Have you ever considered that the stuff you’re posting on social media might be valuable property worth protecting?

Consider these examples:

Kayla Newman created the term “on fleek” as a teenager, but she has yet to receive appropriate credit (or compensation) from the celebrities, influencers, and corporations who used and used and overused the phrase.

Twitter user @MinaLioness, who first tweeted what became one of the most popular music lyrics of 2019, had to wage a public twitter campaign to receive credit from Lizzo.

These young women used their brains to create new things that became quite valuable.

These kinds of creations are part of the universe known as “intellectual property” or “IP,” and, as illustrated by these to examples, IP can be quite valuable.

This episode of The Shontavia Show is dedicated to giving you some basic information about intellectual property so you don’t get caught slippin’ out here as you invent, create, and build a reputation and brand.

I break down the four major types of IP for creators and entrepreneurs: patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

I explain why each type is important.

I also give you a list of questions that will help you determine whether you have valuable IP worth protecting.

Here are the five questions you need to ask about your own activities to determine whether you have IP:

1. What types of things have you created and written down or typed somewhere? What types of original things have you created?

2. how do you connect with your customers?

3. How do you distinguish yourself in the marketplace from your competitors?

4. Have you invented something that is new, useful and not obvious?

5. Are there secret things that give you an advantage over others.

If you can answer yes to any of those questions, you probably have some IP to consider.

To determine whether you should do anything with to protect/leverage your IP, ask yourself:

Would it be harmful if a competitor started to use or copy the things you noted above?

If this would be harmful, you likely need to take the next steps of creating an IP strategy and/or talking to an IP lawyer about all of this.

For more, check out the full episode below.

Questions and Action: Determine whether you have IP

 After you’ve had a chance to watch the video, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!

Please answer the questions relevant to your current situation:

1. What are you regularly creating on your own? This can include blog posts, live streams, and social media posts. Do you ever consider whether you own this material?

2. With the materials you’re creating/inventing/branding, would you be upset if a competitor copied them? If the answer to this question is yes, do a little homework about IP lawyers and services. Reach out to a professional to determine whether you need an IP strategy

Show Notes

Don’t put off protecting your work: https://shontavia.com/you-may-be-ignoring-the-most-important-parts-of-your-business/ 

Introduction to Intellectual Property: Crash Course IP 1: https://youtu.be/RQOJgEA5e1k

Understanding Intellectual Property Law: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/working-with-entertainment-intellectual-property-attorneys

Intellectual property: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/intellectual_property