Secure your media files with visual watermarks
What is a watermark
A watermark is a message (most commonly a logo, signature, stamp or text) superimposed onto an image or a video in a way that it does not prevent or obscure vision of an asset it is applied on. While in the past (before the digital world), watermarks were physically added on a paper photo, in the form of a stamp or even a seal, these days watermarks represent a digital signature that provides an extra layer of protection while also serving as a great marketing element. Typically, the message is transparent and monochromatic (containing only one color), so it does not ruin the original content of the photo or video.
There are many reasons why you should use a watermark on your media with the most important ones being the protection from a “Right-click > Save” form of online theft, as well as securing the authenticity of your files. For some, watermarking is a way to “sign” their artworks. However, creating a good-looking but transparent message and placing it in the right place so it is “out of focus” for the viewers can be more difficult than it seems.
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Watermark photos and videos online with Publit.io
Add a watermark in a few simple steps
To add a watermark to your media using Publitio, navigate to the left-hand panel and click on “Watermarks” under the “Manage” section and then select “Create Watermark”. Upload an image of your choice (it is recommended that you use .png format since those types of images are transparent and will not entirely overlap the content of your photo or video) and type in the ID to name your watermark. You can also choose the position of your watermark (bottom-right is recommended) as well as padding or the number of pixels you want to move your watermark from the side which you choose. If you choose the “Center” position, padding will move the watermark from the top and left by default.
Test watermark
One thing to bear in mind is that watermarks do not scale, which means that you should adapt your watermark size so it is not too big or too small compared to your photo or video resolution. After uploading, you can preview, edit or delete your watermark. Finally, you can upload your files from the “Files” section, but make sure that during the upload process you apply the watermark you have previously added by selecting “More options” and then the ID of your watermark.
Note: Editing the position or padding of the watermark will not take effect on already watermarked files until you re-upload them.
Custom watermarks
There is no rule on what your watermark should look like. However, you should give some thought to it before making your ultimate decision. The key to an effective watermark is making it visible without being a distraction, which can be tricky. Here are some tips on how to make a good watermark:
- Make it small, but not too small. While it is advisable to put a smaller watermark that does not cover much of your photo, too small watermarks can make your asset subject to theft and misuse. Try to keep it as small as possible but also legible and visible.
- Keep it out of focus. You can be creative and hide it somewhere in the photo. Make sure your content is the first thing your viewer’s eye will catch. You can also simply use the more common method of watermarking and place it in the bottom left or right corner to avoid distraction.
- Lastly, lower the opacity. A common mistake when watermarking is making it too bold. Make it transparent, but again, be aware not to make it too illegible since it could be easily edited out.
Making a “perfect” watermark is not a simple task and you should really invest some of your time and creativity before finally putting it on your work.
Watermarking a video
One of the final decisions you will have to make when editing your video is whether to watermark it. You would not want to see days of your planning, recording and editing get snatched away from you. Watermarking a whole video is a lot safer choice than just putting credits at the end of it but you should be aware how transparent your watermark is since the frames and colours are constantly changing. Try to make it blend with the general theme and background of the video so it does not disturb your viewers.
Why should you watermark your images and videos?
Most commonly, watermarks are used to protect content and claim ownership of an asset. Without watermarks, valuable digital assets might be at risk. Here are some risk factors to consider before watermarking your photos and videos.
Content theft
Uploading your digital content to public servers and websites exposes it to right click and save, allowing someone to use your content. How they use it afterwards is not in your control. This can be very impactful to large organizations that invest a lot of time and resources to produce original content. Watermarks, however, can be a great way to prevent or deter this.
Unauthorized use and distributions
Assets can also be at risk of misuse internally, within a company for example, when stored in a private media library. If it is unclear whether the asset is approved, still in production or only intended for company’s internal use, employees can use the asset in error, unintentionally resulting in deteriorating the brand, spreading misinformation etc. Watermarks are a great way of dealing with this by clarifying which assets are meant for viewing but not for sharing.
It may seem easy to add a watermark using various online services and websites but not all of them provide the same level of security. There are also ways to bypass watermarks in assets, which can result in your data being stolen. Here are some considerations:
Cropping and editing assets
Even with a watermark, an asset can still be exposed if the watermark is too small or transparent. In that case the watermark can simply be removed by cropping or editing a portion of the asset. How to avoid this, you may wonder? The answer to this question is very debatable, since there is not a perfect measure for watermark’s size, visibility and positioning. However, the safest way to go is using a 30% - 70% transparent watermark that covers a large portion of your asset. Also, have in mind, as we mentioned before, that your watermark should not interfere with the content of your asset.
Web Scraping
Having a good watermark is a great measure of protection, but it is sometimes hard to keep your data safe on the internet these days. With web scraping people and organizations can “scrape” or collect publicly available data, including images and videos, for further use such as market research, price and brand monitoring etc. While scraping is usually used in a good way, “scrapers” can also use data for personal gain by getting access to unprotected versions of assets that are not watermarked and use them as their own. The best way to prevent this is to create another rendition of an asset, with the watermark embedded into it. This way, the watermark is embedded, rather than just overlapping an asset and therefore scraping cannot separate the two.
Secure your images with watermarks
What to do if your art is used without permission?
Be aware that whatever you post on the internet is never 100% safe even with maximum protection. That is why you should be prepared for unfortunate occasions, like your assets being used by an unauthorized person or company. These are guidelines that can help you in situations like this:
- Understand your copyright status and do not sign it over unless you are completely sure what it means.
- Use reverse search engines that allow you to see if your image has been used elsewhere on the web by uploading it.
- In case you find your asset misused, gather proof by screen grabbing any website your asset appears on.
- Contact the right person (the most senior position you can find) but be polite. Do not accuse them right away, but explain the situation as best as you can. Be prepared for excuses and time-consuming conversations.
- Try to compensate by asking for a credit, sending an invoice or any other option you find suitable, but be realistic and seek compensation equal to the damage the other side caused to you or your company.
- If the other side does not cooperate, or disagrees with your terms, it may be time to take legal action and take it to court.
