Image credit: Pixabay
This post may contain affiliate links please read our disclosure for more info.
Using powerful blog imagery is an effective way to increase your readership. Blog posts with images get 94% more total views on average than those without. The reason is that images are more eye-catching than text which means that your reader’s first engagement with your post will be with its featured image rather than its opening lines of text. Making use of strong, evocative images is therefore an essential part of making a good first impression with your potential readers. The right image can enable you to distinguish your content from the rest and help broaden your readership.
Imagery: Best Practice
Blogging best practice dictates that whenever possible you should strive to create your own imagery. Original images are valuable because they are unique and fresh, unlike stock photos which tend to be generic or widely used. Will your readers feel compelled to read your article if it features yet another shot of two men in suits shaking hands which they’ve seen a hundred times before? Probably not. Creating your own images instantly makes your blog feel fresh. Importantly, it also makes your readers more likely to share your content. If your goal is to create unique content on a regular basis, why devalue your hard work with a generic image?
Canva
To create evocative, original imagery quickly we recommend Canva. It is the best option short of taking a photograph yourself.
The Australian company was founded in 2012 by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams who shared a vision to create an accessible online design platform for the public. It offers an impressive selection of pre-designed templates available in a range of common dimensions, which makes it easy to create designs for specific social media platforms such as Twitter or Pinterest.
Canva is free to use and provides helpful instructional videos for beginners; although its simple interface means you could easily have your first design published within the hour.
When to Use Stock Photos
In an ideal world, you will be creating your own original imagery to accompany each post you write. But in reality, busy weeks mean that sometimes you won’t have the time.
When you can’t find the time to create an image yourself, instead of typing your keyword into Google – which will produce high-ranking images used by large companies with good SEO or widely duplicated images – use actual stock photo websites, such as Pixabay or picjumbo. Both sites have a wide array of images available covering categories from wildlife stills to business/tech. Using one of their unique images will prevent you from appearing as if you are trying to imitate your competitors or major players in your field. FreeImages, MorgueFile, and New Old Stock offer similar services to these sites.
If you have liked this post you will also enjoy this post, Content Hacks: Learning From Your Most Popular Post
Custom Thumbnails for iPhone Video
Some blog posts may be re-purposed content from your YouTube channel. If this is the case your choice of thumbnail is important. Learn how to set a Custom Thumbnail Image for Your iPhone Video.
B2B Content Marketing Agency London
Marketing Fundamentals Ltd is a B2B Content Marketing Agency in London that creates Content and manages Social Media for Professional Services firms. We hope you find this information useful.
If you would like our help creating and executing a Content Marketing Plan for your business or organisation give us a call on +44 (0) 845 2264 247. You can also email us via mail@marketingfundamentals.com
On our YouTube channel you will find marketing advice, business advice & inspiration. Subscribe if you work in Marketing for Professional Services or are a business owner or solo-preneur trying to grow your business. New uploads on Wednesdays.
Best regards,
Karla McDougall
Digital Marketing Intern
Marketing Fundamentals Ltd
Follow Mike on Pinterest
Subscribe to
Follow us on LinkedIn
Online courses:
How to TurboCharge Your Business with a Blog
Meet Edgar Social Media Management
TurboCharge Your Twitter Presence
Quora For Business
Follow Mike on Twitter
This is blog post post number 281
Follow us on Social Media
