~Delete 22888

Recently I received from a friend the link to a blog containing a word of caution to bloggers and writers. It seemed the writer of this particular post - an author of many novels - had been contacted by the copyright owner of a picture she used on her site. The writer wasn't aware at the time that the picture wasn't public domain and agreed to take it down. One would think that should have solved the problem, but the copyright holder expected compensation for its use. A simple post meant to keep with the theme of her stories ended up costing this book author a bit of money.

Her story spread quickly throughout the community of authors in her genre, so much that many authors who blog for promotional purposes ended up removing pictures from archives. This doesn't mean, now, that everybody who uses a picture they don't own will be sued, but it does put fear in a person who wants to pretty up a blog.

Reading this dilemma brought to mind the question of Pinterest. In the past, there had been questions about the site's terms of service, and people even deleted their accounts in response to them. Nonetheless, the social site has grown by leaps and bounds, and has become a serious referral source. Imagery drives the site, too - the pretty pictures are liked and re-pinned most often, as I've noticed through my own wanderings. If you want people to click through to the content underneath, you must first get them to notice the graphic.

I find many bloggers now add appropriate graphics with titling on each of their posts. Recipe blogs will include photos of the finish product and its name, making it easier for a Pinterest user to see what they plan to add to a board. It's a practice every blogger should take to heart - people share more frequently via Pinterest than StumbleUpon and Digg now, where pictures weren't always a concern. If the blog post pinned is accompanied by an unattractive or unrelated image, it could wither underneath a thousand others.

So, you must use a photo that won't get you in trouble. There are ways you can remedy this:

Seek out public domain or royalty free stock. Sites like iStockPhoto, Dreamstime, and BigPhotoStock have large databases of royalty-free graphics at a cost. If you are low on funds, you can check sites that specific list photos that have been released to the public domain (Wikimedia Commons may be a place to try). Be sure you read the fine print before you add text or do anything to manipulate a photograph. Take your own photos. Seriously, it's easier now than ever. Use a webcam, smart phone or tablet and create your own graphic library. Pretty up photos with Instagram and use them as placards for blog posts. Try shareware that lets you create images, and be an original among the many duplicate photos out there. Hire a photographer. This may be a costlier option depending on who you hire. If you do have the budget for it, though, ask friends to recommend people, or check the freelancer databases for people willing to work with your budget.

Pinterest has become too large to ignore. For the time it takes you to send a tweet you can promote your site through this popular social network. Unique graphics that best represent your sites are more likely to be noticed, so make sure they are yours to use and use them well. Best pinterest photos