When clients send me images for their projects, I can usually tell if they bought them, created them, or found them online. While I advise people to purchase stock images or hire a photographer to take pictures, some clients will almost always do an online search first. Image search results are great as a source of inspiration. However, it’s not ok to use online images on your website, social media accounts, or projects without checking their permissions.

With so many images available on the internet, it’s sometimes hard to know if and how you can use them. With that in mind, I have created a simple infographic to help you figure it out.

The best course of action is to create your own images or to purchase them through stock websites. There are also online sites that offer free high-quality photos, like Unsplash. Or you can learn more about Public Domain images and Creative Commons.