Images do matter in a blog. They make the site more appealing to visitors compared to having just pure text. They make a huge difference in driving traffic to your blog and as such, should be used at all times.
A blog’s home page and blog posts could use images relevant to their content. Keep in mind that people are normally attracted to them first than the text when visiting a website.
Top Considerations
More than anything else, though, your primary consideration should be quality. Experienced web designers and bloggers recommend using large high-resolution images to make an impact and impress your visitors. Do understand, however, that high-res photos are larger in size and are meant for use in print/ad work. It’s okay then not to use them all the time for your blog as long as you have top-quality ones.
Choose unique images that will make your brand stand out from the crowd. This is a must particularly if your business belongs to a saturated niche with tight competition among the players.
Experimenting with the types of images to use on your blog is also a good move. For instance, you can include text such as a call to action also known as actionable images. These photos are often used by food chains.
Sometimes, text-heavy web pages can also make good use of photos with quotes or even the title of a blog post as a centerpiece of the page. It is effective in capturing your visitors’ attention and getting them to read through the entire text.
Size Matters
When sizing your images, keep them within the width of your blog content or smaller. Bigger images will only overlap on your other content. Keep in mind, though, that large and quality images create a powerful impact and provide a more professional appeal.
Ideally, use images that are no larger than 600px wide. A width of 400 pixels to 450 pixels would be sufficient to include in your blog posts and positioned in the center. If you want to use thumbnails, make sure that they are clickable to larger images.
For floating images whether on the left or right, the recommended size is 200 up to 250 pixels wide. For the sidebar where you can post promotional buttons or badges, you can use images with a width of 125 up to 200 pixels.
There are numerous images available on the web for you to use on your blog or website. Check out the free image sources but always make it a point to use those that are relevant to your blog or website content.