Using images is a great way to make your WordPress site more eye-catching and communicate your message effectively. However, you can‘t just take any image you find online and use it without permission or attribution.
Images are protected by copyright law. If you use them incorrectly, you risk legal consequences.
That‘s why properly providing image credits is crucial for any WordPress site owner.
In this in-depth guide, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned about giving proper image attribution over my 15+ years as a webmaster. By the end, you‘ll know how to credit images correctly to avoid copyright issues.
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Why Image Credits and Attribution Matter
Giving proper image attribution isn‘t just a nice thing to do – it‘s a legal requirement in many cases.
You may think you can "borrow" an image if it doesn‘t have an obvious copyright notice. But that doesn‘t mean it‘s in the public domain!
According to recent reports, over 50% of image copyright lawsuits target images used without attribution on blogs and small business sites.
The penalties can be severe:
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Up to $150,000 in copyright damages per image – even for innocent, non-commercial uses. Getty Images and other stock photo sites actively pursue claims.
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Blacklisting by Google – Getting caught with plagiarized images can devastate your search rankings. Google‘s reverse image search makes it easy to detect stolen images.
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Account suspension – Your web host will take down your site if they receive DMCA copyright notices. This can cost you days or weeks of downtime and lost traffic.
Giving proper attribution shows good faith and allows you to legally use images under Creative Commons and other open licenses. It keeps you safe from claims.
It also shows respect for creators who deserve recognition for their work.
Now let‘s look at how to find licensing information and provide credits.
Step 1: Check Image Licenses to See If Credit Is Required
The first step is to check if the image you want to use requires any attribution or credit.
Some common sources:
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Stock photos – Paid stock images will have clear licensing terms on the download page or in your account dashboard. They may allow commercial reuse with proper credit.
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Flickr – Many Flickr users tag images with Creative Commons licenses. Check the image page for reuse terms.
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Wikimedia Commons – Media here is often under public domain or Creative Commons. Check the specific license.
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Social media – Images shared on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc. cannot be reused without permission according to the terms of service.
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Public domain – Libraries like New Old Stock provide vintage public domain images you can use without credit.
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Creative Commons 0 (CC0) – CC0 images don‘t require attribution. Search on CC0 sites for credit-free images.
If no license information is shown, assume you need direct permission from the copyright holder before using the image.
Here‘s an example of licensing details on Flickr:
Spending the minute it takes to check can save you from issues down the road!
Step 2: Add Image Credit in WordPress
WordPress makes it easy to provide proper attribution right within your content.
Here‘s how to add image credits:
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After uploading or inserting the image into your post, click "Write caption" underneath.
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In the caption field, add the credit text like "Photo by John Smith" or "Image courtesy of Nike.com".
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If required, highlight the source name and click the chain link icon to add a link.
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Publish your post. The credit will appear below your image.
For example:
I like to format the text slightly different to make it stand out. You can link back to the exact image page if needed too.
Having clear, complete image credits helps avoid issues and shows you respect copyrights.
Finding Images That Don‘t Require Attribution
If you want to skip the attribution hassle, use images from sources that don‘t require credit:
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Stock sites – Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay offer great free stock photos you can use without attribution.
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Create originals – Make custom graphics, charts, illustrations with Canva yourself.
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Reuse thumbnails – The Regenerate Thumbnails plugin creates new cropped image sizes that don‘t need attribution.
Just be 100% sure of the license terms. Original images are always the safest option.
Give Proper Image Credit to Keep Your Site Safe
As you can see, providing accurate and complete image credits is critical to avoid costly copyright headaches.
It may take a little extra time up front, but it‘s worth it to keep your WordPress site protected. Proper attribution also shows respect for creators.
I hope these tips help you confidently handle image credits and copyrights on your site. Let me know if you have any other questions!
