Are Pinterest Images Copyright Free and Free to Use?
Are Pinterest images free to use? Are Pinterest images copyright-free? For many of you reading this, the answer is a no-brainer, but given the amount of content I see in the online space sharing tips on where to find stock photos and videos and some questionable activities I see from time to time, I felt the need to write this post.
Are Pinterest Images Free to Use? Are They Copyright-Free?
No, the answer will always be no. For every graphic or video that you see on Pinterest, there is a creator or a brand that has taken the time to share this content on the platform. If you like something you see on Pinterest, you should use the save button and save the content to one of your boards.
What if you really like something that you see on Pinterest and want to use it? Ask the creator for permission. This is really no different than on any other platforms out there. If it's not yours, it's not yours.
Using content from other creators, whether in the form of videos or graphics and adding a note that says something along the lines of "no copyright intended," or "creator message us for credit," or even tagging the creator to give them credit is not ok.
While I understand that copyright terms and laws can be hard for some to understand, Pinterest images are not copyright-free. In simple terms, if it's not yours, don't use it as your own.
How to Find Photos and Videos that You Can Use
Pinterest is a visual discovery engine, and a great way to use the platform is to research stock video and photo providers that you can sign up for and use.
Try entering the following searches in the Pinterest search bar:
stock photo providers
best stock photo sites
aesthetic stock photos
best stock video sites
And this is just a small example of keywords you can use. When you enter some of these keywords, you'll notice that Pinterest will suggest more related search terms for you to enter.
Once you hit enter, you will see so many pins related to stock photos and videos. You'll find pins from stock image and video companies, as well as pins from creators who have written really helpful blog posts sharing their top recommendations for stock images and videos.
This is a great example of a photo on Pinterest used for a popular stock photo company, Pexels. Once you see this pin, you can click on it to learn more about it. In this case, Pexels takes you directly to this stock image on their website, and you learn that this image is ok to use.
Get Familiar With The Guidelines
Pinterest makes it easy to find their copyright, community, and overall usage guidelines. You can find all of the information at the links below.
https://policy.pinterest.com/en/copyright
https://policy.pinterest.com/en/community-guidelines
https://policy.pinterest.com/en
As a brand, it's your responsibility to ensure that you understand how to use Pinterest. Yes, honest mistakes happen, but remember that just like you wouldn't just take any graphics from Google for personal or commercial use, you shouldn't do it with Pinterest. Instead, use Pinterest to guide your research in finding the perfect stock photo or video provider.
Some of The Best Stock Photo and Video Providers
Unsplash
Canva (Free or Pro, depending on your subscription.)
Stencil
Haute Stock
Socialstocks.co
Kaboompics.com
Luxestocks.co
Styledstocksociety.com
Shutterstock.com
istockphoto.com
Etsy (Just search Etsy for "stock photos, stock videos or faceless videos," and you'll find many creators selling amazing photos and videos.
This gives you plenty of options to choose from, including both free and paid options.
How to Create Your Own Stock Photos and Videos
What if you don't want to use stock videos and photos? Well, before we dive in, remember that this still doesn't change the fact that Pinterest images are not copyright-free. If you don't like any of the stock photo and video providers shared in this blog post, maybe it's time to consider creating your own stock photo and video library.
Here are some tips to create stock photos and videos.
Take short clips of beautiful landscapes or scenery when you are out for walks.
Look around your home and take photos and short videos of your favorite decor.
Record yourself holding a cup of coffee.
Record the ground while you are out walking, capturing your steps.
Take photos of your laptop closed with your cup of coffee.
Take photos and videos while trying on different outfits.
Take time-lapse videos of yourself while working.
These are just some very simple ideas; remember that you can keep it simple, and the beauty of doing this is that you'll get better with time, and you will also have something that no one else has.
So, the next time you're wondering if Pinterest images are free to use or if Pinterest images are copyright-free, remember that a creator or a brand has uploaded the image (or video) to the platform, and it's not because you can find it, that you should use it. If you like something you see, save it to one of your boards.