Blog Images-What Are You Missing?
As bloggers, we understand that writing is only half of what makes a fantastic blog post.
The other half is the blog images used to illustrate the post.
Why are images important to bloggers?
- they grab the reader’s attention
- images are easier to remember than words
- breaking up text with images makes blog posts easier to read
- pictures help tell a story
- they add clarity to your writing
And most importantly,
Pictures help you connect with your readers and help your readers connect with you.
Build Relationships With Readers Using Great Blog Images
Humans are social creatures. We love connecting and sharing with our fellow humans.
What is the primary purpose of blogging? To develop relationships with our readers, clients, and customers; to connect and share information and knowledge.
Why do we want to do this? Because building relationships is the foundation of our blogging success.
According to recent blogging stats from Optin Monster, approximately 409 million people view 20 billion blog pages every month.
That is a lot of people reading a lot of blog pages!
But, blogs aren’t only words. They also contain different types of images.
While the words share our knowledge with readers, the images can provide the connection that makes your blog personable.
Now, not all of your images have to invite connection. Yet, if you want to develop a relationship with your audience, one picture is essential to have on your blog.
That image is a picture of YOU!
How can you expect to build relationships with your readers if they don’t even know who you are?
People connect with other people, not words, stats, and infographics.
They connect with other people.
If no one is around, they lose interest and leave.
AND if they are visiting your blog, they want to connect with you!
So, I will repeat it, if you don’t have a picture of yourself on your blog, readers have no one to connect with when they visit.
It would be like a friend coming over for a coffee when you aren’t home. If you’re not home, your friend isn’t going to stick around.
Story Time
I came across a brilliant blog post; after reading it, I had to find out more about the person who wrote it.
There was no author bio on the post, so I went to the about page.
No information there, no photo, nothing.
There was no picture of the blog owner or blog author anywhere on this blog.
So, I left.
I was very disappointed. It was a great post, and I would have loved to connect with the person who wrote it, but, as I said earlier, when there is no one to communicate or connect with, people lose interest, and they leave.
The crazy thing is, this isn’t the only blog I have come across that hasn’t indicated who the owner is.
If I can’t find a picture, an actual picture, not an avatar, of you somewhere on your blog, I leave.
The Best Blog Images Are Of You & They Can Be Free
Hey, I get it; putting your picture out there can be very uncomfortable for many people. I am one of those people.
But I’m telling you, if you want to build great relationships with your readers, you have to get over it.
Do you know who is excellent at building relationships with his readers and has a ton of photos of himself on his blog? Ryan Biddulph. After spending 5 minutes on Blogging From Paradise, you would recognize Ryan if you were to run into him on your travels. Not only that, but you could strike up an engaging conversation when you do.
Why? Because his picture is everywhere on his blog, and he takes the time to build relationships with his readers.
Your picture doesn’t have to be fancy; you don’t need to hire a professional photographer for an expensive photoshoot if you don’t want to. (although it can be a lot of fun)
Some of my favorite photos are candid shots or selfies taken with my phone and trust me, I am no photographer.
But, if you don’t have YOUR picture on YOUR blog, you should fix that.
Oh, and don’t forget about your social media profile pictures!
Other than providing human connection, what other ways does your blog benefit from having great images?
Blog Images Grab Reader’s Attention
People process images easier and faster than written text, so it makes sense that images grab our attention.
But, that doesn’t mean you can slap any old picture on your blog.
Some images will work better than others to grab a reader’s attention, so use photos that
- portray people
- use vibrant colors
- use contrast
- have plenty of whitespace
Once you have the reader’s attention, you can use images in other ways.
Use Images To Help Tell Your Story And Add Clarity
Using different images helps tell your story and add clarity to your writing.
Screenshots, graphs, charts, and infographics are excellent ways for bloggers to convey information to readers.
If you are writing a post that includes statistics, use a graph or chart to help illustrate those stats.
Screenshots are great for “How To” posts.
This post from Moss Media is an excellent example of using graphs and screenshots to add clarity to your writing. This post is also a great example of using images to break up long blog posts, making them easier to read.
Easy-to-read text paired with relevant pictures results in better engagement and blog posts that your reader will remember.
Images Are Easier To Remember
According to brainrules.net, we are incredible at remembering pictures. Hear a piece of information, and three days later, you’ll remember 10% of it. Add an image, and you’ll remember 65%.
It is said that people following directions with text and illustrations do 323% better than people following directions without pictures, according to hubspot.com.
So it only makes sense to use various images in your posts.
Before Adding Images To Your Blog Post
Make sure you have permission to use the image.
Avoid copywriting issues using photos you have taken yourself and make your graphics using Visme, Canva, or Adobe Spark.
If you are using stock photos, make sure you have the license to use the photos on your blog.
I use Pixabay for free stock images.
Before you upload your pictures to your WordPress site, make sure to optimize the image.
There are many free image compression tools available. This one is my favorite.
Optimizing images is important for page speed and SEO, so make sure you do this for every image you put on your site. Once your images are uploaded, place them in the appropriate spot on your post, and you’re all set.
Conclusion
When the idea came to me for this post, and I started researching the topic, I came across many great articles about blog post images.
You can check out these here:
Yet one thing they all failed to mention was the importance of having a personal photo on your blog.
If you are a blogger, people need to know who you are.
That makes the most important image on your blog a picture of you.
It doesn’t matter whether the picture is on your home page, about page, or in an author bio in your blog post.
Just make sure you’re at “home” when people stop by.
Please Leave A Comment
Let me know what you think.
Do you agree that you should include your photo on blogs and blog posts?
How do you feel about engaging with bloggers who don’t have an identifying photo?
SharlaAnn is a blogger who focuses on helping others develop the mindset and skills needed to build successful blogs. She is always up for a challenge and is a determined student of personal development and SEO.
Hi SharlaAnn, wow is this a timely post for me! I just had a redesign of my blog and my picture is huge on the homepage. I wasn’t sure whether to keep it or not. I think you just answered that question. Your children are adorable and I didn’t realize so young. I don’t know how you do it all! I started blogging after my kids were grown.
You do make a great point, I look for an image of the writer when I go to the about page as well. It makes it more personal. Thanks for this one SharlaAnn, and have a great day.
Hi Lisa, I LOVE the redesign of your blog and your picture is great!
The kids aren’t that small anymore. They are all taller than me now 🙂
One of the first things I do now when I discover a new blog is look for a picture. I want to engage and connect with people. It also verifies you have the right person when you creep them on social media. LOL
SharlaAnn
SharlaAnn Matyjanka recently posted…Can’t Write? – 4 Ways You Can Still Be A Productive Blogger
I find it odd SharlaAnn how many bloggers resist posting selfies. Fears arise in mind regarding seeing one’s face. I understand being afraid to show your face but if you want to be credible it means sharing your smiling head shot. Prove a bit more thoroughly that you are human. Share your headshots.
Ryan
Ryan K Biddulph recently posted…How Do You Turn a Blog into a Business?
I get the uncomfortableness of putting your picture out there, but with anything the more you do it and make it a habit the easier it becomes.
I agree, Ryan. I want to SEE who I am possibly investing my time in. I’m not wasting time trying to engage with you if you can’t put a picture on your blog.
Thanks so much for stopping by my friend,
SharlaAnn
SharlaAnn Matyjanka recently posted…6 Roadblocks Stopping Your Blogging Success
Hi SharlaAnn,
I must confess that you have a cute family, SharlaAnn,😊 and your blog post is excellent. Photos illustrate valuable points and leave a lasting impression on readers’ minds. It’s no wonder why experts encourage the use of images in content writing. Not only do images make your post more appealing to the reader, but they also help get your message across. A unique picture can get shared multiple times and increase exposure. But some issues are how you add graphics to your blog and the type of images you’re using. It’s one thing to add images, and it’s another thing to follow the best ways to include images in blog posts. If you’re adding personal photos, ensure to use clear-quality photos that illustrate a point or two. If you’re using stock photos, guarantee that the picture adds value to your content.
Thanks for sharing😊
Thanks, Moss. 😊
I agree photos have to be clear and of good quality. I didn’t realize how bad of a photographer I was until I started looking through my pictures to find ones suitable to post on the blog. Yikes!
I tend to have more issues resizing personal photos as well. For some reason, they don’t come out as nice as stock images do. That being said, I am only using the program that came stock on my PC. It probably isn’t the best photo editor.
Thanks so much for stopping by,
SharlaAnn
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I truly agree with everything you wrote in this post. Images are extremely important to blog posts, and images of yourself are really the most important.
The example you gave of the post that you really enjoyed until you searched and discovered that there were no photos of or info about the person who wrote it, I totally get that and have had similar experiences. It’s like hearing a voice in the darkness that’s saying amazing things but isn’t attached to a person. I notice we both have photos of ourselves all over our sites. It definitely helps me feel connected to you as a person and trust what you write by seeing your face each time I visit your site, and I hope my photo does the same thing for people.
Thanks Sabina,
You really do need to “see” the person to feel that connection. I also believe it does help build that trust factor as well when you have a face to go with the name. And, if you’re like me, you will remember a face much easier than a name. I am horrible with names sometimes.
I was actually quite shocked at the disappointment I felt about that one particular post that didn’t have an “owner.”
Every time I go to your blog I can picture us sitting in some neighbourhood cafe, locally owned, none of these franchised cookie-cutter deals, enjoying a coffee and a nice chat. 😊
SharlaAnn
SharlaAnn Matyjanka recently posted…Improve Your Focus With These 5 Simple Tips
I’m so glad you can picture, that, SharlaAnn! Hopefully some time. 🙂 I love places like that!
Pictures do have a great impact no doubt. I am a beginner so i need a lot of guidance in this regard. can i use pictures clicked from my i phone???
Hello Asma,
If they are pictures that you have personally taken, or someone has taken of you absolutely you can use them. They are your property and belong to you.
If you are putting them on a blog make sure they are of good quality. (some of mine are not that great) and that you optimize them.
I have a couple of posts on image optimization if you are not familiar with that.
If you have any other questions I am happy to help.
SharlaAnn
SharlaAnn Matyjanka recently posted…Everything You Need to Start a Blog
Hi SharlaAnn,
This is an interesting one; and if someone is an Analytics nerd, he can easily catch the fact that using visuals every 250-300 words may dramatically increase the average time-on-site metric to further support SEO efforts.
Let’s be practical: no one wants to go through a large wall-of-text. Images come here into the blogging arena and beautify your messaging.
Neil Patel ranks everywhere for blogging and internet marketing terms. And he uses screenshots, charts, illustrative photos, and everything possible in his blog posts. That’s an optimization hack considered to improve the reader experience on a particular blog. Personal blogs often include images showing the admin’s lifestyle and that’s totally fine.
But I like the fact that you didn’t miss this point – optimizing images. That’s an awesome SEO opportunity no one should neglect.
Hi Shyam,
Images play an essential role in helping us illustrate our point. While many people need that visualization to understand further what the author is trying to say, I am the person that typically ignores the “analytical” images. I don’t need to see graphs and charts, and stats in images. You telling me about it is enough. I sometimes find too many images annoying. I just want to read the article. (but I’m a bit strange)
That being said, I enjoy the personalization and human connection that personal photos provide on a blog. This is important for all blogs, not just personal blogs. I want to know who I am doing business with. So, I think that all blogs should have a headshot of the author on the blog post, and on larger business blogs, headshots of the team on the about page are a nice touch.
And, of course, optimization is key.
SharlaAnn
SharlaAnn Matyjanka recently posted…4 Key Areas of Focus For Blogging Success
Hi Sharla Ann,
I am one of those people whose eyes tend to glaze over when I see large volumes of text in content without any media break, at least some images, if not video.
So I use a lot of photos in my content too. And as you said, optimizing them is key.
I have also seen a lot of websites where let alone a picture, you don’t even have any human details on the About Me page. Just a bunch of stuff about the company and what they do, but no individual or team details.
Have never been able to connect to such companies. Even on Twitter, you see only a company profile. People underestimate the importance of having some human details, a story, and a face with a friendly smile. Especially in the digital world which is virtual and people are looking to build meaningful connections.
Btw, lovely pics of your family 🙂 Thanks for sharing them!
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Hi Poulomi,
I prefer to have my large volumes of text in a book, in my hand. I have discovered that I don’t enjoy reading online as much as I do reading a book.
I would rather read than watch a video though. If I can understand the written instructions I don’t want to be bothered watching a video. I sometimes get annoyed when I search for something and the first thing that comes up are YouTube videos.
I don’t understand why some people/companies don’t understand the importance of human connection. I see about pages that are nothing more than pitches. You’re not Amazon, if I don’t at least know what you look like I’m not buying.
You’re welcome for sharing the pictures. Thanks for stopping by.
SharlaAnn
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