Flickr is a great source for free images but you need to follow the rules. Not all images are free to use and you have to make sure you play nice by attributing your sources properly. There are also 8 main benefits of using free images from Flickr.
I recently needed an image for an article that needed to be bright and relevant to the post. I often use Flickr and follow some basic steps when I do.
1. Search for Creative Common Images on Flickr
Go to this link to search for creative common images on Flickr.
You will have a choice of Attribution, Noncommerical, No Derivative Works or Share Alike creative commons images.
It is important that you understand the difference between each of these and identify which permissions you have for the image you want to use. Here are the definitions of each as found on Flickr:
Attribution means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your copyrighted work – and derivative works based upon it – but only if they give you credit.
Noncommercial means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform your work – and derivative works based upon it – but for noncommercial purposes only.
No Derivative Works means:
You let others copy, distribute, display, and perform only verbatim copies of your work, not derivative works based upon it.
Share Alike means:
You allow others to distribute derivative works only under a license identical to the license that governs your work.
2. Find an image and look for its creative commons conditions
I found an image on Flickr and used a portion of it on my post Quick Simple and Effective Prelaunch Strategies for New Blogs.
3. Use the image and meet the conditions of the Flickr owner
The owner of the above image provided permission to use it freely with a request to link back to the page but it wasn’t mandatory.
I just acquired these lovely old German playing cards and would like to share them with you! These are free to use for your personal and commercial artwork, but not for collage sheets and other digital collections.
I would be happy about a link back to this image and credit, if possible.
It is only polite to link back either via a link attached to the image, as a caption link or later in the post, perhaps after the image or at the end of the post.
4. Thank the Flickr owner of the image
It is always great to feel appreciated. If you have a post or an image and somebody thanks you for sharing it with the world you know how good you feel.
- Share the love and leave a comment on their Flickr page.
8 Main Benefits of Using Flickr and Saying Thank You Properly
- The image is free.
- You can usually find an image that is just right.
Remember you don’t have to use the whole image, maybe a portion of it is all you need – especially if it is a large image and the quality is good. You might get several images from the one free image to use on several posts.
- You will make the Flickr member feel great by being thanked and appreciating their image.
- You will give the Flickr member a link to their Flickr page.
- You may pick up some nice traffic from other readers of the Flickr page who think you are a nice person and want to visit your site and see how you used the image or what your offerings are.
- You will probably at least get the Flickr member who owns the image to visit.
- The Flickr member and other visitors may leave comments on your post’s page.
- The best part: You will feel good because you have made someone else feel good.
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Flickr is a fantastic source of photos for blogs and websites. Not everybody is aware of this and if they mostly just copy without reference. Great to see your tips and recommendations in this post!
Professor Money´s last blog ..How to become a Millionaire
Very nice information. Thanks for this. You really have a very informative site, thank you for sharing!
Great idea, a quality way to get a good backlink which people are likely to read, and you’re making people feel better. Who said people on the internet were evil? :P
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