Don’t add a featured image if it adds no value
I think there’s a common misconception online in the blogging world that you must have an image at the top of your blog post because images draw humans in.
I like Ryan Robinson’s article “6 Best Practices for Using Images on Your Blog” explaining what makes a good image and mentions a few reasons how an image adds value.
To me, this is the critical takeaway. If an image adds value, if it’s related to the post content, then it’s worth adding. Even better if the image can convey the point of the article on its own. This is crucial when it’s the featured image that appears when the post is shared on social media (i.e. becomes the Open Graph image).
But if an image is just “clip art” or “stock photography”, an image for the sake of having an image, there’s no point.
Lastly, I think it’s easy to forget that there are two use cases for the “featured image”, even if they might be the same graphic. You do need an image in case your post is shared on socials, but you don’t necessarily need a graphic showing on the post’s page. Some audiences will appreciate not having to scroll past an image.