We talk a lot about featured images here, but what makes an image a good featured image?
A good blog post featured image should capture the essence of the content and entice readers to click and engage with the post. For some people, the title is the most intriguing part, but for visual learners, the image is the first thing that pops out at them.
Here are some key elements that make a featured image effective:
Relevance
The image should be directly related to the topic of the blog post. It should reflect the main idea or theme of the content in some way. Or it should be consistent in how your blog is structured. Some blogs use a stylized text with a consistent background. They brand this way so that when those images are used across social media, there is an immediate brand recognition.
Eye-catching
The featured image should grab the reader’s attention and stand out in a crowded online space. This could be achieved through vibrant colors, interesting compositions, or striking visuals. For photographs, the primary focus should be enticing. And the rule of thirds in photography is always a good place to start.
High-quality
The image should be clear, sharp, and well-composed. Avoid using low-resolution or pixelated images that can detract from the overall quality of your blog post. Whether your image is a generated image, illustrated graphic, or photograph, quality is important.
Brand consistency
If you’re representing a brand, ensure that the featured image aligns with the brand’s style, tone, and visual identity. Consistency helps reinforce brand recognition and trust. Make sure your logo is legible if it’s on your image and that contrast is accessible for someone who is colorblind or has low vision. And make sure your brand colors are correct to the hex code, and not “close enough,” as close enough never looks right.
Emotional appeal
Choose an image that evokes emotion or curiosity in the viewer. Whether it’s happiness, curiosity, surprise, or awe, eliciting an emotional response can encourage readers to explore the content further. Unless your blog is political or religious in nature, it’s usually best to avoid imagery in those areas, as they are not often viewed by all readers with the same lens.
Complementary to text:
The featured image should complement the headline and text of the blog post. It should enhance the reader’s understanding of the content and provide additional context or visual cues. Similar to relevance, your featured image should make sense when someone is reading the title and seeing the image. There should be a connection between them.
Optimized for SEO and social sharing:
Make sure the image file name, alt text, and description are optimized with relevant keywords. This helps improve the blog post’s visibility in search engines and encourages social media sharing. This has the added benefit of being accessibly for those using screen readers. Think about how you put alt text and file names. Would someone who can’t see the image understand what it is? Use descriptive text that adds to any users’ experiences.
Permission for use:
While it’s easy to use Google image search to find images that relate to your topic, most of those images are not free to use or free from copyright. There are many places to source images (Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, WordPress Photo Directory, and Morguefile, to name a few). Remember that stock imagery usually looks like stock imagery, and can usually be seen on other blogs, too. When possible, take photos yourself or create images on your own that you retain the rights to. And if you’re taking photos of people, make sure you have their permission to use them. (There are sometimes safety and security risks for people in having their photos online, or they may just not want you to use them.)
Finally
Remember that the featured image is often the first thing readers see when they encounter your blog post, so investing time and effort into selecting the right image can greatly impact engagement and click-through rates. And inspiring emotion in someone is a sure way to do that.