September 28, 2022 | Posted in WordPress
Are you interested in copyrighting and trademarking the name and logo of your blog? Copyright and trademarks protect your business and brand from various legal challenges. This includes the illegal use of your copywritten work or the name and logo of your brand.
This object will show you how to protect your business by trademarking and copyrighting your blog’s name and logo.
A business website doesn’t have to be registered as a trademark in the United States. Copyright protects your creative works if you have a small personal blog or business website and don’t plan to make it bigger.
On the other hand, registering your trademark and copyright is very important if you do business in more than one state and want to grow.
By registering your trademark and copyright, you can stop other people from using a business name that is the same or similar to yours. You can get the sole right to do business with your trademark.
It also puts the responsibility for protecting the trademark on you. If someone breaks your rights, you should send them a letter telling them to stop and, if necessary, take further legal action.
How do trademarks and copyright differ from one another?
People often mix copyright and trademark because they protect your intellectual property rights.
Copyright protects written words, text, images, illustrations, artwork, and other creative works. Copyright laws safeguard work as soon as it is made into something that can be touched.
Copyright laws protect all of the original content on your website without you having to do anything extra.
Trademarks, on the other hand, are words, business names, symbols, sounds, or colors that highlight goods and services from those made or sold by others and show where the goods came from.
This can be your business’s name, logo, brand mascot, or product’s name. But you can’t register your name as a personal brand unless it’s unique and well-known, like Marks & Spencer, Johnsons & Johnsons, Calvin Klein, etc.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that copyright does not provide the same rights for your company or brand as registered trademarks provide. For example, the “Fair Use” principle lets people use some or all of their copy-protected work.
Registered Trademarks can’t be used, and you can protect your brand from impostors who use similar names to trick your customers.
If you have already set up a business in your state, this doesn’t mean your business name is automatically protected as a trademark. If someone registers the same or a similar name as a trademark, you might not be able to use it.
You must first comprehend what may be included in your application as a trademark.
You can’t use a name already being used as a trademark by someone else. Your name can’t be too close to a trademarked name. It has to be different and not too familiar.
Next, you should use the Trademark Electronic Search System, or TESS, on the United States Patent and Trademark Office website to thoroughly search all the existing trademarks.
This step is very important because if someone else has already registered or applied for the same trademark, it could save you money. You can look for a word mark, a word mark, or a design mark, or you can use the “Advanced Search” feature to find free-form combinations.
If the trademark is not enrolled, you can apply for it by going to the USPTO website and using the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS).
There are three different forms of applications, each with its fee. On the page, you will also find information about which form to use for your application.
There are a lot of details on the application forms, and you have to fill out all the required fields.
You will get a confirmation email once you send in the application form. After that, you have to wait to see if it is okay.
Applying for a trademark is a legal process that needs to be done with care. We propose that you hire a lawyer to help you get the trademark. You can also use online legal assistance providers like LegalZoom. These companies offer low-cost legal services to small businesses and people.
As we’ve already said, copyright laws protect all creative works by default. But if you register your copyright, you can add an extra layer of protection to it.
Depending on where you live, you can usually find information online about where and how to apply for copyright in your area. The process would depend on the rules and laws of your country.
If you live in the US, you can visit the United States Copyright Office website to apply for copyright.
First, you’ll have to find the right category for your creative work. For example, if you want to copyright your logo, you will click on the section for visual arts. You must go to the “Other digital content” category to find blog content.
On the next page, you can download the application form and instructions in different formats.
Copyright registration can also be done online. You must show copies of the work you want to keep secret. For instance, you can send high-resolution images if you have a logo.
When you apply for copyright, it can take a long time for the copyright office to get back to you, depending on how many applications they already have.
If the process seems complicated, you can use services like CorpNet or LegalZoom, which offer low-cost legal services for small businesses and individuals.
Following your trademark or copyright registration, it is your job to protect it from being used without your permission. People can still use it even though the USPTO office won’t let anyone register the same or a similar trademark.
The first step in protecting your trademarks and copyright is to make it clear on your website that your brands are registered, and your copyright is protected.
If they see the Trademark and Copyright symbols, people will know they can’t use your protected properties for business.
You may send the person who stole your blog’s content or logo a cease-and-desist letter requesting them to take down the material. You can also file a DMCA complaint with their hosting service and search engines like Google to get them to take down the stolen content.
Alternatively, you can convey a cease and desist notice to a company or blog that starts using your registered or pending trademark. You can also create a legal case if you need to take more action.