Blog images are more important than most people realise. They capture attention and make information easier to understand. Moreover, relevant images can boost visibility and influence SEO performance. On the flip side, poor visuals or content without images can instantly reduce the impact of even high-quality blogs.
Not sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Here’s a short and practical guide on how you can choose high-quality images for websites and blogs:
The Importance of Relevance
The best blog image is the one most relevant to your content. Ask yourself: Does this image depict the message of the content? Avoid using overly-generic photos that look unrelated. Using photos that look staged isn’t a great idea either.
Choose visuals that are directly related to the overall topic. They should enhance understanding or demonstrate a story. For instance, if your blog is about boosting productivity at work, use images that show real workspace setups.
Stock Sites: A Goldmine for Content Creators
Taking custom, authentic photos for every blog isn’t feasible. This is where stock images come in! They save time, reduce production costs, and give instant access to thousands of professional visuals without the need to hire a photographer. Stock images are incredibly convenient if you’re writing weekly blog posts or running multiple content campaigns.
The problem with stock sites
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Stock photography does carry a bad reputation. Most people associate stock images with overly staged business handshakes and generic office settings. Not to mention how audiences develop a poor perception of a brand when they see the same cliché images across multiple websites.
That said, not all stock platforms are created equal. There are numerous stock sites with high-quality photos. They think of stock photography as an art. The images are curated for authenticity, creativity, and originality.
You will find a ton of categories, such as:
- Health and wellness
- Tech and software
- Business
- Fitness and sports
- Lifestyle
- Pets
You can even explore an individual artist’s work to create a cohesive vibe throughout your content.
Image Quality and Resolution: Confirming Details
You already know this, so we’ll wrap it up quickly. Using blurry, pixelated, or poorly cropped images can harm your brand’s credibility. Therefore, look for:
- High resolution (at least 1200px wide for blog headers)
- Proper lighting and clear details
- Balanced composition
- No visible compression artefacts
Remember that high resolution doesn’t necessarily mean large file size. In fact, you should optimise images for web use to ensure they load quickly.
Mind Copyright
While you can download images directly from search engines to make your mood board, you can’t use them in blogs without permission. Make sure you have the appropriate license to use an image commercially.
Pro tip? Use a stock photography site that offers royalty-free licensing. This way, you pay a one-time fee for the right to use the image across multiple projects. RF licenses do come with certain limitations, such as prohibitions on reselling the image as-is.
