“The picture is out there on the internet, so I can use it, right?”

WRONG!

Before I go any further, I must make note: I cannot and do not provide legal advice regarding copyright infringement and other aspects of copyright law. Please contact a lawyer for such information.

Ok, now that we’ve taken care of that, let’s continue. 

I’ve done it. You’ve done it. You might still be doing it. (Don’t worry, I won’t tell. But keep reading.)

Thanks to Google, it is incredibly easy to track down an image to use for just about any purpose. The problem is, those images are not ours and therefore are not ours to use. And if we use them without permission (get it in writing) from the creator, we are in violation of copyright law.

“But they’re right there in Google!” 

I know, I know. It stinks. But it’s true.

So what makes an image protected by copyright law?

It just is. Yep, that’s it. Once an image is created, it is protected by copyright law. Therefore, if someone uses it without the creator’s permission, that someone could get sued.

“But it’s not like I have a bunch of followers online. I doubt anybody’s gonna come after me…”

Doesn’t matter. Don’t risk it. If someone comes after you, hopefully it all would stop at a cease and desist notice. However, there are lawyers out there who make a living finding people and suing them for copyright infringement.

“But where will I get pictures for social media??”

Ah, yes. Fear not, my friend. Many websites exist that provide free stock images available for use (without having to seek permission or give attribution):

• Pixabay
• Pexels
• Unsplash

There are also many sites with stock images available for purchase.

Looking to add to the images? Design programs like Canva are great for adding text, logos, and other elements to images. And inside Canva, you can find images to use for your designs. There are also many apps with the functionality to edit and add to images.

“But that sounds like so much work!” 

You’re right. It can be. But so is a lawsuit. [Insert awkward pause.] ????

A way to save time is batching images. Batching simply means making a bunch at the same time that you can pull from when you want (as opposed to creating images as you need them).

Do you have questions about finding images to use online? Leave a comment below, and I’ll be sure to reply!

Business owners who feel stuck in their content marketing efforts, specifically social media, generally fall in one of two spaces:

Some simply don’t want to do it, period:

• “I don’t even want to think about it.”
• “I never want to try it.”
• “I don’t want to bang my head up against the wall.”
• “Not doing it.”

Honestly, I can’t blame anyone who feels this way. For some, there is a considerable learning curve, and social media marketing can be quite time-consuming.

Others start out doing it on their own but later come to a painful realization: “I’m putting more and more time into this thing, and not only is it pulling me away from the more critical parts of my business, it’s also pulling me away from time with my family.” It’s not a fun place to end up.

Sometimes it takes getting to that pain point where someone recognizes that they’re having to compromise things that they really don’t want to compromise. Everybody hits that at a different time. For others, it’s a control thing. Either they feel like they should be able to do it all (and therefore should do it all) or they simply don’t trust people with their accounts.

Perhaps you started your own business because you wanted the freedom that comes with being your own boss. And that can happen, but not always. There is a lot that comes with running your own business, including some things that aren’t always expected. What can help bring about some of the freedom you desire is getting someone on your team to help with social media and other aspects of your online presence. Just having someone take that off your plate can offload a great deal of stress.

What are some things that people get wrong when they first begin with content marketing?

To start, many people have seen content marketing done poorly, and it leaves a bad taste in their mouth. They think that what they have seen is the only way to do it, decide they certainly don’t want to be like that, then throw it out the window. PLEASE don’t let this be you!

Others think, “This person says to do it this way, and this other person says to do it this other way. I don’t know what to do.” People get trapped in indecision instead of just moving forward and putting something out there. Yes, there are wildly successful individuals who navigate content marketing a certain way and believe that their way is the best way, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best route for you. Try something out; give it a fair go. If it’s not working out, make some tweaks. See what others are doing and what you could learn from them.

Many just want to do what they do best and don’t want to mess with “all that other stuff” because it’s a pain or they simply lack the technical know-how. It may be a matter of, “How do I share something on Facebook? How do I get it in front of the right people? What’s a blog? What is website hosting? What are email lists?” There’s nothing wrong with not knowing. We all start out in that place. Find some guidance, whether that looks like researching on your own or hiring someone.

Often people worry that their marketing will come off as too sales-y. My simple response to that? Serve first; sell later. People have so much brilliant content, and they need to move toward getting it out there. At the end of the day, if you’re in business, you need to have people pay you. Start by taking your brilliant ideas and sharing them to help people, then once you’ve built the know, like, and trust factor, approach them with an offer to invest in your services.

There is one very important thing to keep in mind: it takes time. You’re not going to see all kinds of activity and engagement right away. Stick with it.

In this post, I share about the advantages of content marketing over traditional forms of marketing, like paid advertising. Mind you, I’m not here to dissuade you from utilizing paid advertising; I’m here to share why content marketing is a great tool for your business as well as a tip for paid advertising, in case you do choose to utilize it.

With content marketing, you go where people already are with an organic approach to reaching them. This often looks like social media, newsletters, email lists, and blogs. People love consuming information, and content marketing is a great avenue to take to connect with people. We’re in a new generation of how we’re marketing ourselves and how we’re helping people, and there are many different ways to market content online.

Consider the “know, like, and trust factor.” Before people want to utilize your services, they want to know who you are, like you, and trust you. Once you provide them with valuable information, they are more likely to look into your services and consider what you have to offer them.

One thing that is really important to do with paid advertising is this: provide value first. Start with great information then follow with your offer. Once you’ve warmed people up a little bit, you can then ease into an offer, as opposed to using a big, expensive ad that simply states, “Hey, come buy my stuff because it’s really great.” People don’t want to feel like targets; they want to know you care about them and want to help improve their life.

What have you found to be the most effective way to connect with people online?

P.S. If you are looking to do paid advertising, my buddy Greg Tosi is the man. He offers ad services and coaching as well as a DIY Facebook Ads course.