Using images in blog posts can help make your content more visually appealing and engaging to readers. However, it is important to use images that are legally allowed for use, or else you could face legal issues down the line. This is why you shouldn’t use photos from Google Search for your blog posts.

The images that you find on Google Search are not necessarily free to use. Most of them are copyrighted and belong to someone else. Using them without permission can lead to copyright infringement, which can result in legal consequences, including financial penalties.

Even if you give credit to the source of the image, it may not be enough to avoid legal issues. Giving credit does not automatically grant you permission to use the image. The owner of the image may still take legal action against you for unauthorized use.

Moreover, Google search results can sometimes include images that are watermarked or have other visual marks that make them unsuitable for use in your blog post. Using these images could make your content appear unprofessional or low-quality.

To avoid these issues, you should use images from reputable sources that provide free or royalty-free images. There are many websites that offer free images for use in blog posts. These websites provide high-quality images that are free to use without any legal concerns.

1. Unsplash. Unsplash is a popular website that offers a vast collection of high-quality images contributed by photographers from around the world. The platform is easy to navigate, and you can find photos of different categories, including nature, technology, and architecture, among others. You can download and use the images for free, without attribution.
2. Pexels. Pexels is another great platform that provides free stock photos. The website boasts of an extensive collection of high-resolution images that you can use for both personal and commercial purposes. The images are well-categorized, and you can filter them based on the most popular or recent uploads.
3. Pixabay. Pixabay is a comprehensive platform that offers not only stock photos but also illustrations, vectors, and videos. The website has a user-friendly interface, and you can browse through the categories to find the perfect image for your project. The platform also provides a search bar that you can use to look for specific photos.
4. StockSnap.io. StockSnap.io is a popular website that provides free high-quality images. The platform has a unique feature that allows you to sort the images based on the number of views and downloads. This feature ensures that you get the most popular images, making it easier to find a photo that resonates with your project.
5. Gratisography. If you are looking for quirky and offbeat stock photos, then Gratisography is the place to be. The website offers a unique collection of images that are both humorous and creative. The platform adds new images every week, ensuring that you always have fresh content to choose from.

You, of course, can always use your own images. A lot of individuals whose blogs I follow regularly on here, I read regularly because they post their own photos. I love seeing what other’s lives are like – largely because I am nosy. If you’re someone who shares your own photos – keep doing what you’re doing because my nosy butt loves to look. These sites, while fun to look at, might not be of much use to you.

If you’re anything like me, you have 2,000+ photos on your phone and camera, and you share a handful at most – these are the sites that will help you. These are the sites where you can find imagery that will further tell the tale of your blog posts.

Always remember to credit the photographer. You’re using his/her/their images, you might as well say thank you for being able to do as such.

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Photo by Andrew Hutchings on Unsplash

I wrote this post for Marla, because she and I have been talking about this subject a lot, and she made me realize that people might not know where to get stock imagery from.