Your website is a 24/7 revenue-generating virtual showroom for your business. Your successful business is not only the number one go-to site for your customers or clients but also the go-to site for any individual with intentions of competing or making a profit with similar services that you have got to offer.
This is where copyright comes to your rescue. Copyright, as the name suggests, is a legal and authorized form of intellectual property protection for your original authorship, giving you the exclusive right to publish or reproduce it publicly. Original works of authorship generally include poetry, novels, literary, songs, dramatic, musical, photography and software. The meticulously researched and created written content, animations, podcasts, videos, images, and photographs of your website becomes legally and exclusively yours when you copyright the website.
In general, once created, all works will belong to the owner. There is no such thing as a common copyright law worldwide. However, all countries stick to international copyright agreements and conventions for foreign works. Hence, legally registering the copyright to your website in your country makes you eligible to promote, showcase or reproduce your work without fear.
On acquiring copyright, you will display it with the copyright symbol © and the year of copyright or with the phrase ‘All rights reserved. It is sufficient to display it in the footer on the home page or every page of your website.
Leaving your website unshielded without copyright puts you at high risk of:
* losing your credibility and uniqueness,
* losing hard-earned original work to content stealers and
* lower online traffic to your website.
The Perks of Copyrighting your website
Fend off copycats
Using the content on your website without your permission will become an offense. Displaying the copyright information on your website sends an unambiguous message to potential offenders trying to claim or steal your original work. If there are more copycats despite all your vigilant steps to protect your website, you can always issue a cease and desist letter to stop the malpractice immediately.
Leaves no loophole for copying
A website is usually created by the joint effort of several designers, content writers, photographers, and freelancers. Creating precise work-for-hire agreements regarding the ownership of the work you obtain from them will grant you complete ownership of your website. Legally copyrighting your website will emphasize that you own it despite involving other individuals in its development.
Potential to file an infringement suit
Registering the copyright of your website is mandatory to file an infringement suit in case of a violation of copyright by someone. Merely displaying the copyright symbol or the phrase on your website will not make your website content secure. The copyright certificate issued will act as “proof of ownership” in court, making filing an infringement suit easier.
On successful prosecution against the infringer, you will be eligible for statutory damages and attorney fees recovery in many cases.
Validity of copyrights
You are obtaining a copyright before or within five years of your website going online will grant you the validity of ownership. The court will presume the work is yours and will serve as solid evidence for filing cases of infringement when there is a need to do so.
Build trust among clients
Nowadays, websites are used by large-scale businesses and artists, freelancers, and intellectuals associated with the literary world. Copyrighting your website will prove that you are the sole owner of the work you have done, and this, in turn, will establish trust among potential clients who visit your website to hire your services.
Copyright is an inevitable necessity to protect the uniqueness of your business and brand. You will be glad to spend a few dollars and minutes obtaining copyright for your website rather than wasting hours creating your website only to be blatantly and quickly copied by others. Obtain copyright as soon as your website is created to save yourself from unprecedented chaos in your business.
