I get a lot of comments on how I use images in all of my blog posts. True, I have a good amount of experience with Adobe Photoshop and use it every time I post… but you can get the same aesthetically pleasing effect by placing images in your posts effectively. I have seen blogs with too many images and too few images.
It is essential that every post has at least one image inside of it in my opinion. Using pictures that don’t clash with your design make things easier to read, and more enjoyable. I stand by my belief that using dynamic images in your blog posts will increase your traffic drastically in the long run. Lets figure out how to do it correctly and effectively!
Put an Eye-Catching Image on the Top of Each Post
If you look back on some of the best-looking posts I have put out as of late, you will notice a common theme: there is a “fun” graphic at the top that holds your interest and encourages reading (example, example, example). I am amazed that more people do not do this, as I have found it one of the most fool-proof methods to increase your readership. After experimenting with the placement of images in my posts, I settled on the rule of thumb, picture-at-the-top method, because it really draws readers to your content and makes the entire post more enjoyable.
Give Your Images Their “Personal Space”
WordPress has a nifty feature on the “insert image” function that allows you to put a horizontal and/or vertical spacing between your images and your article’s content. People that don’t use this are foolish. Take a look at the images in this post, see how the 
text is buffered around it? I usually tack on a 10-to-12 pixel horizontal spacing around each image to ensure that things don’t clash with my text. If you have your images running up and almost touching your content… you are missing out.
Match Your Background Colors
If you have an image, make sure that it either has a border or has a matching background color. This is where Adobe Photoshop or another similar photo-editing software comes in great handy. What I typically do, if the backgrounds to not match, is simply cut out the entire background area and fill it with the color white. It’s really that simple, and it makes things look so much better.
Use Images That Rock
This is the most often asked question of all. “Where do you get your images Jim?” Well, I’m not telling! Okay, fine I’ll tell 
. There are a large number of websites that you can use, but I would first off recommend a stock image website like iStockphoto and Stock.Xchng. iStockphoto is my most frequented website, and the images do cost money… but boy are they worth it! If you want to be thrifty, use images from Stock.Xchng… the largest free stock photo website on the internet. Finally, if those don’t provide good results, I occasionally use Google Images to pull up some good looking publicly available pictures.
Stock images are great, but I recommend using more of your own images than anything else. Whenever I review a website, I always take a screenshot and offer my readers a look into their websites. If you don’t want to go through this trouble, 
Alexa.com has screenshots of every site it tracks. Take screenshots of things you like, get permission to use them, and fire away!
Optimize Your Pictures For Speed
Finally, it is important for all of your images to load quickly. This does not mean that you need to destroy the quality of your pictures! If you use some editing software like Photoshop, you can effectively lower your “quality” without making it appear any different. I prefer the .jpg extension, but .gif images can be optimized as well. If people are waiting more than two seconds to see all of the images in your post, they are going to lose interest. Make sure that everything is streamlined and efficient, and always sacrifice quality for speed!
Here’s the bottom line: Images are a necessary part of every blog post. Unless your blog is strictly business professional, you need to spice things up with some flavorful pictures in order to hold the interest of your readers. Using images effectively will increase the amount of time people spend on your website, increase returning visits and increase your traffic flow.
-Jimvesting
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Hey this is going to be helpful to me.I mostly do not put photos on my post and feel bad about it.I will certainly get the idea of how I can put photos for my posts.
Agent 001′s last blog post..Blogging Promise and Need of Guest Blogger
I totally agree, images are a fantastic way to grab a readers attention, and definitely helps to have them at least check out your post. Thanks for the stock image resources too, will be sure to check them out.
Tim’s last blog post..NeverblueAds Review – Affiliate Network Review
Twitter: @jimvesting
March 30, 2008 at 3:03 pm #
@ Agent: You definitely should consider spicing things up with images, its a great touch and your readers will thank you
Stock images are an awesome way to easily make your posts all the more awesome
@ Tim: You’re very welcome!
Jim’s last blog post..How To Effectively Use Images on Your Blog
You do use graphics very well. I have started using images at the beginning of each post, and find it does add interest. You are showing me I shouldn’t be afraid to use more. Thanks for the concrete leads for even better quality!
Jacqueline’s last blog post..Advertising on a Web or Blog? Verify Unique Hits Easily
@ Jim :Thanks Jim I will surely follow your advice.
Agent 001′s last blog post..My Quality Post is Done
Man, that is a really cool advice. I will for sure follow your advice.
Klajdi Hena’s last blog post..Why do I blog?
I also have found images to be pleasing to most readers and I would go as far as saying that images are the reason why some people read the article.
Fidel Betancourt JR’s last blog post..Day 7: 30 Days to Blogging Success
I need to work on implementing images into my blog posts more often as well, It would really help liven up the atmosphere of my site.
Zero and Up’s last blog post..The Bandwagon Effect Is Good
hi i love your site.. it is so helfpul for the beginners like me
You do use images very well. Did you draw the ones in this post yourself?
I need to learn me some Photoshop. I can just do horribly basic web 2.0 fonts and that’s it. Any recommendations or did you take a course or something?
Max Miroff’s last blog post..People Love Reading Young Bloggers, Even If They Suck – Part Two: What People REALLY Think
Hey Jim,
you sure are right about adding pictures to a blog, it definately creates a better atmosphere plus when doing it right, will be an eyecatcher and make people curious about the rest of the post, cheers to you!
Mirjam’s last blog post..Are A-List Bloggers Really all that Great?
Twitter: @jimvesting
March 31, 2008 at 11:29 am #
@ Max: I got the images this go-round form istockphoto.com, they cost a little but sure look fantastic
I do use photoshop quite a bit, but it was more of a learning curve for me than actually taking a course or anything
If there is an image with a post I am more likely to read the post if the picture is intriguing. I particularly like the long skinny pictures that fit right above the post. The picture has to be relevant to the post and to it.
Great, another thing to feel guilty about not doing… yet. I should definitely implement this strategy.
Luke’s last blog post..My Search Results
Great Advice!
I agree that using images in your posts is very important. The right image can grab a reader’s attention quickly. The use of horizontal and vertical spacing is crucial to the aesthetics of the post. If I can’t find the right picture to use I create a small image in Photoshop depicting words that are relevant to the content being written about.
Stacey’s last blog post..Furious Friday Nipples Rings and Urinal Bags
Any guide on from where to use images.
Any free source without copyright problems ?
Tech blog’s last blog post..Free Electronic Component Images
Great article. You got featured on Blogsvine as well
Nk’s last blog post..By: Blogsvine
Twitter: @jimvesting
April 3, 2008 at 6:52 pm #
@ Nk: Thanks for the notice, just joined Blogsvine and I really like what it can do for your traffic
@ Tech Blog: The website I mentioned (http://www.sxc.hu/) is free of charge. You can find this and other free sources by googling “free stock images”
Don’t forget all those alt, title, width, height attributes
Louis Liem’s last blog post..GPT – Summon The Titans!
Kudos on adding the mention about managing image filesize – a great picture is useless if it takes forever to load and never gets seen. Excellent tips, thank you.
Popular Wealths last blog post..15 Free Photoshop Image Editing Alternatives
Мне это пригодится.
cool, clasno pishesh, prodolzhay v tom zhe duhe
clas, dolgo etot post pisali?