If you’re
starting your own business, you probably have a business name, products, and services that you’ve created, and you may be wondering if you should copyright them. Or perhaps you should trademark them? The question of whether you should copyright or trademark something can be confusing. Fortunately, when you break things down, the difference between the two is fairly simple. Copyrights and trademarks are both forms of intellectual property. Intellectual property is an idea or innovation that has been formally expressed in a way that others can see, touch, or hear — including digital formats. This creates an intangible asset that can be bought, sold, and even rented. Common forms of intellectual property include copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.