Creating one-of-a-kind blog images. It's a topic that I'm most frequently asked about and it's an area that many bloggers struggle with. So today I'm approaching the subject with a few reasons why well-designed blog images are important. And I'm not stopping there - I'm also sharing a few of my own secrets for creating attractive blog images, too.
3 Reasons Why Eye-Catching Blog Images Matter
1 | They legitimize your site
It only takes 2 seconds for a reader to size up your blog. Your writing could be spot on, but your readers won't be interested in reading your content if your images drive them away. First impressions are crucial to attracting and maintaining blog readers, and well-designed graphics add a level of professionalism to your site.
2 | They catch the attention of followers on social media
Social media is the best free marketing tool around, but you won't be maximizing your potential on these platforms if you're sharing poor images. Eye-catching graphics and photos are a great way to draw people to your site from Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Bloglovin.
3 | They're shared more often
Let's be honest - we like to post photos on Pinterest that look pretty. When you post high quality, original images, there's a greater chance that they will be repinned, retweeted, and shared. And the more pins, tweets, and shares you have, the more traffic that's driven back to your blog.
How to Create Original Images
Partner up with a photographer
Before I started Elle & Company, I invested in headshots and product photos from my friend, Andrea. I thought it would be nice to have professional photos for my site, but I didn't realize just how valuable it would be to have a collection of one-of-a-kind images that reflected my brand. I've used those photos throughout this past year for numerous blog posts (like my How to Start a Blog series), and Andrea and I are getting ready to shoot round 2 for 2015. If you're new to blogging or you're an existing blogger looking to take your blog to the next level, consider working with a photographer to create a storehouse of professional images for you to use on your site.
Invest in a DSLR camera
I'm by no means a pro at using my Nikon (which is why I often recruit the help of my photographer friends), but investing in a DSLR camera can make a huge difference in the quality of your blog images. If you're planning on blogging long-term, consider purchasing a nice camera and spend time practicing how to use it in manual mode.
Create graphics in Adobe Illustrator
I create each and every blog post image in this software, whether I'm laying text over an image or creating a graphic from scratch. Want to know how I create my images on Adobe Illustrator? Stay tuned. I might just have something up my sleeve very soon...
How do you create images for your blog? How have high-quality images benefited your site?
