April 22, 2025
As a graphic designer in social media, your job often feels like a race against the clock. You need eye-catching visuals, trending audio, slick motion graphics, and impactful sound effects, and you need them all for yesterday. But while speed is essential, cutting corners on copyright is never an option.
Let’s talk about copyrighted content, how to avoid costly mistakes, and where to find free, legal assets that can level up your designs. Social media moves fast, but copyright law doesn’t care how urgent your deadline is. If you use a photo, video clip, music track, or even a sound effect without the right permission, your post could be taken down or worse. That’s why it’s essential to use only copyright-free or properly licensed assets in your work.
Be Smart, Be Resourceful
Being resourceful isn’t just a nice-to-have skill, it’s part of the job. Knowing where to find high-quality, copyright-free assets saves you time, keeps your work compliant, and helps your agency deliver value to clients without extra costs.
So here’s a breakdown of go-to resources for free and safe assets:
🎨 Images and Graphics
- Pexels: Stock photos and videos with a clear, free-for-commercial-use license.
- Pixabay: Massive library of images, illustrations, and vector graphics.
- Rawpixel (Free Section): Unique visuals with some public domain options.
- Openverse: A search engine for Creative Commons-licensed content. In any case 👉 Check before you use: Always double-check the license (look for “CC0” or “Free for Commercial Use”) and download from the official website.
🎞️ Video Footage
- Mixkit: Free stock video clips and templates for social media, intros, etc.
- Videezy: High-quality footage with clear license categories.
- Coverr: Free stock videos with no attribution required.
🎵 Music and Sound Effects
- ZapSplat: A wide collection of sound effects, with free and premium options.
- Bensound: Original tracks under free (with credit) and paid licenses.
- Meta Sound Collection:A wide selection of songs from all over the world
✨ Motion Graphics & Templates
- Motion Array (Free Section): Templates for Premiere Pro, After Effects, etc.
- Mixkit: Also offers free motion graphic templates and transitions.
- LottieFiles: Lightweight animation files (great for web and mobile).
TIPS
Remember to always read the license, even “free” assets can have restrictions. Keep records of what you download, and save licenses or screenshot terms, especially for client work. And, get ahead of future work, create a shared folder, and build an internal library of pre-approved, copyright-safe assets for your team.
Using the right assets isn’t just about being legal, it’s about being efficient and professional:
- Saves time: You’re not wasting hours finding and chasing down permissions.
- Saves money: No need for pricey stock site subscriptions.
- Builds trust: Clients trust your process and can confidently publish what you create.
- Boosts creativity: Less stress = more space to design magic.
Designing for social media is a game of speed and strategy. Contact us to learn more about using copyright-safe resources and being mindful of licences; you can protect your work, support your agency, and keep delivering bold, brilliant content without worry.