Legally Protectable Parts of a Blog
Curious about the legally protectable parts of a blog? Read on to learn a little more about copyright protection for a blog and trademarks for bloggers.
Blog Name
This is kind of an easy one, right? It is the name by which all of your readers recognize your work, your blog, and a name. Of course, the name is a protectable part of the blog because it is a signifier. And the thing that signifies a brand to your readers -- the blog name -- is protectable under trademark law.
Infographics
Next, infographics. Of course, that can be anything from an explanation of a process to a cool way that you've set out the ingredients that go into a recipe. And infographics are graphic designs, which are artwork, which are protectable, under copyright law.
Blog Posts
The actual blog post. So what is a blog post? It is text, it is maybe video or audio visual materials, maybe some kind of free download, and maybe graphic designs, and maybe all of those things. And each and every one of those things, is a creative work and creative content that is protectable under copyright law.
Videos
A video or a vlog. Well, that's easy, it's like a motion picture, right? And that motion picture or audio visual work is certainly a traditional creative work protectable under copyright law.
Hashtags (not really a protectable part of a blog, but quasi-protectable)
Hashtags are tricky. Sometimes, brands will use their own trademark, their own brand name, as a hash tag among other hash tags. When it's used in that way, that trademark of course, is a trademark whether or not it's a hash tag. It's being used as a hashtag, but it is a trademark. Now other hashtags are moreso descriptors or descriptions -- whether you are using DIY blogger, or #lifestyleblogger, or #lifestylebloggerlife, or any of those -- those are hashtags you're using to get people to find you. And because they are not really trademarks… they aren't really copyright either. They're not really anything, they are descriptors or descriptions used so that you can grow your audience, right?
Printables
Who doesn't love a good printable? A printable is most likely a download and most likely in PDF or JPEG form. And so those are actually protectable under copyright law.
Photos
Same thing with photos, whether they're downloadable or not, of course, photos are a huge part of blog posts, and photographs are certainly protectable under copyright law.
Recipes...kind of.
Finally, recipes. And this is a tricky one. So recipes, "mere listings of ingredients," are actually called out as not protectable under copyright law. Now how to get around this as a blogger. Well, it's very rare that you will see a blog post with just a list of ingredients without any kind of prose or at least instructions on how to make whatever the recipe is. And instructions by themselves too are kind of tricky when it comes to copyright law. But the more creative you can be with those instructions, the more storytelling you add to it, the more photos you add to the recipe, then it starts to become a more creative, copyright-protectable work. So recipes, kind of copyright territory depending on if you have the right elements in that post.
I hope this helps you to better understand what's protectable in your blog, and whether it falls under copyright territory or trademark territory.