The image you portray online says a lot about your company. What do people see when they look at your website? Do they see a safe and healthy work environment that shouts “Be Safe!” or do they a danger zone with accidents waiting to happen?Safe Environment
Are the photographs you are using depicting employees working in a safe environment?
You want to make sure you are portraying a safe working environment. Your website audience is made up of many different groups; potential customers, existing customers, potential employees, government agencies, news media and more. The last thing you want is for a potential customer that you presented an RFP to visit your website and see a non-safe environment.
You also don’t want OSHA, the EPA or a news investigative reporter contacting you because of a photo you had on your
website.
On a yearly basis, I highly recommend you check your website for pictures that could be misleading.
If you are in a manufacturing or industrial environment you need to make sure you run the photos by your Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) department. If you don’t have an HSE Department, you’ll want to look for any photos that might have safety concerns and remove them from your site.
Prospective clients may think twice about doing business with a company that does not take safety seriously. Don’t display anything that could potentially get you in trouble with government agencies.
Photo Permissions
While we are on the subject of pictures, make sure you have permission to use the pictures on your website. It may be tempting to go on the web and take or copy the best photo that represents what you want to say put it on your site. Make sure you have permission to use every photo that you put on your website.
If you purchase images, make sure you understand the rights of use, where it can be used and how often the photo can be used.
Get a model release signed for everyone featured in your photography. Make sure you get permission from your clients to use their photos and logo on your site.
Ask for a copyright release for any photographs you have taken by a professional photographer.
It is always better to be safe than sorry and end up paying fines for using someone else’s images.
More Tips
I cover these tips and more in my book, 52 Tips To Turn Your Website Into a Sales Machine. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to order.
