Tips for Using Multimedia to Enhance Your Blog

A no-frills blog that is not enhanced with multimedia is like Las Vegas without the lights. The inclusion of multimedia -- photographs, video, audio files -- in a blog post captures the reader's attention, adds visual interest to your blog and illustrates the purpose of the post, increasing the likelihood that they will return to your site.

Multimedia firms churn out endless streams of web-ready content, but bloggers and marketers should be aware that much of this content has a price tag attached. Copyright infringement is a serious infraction that can land writers in legal hot water. Authors, reporters, students and bloggers get in trouble if they borrow a paragraph from a book or news article and print it as their own work. In the same vein, you can't add photos, graphics or song clips you find on the Internet to your blog without obtaining the originator's permission.

Here are four ways to play it safe when adding images, video or sound clips to your blog:

1. Purchase media from its creator. For example, many photographers offer downloads for a fee. You can also purchase multimedia from online resources and galleries such as iStock and Getty Images. Most will allow you to pay per item, but check into quantity discounts for big savings.
2. Use media that is provided with your software. Many software products like Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop come with free access to extensive clip art/image galleries that can be used without charge by their customers.
3. Link to media hosted on other blog sites. Many bloggers will allow you to reproduce photos and videos on their sites as long as you provide a credit and direct link to the home site.
4. Create your own original media for your marketing purposes. Post your photos, self-produced videos and original music compositions.

Lastly, if you search for images using sites like Google Images - it is imperative to click through to the image source and review the permissions required for reproduction and use in your blogs as part  of your inbound marketing strategy.