Whether you’re creating copy for a blog, newsletter, or presentation, it starts with good, useful content and ends with images that capture the story and draws the reader in.
But, the more content you create, the more images you need and if you use one of the many fee-based stock image sites, the cost can quickly add up. Many are very good and if you can afford it, go for it. But, if you’re budget conscious, check out these free resources.
1. Wikimedia Commons – The granddaddy of resources for free images on the web, this site offers over 20 million images, videos and sounds to use freely. It’s not the most riveting collection of images, but an unhurried search can unearth gems.
2. Getty Images – Getty opened up its treasure trove of images for the first time, allowing anyone to easily embed and share its imagery – at no cost – for non-commercial use on websites, blogs and social media channels through a new embed tool.
3. Google Advanced Image Search – Google recently made the option to filter a search based on usage rights, more prominent on its image search page.
4. Unsplash – This site is the anti-Wikimedia Commons. They add only one image a day, but the photographs are gorgeous, high-resolution images. There’s no search function to identify topical images, but you’ll enjoy scrolling thorough the beautiful images to find the right one for your copy.
5. Flickr Creative Commons – You’ll find great photographs among the millions posted here, but check the attribution license requirement before using. It’s usually a requirement that you include the Flickr image URL.
Some of these and other sites that offer free images allow you to download and use some images freely without attribution, but others, though free, may be subject to certain restrictions. Make sure to check the license and usage page for each site before downloading and using images.
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