There are three huge mistakes I often see people make with their blog photos.

I know they’re mistakes because I’ve made them, too.

Unfortunately, blog photos tend to become an afterthought for writers because we spend so much time crafting our content that by the time we’re done, we just want to slap on a photo and be done with it.

Yikes!

Here’s why that’s a huge mistake.

Did you know that blog photos are one of the biggest things that make people stop scrolling and pay attention?

Articles that include images get 94% more views than those without, according to Jeff Bullas. That’s a high enough percentage to convince me that photos are important!

Granted, photos may not be as important in your emails. But if you’re promoting your article on social media and you don’t have an image—forget about it.

People scroll so fast that you literally have a split second to get their attention before they’re 10 miles further down their feed.

Basically the blunt truth is:

No compelling photo = No attention = No clicks

It’s that simple.

Now that you know how important it is to include compelling photos in your articles, here are the three biggest mistakes you may be making when choosing pictures:

Mistake #1: Your blog photos are boring.

Photos with bland colors easily get lost in the social media shuffle. 

Because of that, be sure to follow step Number 1 in choosing non-boring photos:

Choose photos with captivating colors. 

Photos with bright or rich colors stand out. When considering a photo, take a moment to ask: “Would this image catch my attention if I were scrolling through Facebook or Twitter?”

Choose photos of people.

We’re emotional beings. We’re much more drawn to look at people than we are to look at objects.

Because of that, I will often try to use photos of people for my articles. If the photo shows a person’s face, that’s even better. 

Choose photos that are dramatic.

Pictures have the power to stir up deep emotions within us. If your article is about a dramatic topic, don’t be afraid to choose a dramatic picture.

What does that mean?

If your article is about depression, for instance, consider using a photo that involves a lot of dark colors and shows a person crying or looking sad.

DON’T choose cheesy stock images, unattractive cartoon images or photos that are super busy. 

If you know your audience responds to those kinds of images, then OK, go for it.

But it’s likely that cheesy photos make your brand look cheap and busy photos make you seem harried. Just saying. 

Mistake #2: Your photos don’t make sense with the headline or content.

Perhaps worse than a boring photo is a photo that captures attention but then totally confuses the reader when they see the headline. (Click here to learn how to write super compelling headlines.)

Don’t be that person.

Sometimes finding relevant photos is tricky because the content is so abstract. How do you find a photo for an article about spiritual growth or how to boost your Facebook traffic?

In those cases, be creative. Chances are, you won’t go wrong with a photo of a person.

Mistake #3: Your blog photos are breaking copyright laws. 

OK, friend, this is a big one. 

There are a lot of sites that offer free photos. Some are public domain; others have low-grade copyrights. But this is where you proceed with caution because breaking copyright laws can get you in a lot of trouble. 

I mean like photographer-suing-you kind of trouble.

In fact, this is the reason I’ve steered clear of Flickr. Copyright statuses can change on those photos and can trip you up later on. 

Several years ago, I had a handful of people reach out to me saying a photo on an article I posted was infringing on their copyright. Why? Because it had changed from CC 2.0 (which is allowable with attribution in non-promotional materials) to a copyright that prohibited re-use without express permission. 

The moral of the story is: Stay away from Flickr.

Instead, use photos that are public domain or CC0. 

Thankfully this is a lot easier nowadays. There are several great sites that have copyright-free photos like Unsplash, Pexels or Pixabay. 

Check out my list of the top nine free photo sites that are safe to use for your money-making blog.

(I would encourage you to still be cautious as sometimes there is confusion and photographers might accidentally upload photos they weren’t given permission to upload.)

Another option is to purchase your photos from stock image sites. 

If you are at a decent place in your business where this is financially feasible, this is a great option. It’s a guarantee that you won’t get in trouble for using the photo.

But one of the best photo options if you need images of layout or background is: Take your own blog photos. 

This is actually pretty simple if you have an iPhone. (I don’t have an iPhone, but my husband does, so I borrow his.)

You can use items in your own house. Take pictures of the outdoors. If you sell physical products, take photos of your own work and, better yet, people using your products.

If you teach busy moms how to cook quick, delicious meals, then take photos of your own food.

You don’t have to make this complicated. Just consider lighting and angle so that your blog photos look pristine.

There you have it! I think you’ll find that fixing these three big mistakes in your photos will dramatically improve your readers’ experience in finding and enjoying your articles.