Stock Photo Licensing Guide for Marketers

Using a photo found through a search engine is risky. Images are protected by copyright, and using one without permission can lead to takedown demands or claims. Stock photo licences exist so you can use images legally, but each licence has its own rules. This guide explains the basics. It is general information, not legal advice; read the actual licence terms for any image you use.

Common licence types

• Royalty-free: you pay once (or use a subscription) and can use the image multiple times within the licence terms. It does not mean "free of cost".
• Rights-managed: the licence is tied to a specific use, period and region, and is priced accordingly.
• Free-to-use licences: some sites offer images under their own free licence. Terms differ by site, so read them.
• Creative Commons: several variants exist. Some require attribution, some forbid commercial use, and some forbid edits.
• Public domain: no known copyright restrictions, though you should still verify the source.

Things to check before downloading

1. Commercial use: is it allowed for ads, websites and social media?
2. Editing: can you crop, recolour or add text?
3. Attribution: do you need to credit the creator, and how?
4. Resale and merchandise: printing on products often needs an extended licence.
5. Number of uses or impressions: some licences limit print runs or audience size.
6. People and property: images of recognisable people may need a model release, and images of branded products or private property may have extra restrictions.
7. Sensitive use: many licences restrict using people's photos in a way that could suggest a medical, political or offensive context.

Build safe habits

• Save a record of where each image came from, the licence and the download date.
• Prefer a small number of trusted sources.
• Avoid images with visible trademarks or logos unless you have permission.
• Do not assume that an image shared on social media is free to reuse.
• Prefer original photography when possible. Authentic photos of your own team and products build trust, as discussed in website trust signals.
• Be careful with AI-generated images and read the tool's terms; see using AI images responsibly.

A hypothetical example

A freelancer prepares an ad for a client's clinic and finds a smiling doctor photo on a free site. Before using it, she checks the licence: commercial use is allowed, but there is a note about not suggesting a person endorses a medical service. She chooses a different image that has no such concern and logs the source in a shared sheet.

Add value after licensing

Compress and rename files, write alt text, and adapt the image to your brand colours. See image SEO best practices for details.