Myths about copyright explained by Brad Templeton.
When is it okay to use other people’s content?
There are some instances when re-using a piece of work is acceptable. For example, this is why it’s okay for people to have blogs where they write reviews on products, movies, video games, etc. Even so, you may want to check with the creator if it’s okay to share images of their product, as it may be protected by other laws apart from copyright.
There may come a time when you ask a photographer to take photos of your products, a designer to create graphics for your e-book, or a writer to create blog posts for you. As long as you’re clear on who owns the copyright, and what permissions you have regarding using the work, then you should be good!
According to a Social Media Today survey in 2017, consumers greatly prefer authentic content.
Why is it better to produce your own content?
Producing your own original content helps you stand out and demonstrates your knowledge in your field of expertise. Sharing photos of actual events going on in your business on Instagram helps your audience (potential customers) feel more connected with you. The more connected people feel to you, the more they will trust you, and the more likely they will be to buy.
So even if you don’t consider yourself a writer, you could record a short video and share it to Facebook, or share a “behind the scenes” photo. Your audience will really appreciate your authenticity!
If you’re in the process of creating a new website for your business (or redesigning one), I strongly advise getting some original content. Be sure to set aside some extra time and/or budget for this.
[Opinion] A note about AI-generated content
While it may look and feel as if AI-generated content is something of your own creation, please be mindful. Most (if not all) AI-generated creative outputs builds upon other people’s content without their consent.
I have personally chosen not to use any AI-generated writing or images on this website. This is because it’s not ethical or fair to those who actually produced original work. I know that upon reading this, you will come to your own conclusions about AI. To me, this feels like a crafty way of getting away with using other people’s work without getting caught. Also, for someone who has been an internet-user since the 1990s, I can tell if writing was generated with little editing or effort. For someone like me, this sets a low opinion of your brand.
I’m not here to police you on what content you choose to use on your website. However, please also know that anything you AI-generate cannot be protected by copyright law.
As a business, whether you wanted to or not, you are setting an example for other businesses and consumers who come across your brand. I hope that the internet can be a place where we create responsibly, and respectfully. 🙏🏻
Related Articles
- Can I Use That Picture? – The Visual Communication Guy
- Why You Should Write Your Own Content – Neil Patel / Hubspot
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