WordPress Featured Image Size: A Comprehensive Guide

First impressions are often the last impressions. If your pages or posts are just bland text blocks, it will have quite the dent on the UX. So featured images are very important in a visually-driven web content space. The right image can captivate more audiences, enhancing engagement.

However, even the most captivating featured image can fall flat if it’s the wrong size. A blurry, stretched-out image throws off the visual balance of your website and creates a frustrating user experience. In this blog, I’ll tell you the best practices followed by WordPress development services with respect to the featured images.

But first, let’s discuss featured images in brief.

A featured image is the primary image associated with a specific post, page, or even custom content type. It acts like a visual calling card, giving visitors a quick glimpse into the content’s theme or topic.

This image can be displayed in a few different location, such as:

  • At the top of a blog post: It sets the stage for the content and grabs the reader’s attention.
  • On archive pages: Featured images provide a visual preview for each post, making it easier for visitors to scan and find what interests them.
  • On social media: Many social media platforms use the featured image as a preview for your WordPress content.

Using a right-sized image can enhance the overall look of your web page and encourage visitors to engage with your posts. In WordPress, default featured images are 150 x 150 pixels. are used when a specific image is not assigned. It ensures that each post is visually represented, adding consistency and professionalism to your site.

Using featured images can make your website stand out, enticing users to visit your site. Here’s a breakdown of  the key benefits it offers:

  • Grabs Attention and Enhances Visual Appeal: A well-chosen featured image acts like a visual hook, drawing readers in and breaking up text-heavy content. It adds vibrancy and makes your website more aesthetically pleasing to navigate.
  • Improves User Experience: Featured images provide a quick visual summary of your content, allowing visitors to scan and identify relevant posts at a glance. This makes it easier for them to find what they’re interested in and navigate your site efficiently.
  • Boosts Social Media Sharing: Many social media platforms automatically use the featured image as a preview for your WordPress content. A captivating image can significantly increase the chances of people sharing your posts, expanding your reach.
  • Enhances SEO: While not a direct ranking factor, engaging featured images can indirectly improve your WordPress SEO. They can entice users to click on your content in search results, leading to higher click-through rates (CTR). Additionally, relevant image alt text can provide valuable context for search engines.
  • Strengthens Brand Identity: A consistent style and theme for your featured images can contribute to a cohesive brand identity. This visual recognition helps visitors remember your website and builds trust over time.

That’s why the WordPress development experts focus on the size of featured images. We’ll see how to customize the featured image size, but first, let’s see how to add them to your page or post.

Before we learn how to customize the image, let’s learn how you can add the featured image to your post or page. Here’s a quick walkthrough:

Step 1: Go to your website’s admin login page and enter your credentials to access the WordPress dashboard.

Step 2: To add a featured image to a WordPress post or page, click on Posts > Add New or Pages > Add New.

Step 3: In the editor screen, find the Featured Image box. This is usually located on the right-hand side of the screen in the Gutenberg editor. In the Classic editor, it might be lower down the right-hand sidebar.

Step 4: Click on the Set Featured Image link within the Featured Image box. This will open the WordPress media library.

Step 5: To use a new image, go to the Upload Files tab and click Select Files to upload from your computer.

Step 6: After selecting the image, you can add alt text, title, caption, and description in the attachment details section. Alt text is especially important for web accessibility and SEO.

Step 7: Once you’ve selected your image and added the necessary details, click the Set Featured Image button. The selected image will now appear in the Featured Image box in the editor.

Step 8: To publish your post or page, click the Publish button.

By following these steps, you can easily add a featured image to any post or page in WordPress. If you need help with designing the best images for your WordPress website, opt for our web design services. But how do you customize the image size? Let’s see.

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Customizing the featured image size in WordPress ensures your images fit perfectly with your site’s design and layout. Below are two methods to achieve this: changing image sizes in WordPress settings and using custom CSS for image sizes.

Method 1: Changing Image Sizes in WordPress Settings

This method involves adjusting the default image sizes in the WordPress settings. This is useful for global changes that affect all images uploaded to your site.

Step 1: Access the Media Settings: Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Settings > Media.

Step 2: Adjust Image Sizes: In the Media Settings screen, locate the fields for various sizes. Enter the desired dimensions for each size. For example, you might set the thumbnail size to 150×150 pixels, the medium size to 300×300 pixels, and the large size to 1024×1024 pixels.

Step 3: Save Changes: Scroll down and click the Save Changes button.

Step 4: Regenerate Thumbnails: If you have existing images, regenerate the thumbnails to apply the new sizes to these images as well.

  • Install and activate the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin from Plugins > Add New.
  • Go to Tools > Regenerate thumbnails.
  • Click the Regenerate All Thumbnails button.

This will change the size of all images according to your new settings.

By following these steps, you’ve utilized the theme’s built-in image sizes for your featured images. This is a quick and easy approach, but it might not provide the exact size you need. So, let’s dive into the next method that provides more flexibility.

Method 2: Using Custom CSS for Image Sizes

This method involves using custom CSS to set the dimensions of featured images. This approach provides more control over image sizes on specific parts of your site.

Step 1: Access the Customizer: Open the WordPress Customizer and navigate to Appearance > Customize to add custom CSS to your site’s featured images.

Step 2: Additional CSS Section: In the Customizer, scroll down and click on the Additional CSS tab.

Step 3: Enter Custom CSS Code: Enter the following CSS code to specify the width and height of your featured images:

.post-thumbnail img {

width: 800px;

height: auto;

}

Adjust the values to suit your design needs.

Step 4: Publish Changes: Click the Publish button at the top of the Customizer. This will save changes customizing the size of featured images on your site.

By editing the CSS code, you’ve instructed the theme to display featured images at your specified dimensions. This method offers more flexibility but requires a bit more technical knowledge.

Note: Changing image size through CSS only affects how the image appears on your website. The original image file size remains unchanged. It’s essential to consider the aspect ratio of your images when setting dimensions.

Both methods let you change the WordPress featured image size. If you are not tech savvy, you can change it from the WordPress setting. If you can manage a little technicality and want more flexibility, using custom CSS is a good option. To get complete development help, consider getting help from our WordPress development company.

Implementing best practices for WordPress featured images can enhance user engagement and overall performance. Here are some key practices to follow:

Use High-Quality Images

High-resolution images ensure your featured images look professional and appealing. Low-quality images can appear blurry, which can negatively impact the user experience.

Tips

  • Use images with a resolution of at least 1200 x 800 pixels.
  • Ensure images are clear and not stretched or distorted.
  • Utilize professional photo editing tools to enhance image quality.

Quality images ensure your site looks professional and appealing, improving user experience and engagement.

Optimize Image File Size

Large image files can slow down your website, affecting load times and user experience. Optimizing images for the web can maintain quality while reducing file size.

Tips

  • Use image optimization tools like TinyPNG, ShortPixel, or WP Smush.
  • Aim for an image file size of less than 200KB.
  • Use the JPEG format for photographs and PNG for images with transparency.

Optimized image sizes lead to faster website load times, enhancing user experience and improving SEO.

Consistent Image Dimensions

Maintaining consistent dimensions of featured images across your site ensures a cohesive look and feel. It also helps in maintaining a uniform layout and design.

Tips

  • Decide on standard dimensions for your featured images (e.g., 1200×628 pixels).
  • Crop images to the same aspect ratio before uploading.
  • Use the same dimensions for all featured images to maintain consistency.

Consistent image dimensions create a uniform and professional appearance, enhancing the visual coherence of your site.

Relevance and Context

Choose images that are relevant to the content of the post or page. The featured image should provide a visual summary or highlight the main theme of the content.

Tips

  • Select images that accurately represent the topic or theme.
  • Avoid generic stock images that don’t add value to the content.
  • Consider using custom graphics or illustrations that align with your brand.

Relevant and contextually appropriate images enhance the user’s understanding and engagement with your content.

SEO Optimization

Optimizing featured images for SEO can improve your site’s visibility in search engines. Properly tagged images can also help drive organic traffic to your site.

Tips

  • Use descriptive file names that include relevant keywords.
  • Add alt text to every featured image, describing what the image depicts.
  • Include relevant keywords in the image title and description.

SEO-optimized images improve your site’s search engine ranking and drive more organic traffic.

By following above best practices, you can create featured images that are optimized for your WordPress site. It will make your site load faster and contribute to your website’s overall success. If you want to make your site reach an even more relevant audience, you can consider hiring our SEO experts too.

Are there any plugins that help manage featured image sizes?
Yes, several plugins help manage featured image sizes, such as Regenerate Thumbnails, Simple Image Sizes, and WP Smush. These plugins offer features like resizing, cropping, and optimizing images.
How do I add alt text to featured images for SEO?
You can add alt text to featured images by editing the image in the Media Library and entering the alt text in the provided field. The alt text describes the image content and helps improve SEO and accessibility.
How can I ensure my featured images are mobile-friendly?
To ensure your featured images are mobile-friendly, use responsive design techniques and test your images on various devices. You can also use CSS to make images adjust to different screen sizes.

Conclusion

Captivating featured images are more than just window dressing; they’re silent salespeople of your offerings. But even the most stunning image can lose its impact if it’s squeezed into the wrong dimensions.

Remember, the ideal featured image size depends on your specific theme and layout. The good news is that WordPress allows you to customize the default image sizes for featured images and other content elements. For that, you can hire our WordPress developers. We’ll optimize your site with best development practices.

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author
Chinmay Pandya
Pandya
Chinmay Pandya is an accomplished tech enthusiast specializing in PHP, WordPress, and Laravel. With a solid background in web development, he brings expertise in crafting innovative solutions and optimizing performance for various projects.

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