Optimus

Where do you guys get images for niche sites? It's against Google's TOS to use copyrighted images, but I know there are ways around this such as inurl:istock "keyword"...I hardly think this is legit in a few different ways.

I've even checked with Creative Commons on Flicker but it seems everyone wants credit (which is probably not a big deal) and I'm not really at a point where I can afford to buy images from Getty, Istock, etc.

Or do you just take them from Google Images in the the lower SERPS?

What to do...

workplay

also interested in hearing some answers

Optimus

Glad I'm not the only one for once.

I have been personally taking them from the lower SERPS in Google Images. I also use inurl:Istock "keyword". Technically rights to these images should be paid for. I then save the image and change the filename, usually to keyword.jpg or .png.

Other than that, I've not really had any luck with Creative Commons on Flicker, nor have I had any luck with free image archives. Usually just garbage photos.

Jay.s

I take my images straight from Google - don't even bother going too deep in the rankings, and I've never had any problems with ranking the image itself or the page it's on.

IMO unless you have a very consistent source of uncopyrighted images you're better off just taking from google (or credible websites in the similar niche) and if you ever get an email about it just take it down and find another image.

Time is money, don't spend hours looking for an uncopyrighted image when it doesn't matter unless you're an authorty in a big niche.

If your site is a huge authority in your niche (I'm talking the go-to, #1-3 site in a competitive niche) then I'm sure you won't have a problem actually generating your own images with the big budget you'll have.

By the way, excuse any possible errors, wrote this on my phone.

pickledegg

1) Search Stock Image Site, find a nice image you like.

2)Copy URL of thumbnail

3)Click the camera icon in google image search to search by image and paste url


4)Click 'large' in the results.


Sometimes brings the exact image you were looking for, a lot of the time doesn't work but hey, its free.

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Optimus

Awesome answers!

I agree with not wasting time. I def pull mine from Google. I guess that depends on who you ask bit for small niches prob doesn't matter too much.

I tried copying the URL and pasting but no luck.

ThomasB

@pickledegg-thanks for this advice
T.