You’ve written up your next blog post—or created a new page on your website—and you need to pick a featured image. But how do you know if it’s the right one? We have some tips to help guide you through your featured image selection to get the best results.

Before You Pick an Image, Consider Layout

No matter what image you choose, you must first consider the layout of the space it will be presented in—and all the different ways it might be cropped to different proportions.

*Centered subject matter is ideal for featured images. You can see in the illustration above that the subject matter stays in frame no matter how it’s cropped.*

What to Look For in an Image

With layout in mind, here’s what to look for in your image selection.

Orientation

Choose an orientation that works best for the layout: Vertical, horizontal, or square. If the image isn’t the best orientation, consider cropping it or keep looking for one that works well in the spaces it will be presented.

Resolution

Is the image blurry or pixelated? If so, you may need to re-export the image at a higher resolution, or find a better quality version. Higher quality images encourage visitors to click through—and keep your site looking professional. For more information on this topic, see our article ‘Picking the Right File for Print or Screen.’

Color & Lighting

Be consistent with your brand styles when it comes to image color. If you’re working with an illustration, make sure the colors used are the same ones defined in your brand guide or by your overall brand aesthetic. The same is true for photography: Full color images will pop, but it’s best to make sure the saturation and lighting are consistent with other featured images on your site or social media profile. If that’s unattainable, consider converting all featured images to black and white for consistency.

Avoid Text on Images

Whether your featured image is an illustration or photo, fight the urge to add text to images. Why? Text can get cropped off if the image is displayed at different proportions throughout your site or on social media. Not only that, but text on images is flattened. It doesn’t benefit your SEO, and it prevents accessibility tools from being able to help users who may need help reading the text without additional meta information.

Keep in mind that most featured images are displayed alongside text, such as a blog post title and excerpt, and you can use those text fields rather than putting text on your featured image. The same goes for social media—use the image to supplement your written content in the text box.

If there must be text on the image, keep it as brief as possible and center it within the image for best results. To make the text information easily accessible, make sure you repeat it in the text field and not simply on the image.

Good text deployment is short and, ideally, centered in the frame for best cropping results. Bad text deployment is lengthy, becoming an issue for a number of reasons. Most crucially, it’s hard to read at a small scale.

People vs. No People

Consider including people in your featured image. Though it may not be applicable in every situation, adding people often makes imagery more relatable to viewers. Keep diversity in mind as you search for a select to expand your audience.

Stock vs. Custom

Whenever possible, choose unique, custom imagery or illustrations over stock imagery. Stock is excellent for filling in holes where you may not have images of your subject matter on file, but it’s not an ideal choice for all featured images. Stock photos tend to be repeated across multiple sites and articles in the same industry or space, and viewers may notice. Stock images are also a poor choice for posting about portfolio pieces or services unless they can feature details specific to the content or brand. Unique imagery is much more likely to accurately convey your subject matter—and make a better impression on viewers.

Permission

One thing to consider with every single image is permission. It’s the least glamorous part of image selection, but it’s absolutely crucial. Proceeding without permission can result in fines or legal action—so don’t risk it! Plus, stealing art is bad.

Follow our tips below to get started down the right path when seeking art permission.

Creating your images removes licensing concerns completely. Just make sure it’s original.

Licensed Usage Directly from an Artist

To use premade custom art found outside of a stock website, you’ll need to reach out to the original artist to confirm that you have permission to use their artwork. When you write to them, specify which piece you’d like to use, provide a link to the piece for reference (or a photo if you encountered the art offline), and include details about the intended usage.

Helpful details include your name and contact information, who’s asking permission, and how the art will be used—in print, on a website, etc.

The copyright holder may request more information or put you in touch with a licensing manager. Remember that many artists will not permit free unless you have an excellent case for it. So, be prepared to discuss pricing and get licensing terms in writing. If you don’t hear back, consider moving on to another image.

Paid Stock

Paid stock images will often come with more industry or topic specificity than free stock, depending on how niche the subject matter.

Common paid stock websites include iStock and Shutterstock. Be sure to review the license. If you don’t see licensing anywhere on the page, check the site’s footer or search for ‘licensing.’ Some images may be tagged ‘Editorial Use Only,’ so avoid them if you plan on a non-editorial purpose like marketing. Almost all have restrictions on reselling the images.

Free Stock

Free stock is excellent when you’re on a budget. Pexels, Unsplash, and Wikimedia, are a great place to start your search. Like paid stock, free stock will still come with specific licensing. Make sure their terms are in line with your intended usage before proceeding.

Creative Commons & Public Domain

Creative Commons is a type of licensing you’ll see often, including on stock art platforms. If you’re unfamiliar, their website describes their work best:

For over 20 years, Creative Commons has supported a global movement built on a belief in the power of open access to knowledge and creativity. From Wikipedia to the Smithsonian, organizations and individuals rely on our work to share billions of historic images, scientific articles, cultural artifacts, educational resources, music, and more!

There are many types of Creative Commons licenses, so keep in mind that ‘CC’ does not always indicate straightforward use. Some require attribution and more. But a Public Domain designation is great for free, relatively unlimited use.

The bottom line: Always read the license.

This list of tips may seem daunting at first, but we promise it becomes second nature with practice. And it’s worth it: New and existing audiences will pick up on your commitment to conveying content in the best way possible, which will help build traction for your website or social profile.

Not sure how to get started? Contact the team at HALO 22 for content consultations. We’re happy to help.

How to Pick the Right Featured Image