Use Cool Blog Images To Revamp Your Blog And Watch Your Fanbase Multiply

Diana Guta

Are you interested in a blog makeover? Are you looking for some cool blog images to revamp your blog and reposition your brand online?

Luckily, Bannersnack can help you nail your visual style. Bannersnack is an online design tool that not only enables you to create custom high-quality images but it also provides you with a huge database of free images for blogs.

We can help you restyle and refresh your blog with stunning and unique images, you won’t find anywhere else on the web. You’ll be able to create amazing custom images that reflect your style and personality 100%.

Here’s how Bannersnack can help:

Why use original blog images?

According to a study we performed this year, 78.48% of bloggers use original photos in their blog posts. So if you’re still using ordinary stock images and expect them to stand out, think again. This isn’t 2010 anymore. The world has changed, and so did blogging.

Summary

How to create cool blog images in Bannersnack

The key features of amazing blog images

How to create cool blog images in Bannersnack

Bannersnack offers a wide range of creative possibilities for professional designers but also for non-designers, bloggers such as yourself. Using our editor and design tools you can easily add filters to your photos, create animated visuals, add typography constructions to pictures, create collages, add patterns and textures to your designs or play with clipart objects. Have a look at the quick tutorials below:

1. Add filters to your photos

(Photo processing)

How to add filters to a photo:

A. Sign in to your Bannersnack account or sign up for a free account. Click Create New, Single Banner and then select a size and format for your image.

B. Go to the Pictures tab and browse our collection of stock photos in the free image library to find a picture. Bannersnack stocks millions of website images. You can type specific keywords in the search box to browse by categories. Or upload your own picture from your computer.

C. After you’ve chosen a picture, click on it to enable the design menu. Select the Color tab to see a selection of filter presets. I chose the Vivid filter for my photo. But you can try each filter to see how it applies to your photo. For more effects, play with the brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue.

2.Play with textures & patterns

When you set out to create an original blog image, you’ll probably look for a blog background image first. That’s perfectly fine. But, did you know you can also use patterns and textures as backgrounds for your blog images?

Here’s an example I created to illustrate how patterns and textures can help you create beautiful images.

A. Sign in to your Bannersnack account (or sign up for a free account). Click Create New, Single Banner and then select a size and format for your image.

B. Go to the Background tab and select textures. Pick a texture that you like and use it as a background for your design.

C. Then, go to Shapes and select a shape. I chose a box, made it a bit bigger and white.

D. Then, add your text. Go to the Text tab and click on Heading text. Or, select one of the typography presets in the right side panel and customize it with your message.

3.Create animated images

How to create an animated image for your blog in Bannersnack, in less than 5 minutes.

A. Sign in to your Bannersnack account or sign up for a free account. Then, click Create New, Single Banner and you will be transported to a page where you can select a size and format for your image.

B. Choose a template as a starting point. Go to the menu bar on the left-hand side and select the Templates tab. Browse through Bannersnack’s templates by category to find one that you like. Then, customize it with your text, color, and images. You can also pick an image from our collection of 1.000.000 stock photos available. Or upload your own picture.

Then, animate your image. Go to the Magic Animator tab and choose of the 11 animations presets available to animate your image in an instant.

C. If you want your animation to run several times or forever, click the Timeline view, then you will see a Loop Count tab on the right-hand side. Click the menu bar and pick your choice. I chose Forever as a looping option, cause I want it to play continuously, without ever stopping.


4. Use the immense power of typography

Here’s another image I created which can successfully be used as a blog header image:

How to create typography-based images for your blog.

A. Select Create New, Single banner, pick a size and format.

B. Then, choose a template, a picture or upload your own. Here below is a screenshot of a free photo for blogs I selected to work with.

C. Go to the Text tab to add your text. For a better result, you can pick one of our typography presets available in the right side panel. Here’s a preset I chose:

D. Customize your preset. Change the text and/or font, change the color and position on the layout.

5.Add shapes & clipart objects

How to create a blog image using shapes and clipart objects.

A. Select Create New, Single banner, pick a size and format.

B. Go to the menu and click on the Pictures tab. Then, browse through our collection of stock photos by typing keywords in the search box. Select a photo when you find one that you really like.

C. Then, go to the Shapes & Cliparts tab. Scroll down the clipart objects panel to find what you’re looking for. Select a shape, then add color to that shape, change its position and add text on top of it.

The key features of amazing blog images:

If we pay close attention to all the successful blogs out there, we notice they have some badass, unique images. Some of them have great high-quality photos, and some of them have branded personalized photos. But there are some characteristics that all of them seem to share.

1. Personal style

Source: The Skinny Confidential

Most bloggers are trying to create a unique visual style for themselves. The idea is to provide a unique experience to the user the moment they visit their website and to shape a visual universe that stems from their personality.

There are lots of bloggers who don’t settle for a common look (ordinary stock images), but instead, they create their own blog images that clearly states their personal style.

If you visit The Skinny Confidential’s blog, you’ll notice that she uses some very particular feature images for her blog posts. They’re all created using the collage technique, feature neon colors (pink, green, violet) and loud fonts. She’s created a visual style for herself and it is totally an extension of her personality.

2. Great aesthetics

Source: Song Of Style

Fashion bloggers are by far the champions of great looking pictures. Because they have a trained eye for colors and styles, their blogs look flawless and classy (well most of them, anyway).

I chose Aimee Song’s Song Of Style blog to show you what I mean by great aesthetics. Apart from always having great pictures, she creates some incredible custom feature images for her blog posts, using techniques like collage, and poster graphics.

3. DIY. Everyone loves DIY images.

Source: At Home With Natalie

DIY blog images will never get out of fashion. They’re fun, they’re catchy and personal. If you’re still in doubt about whether DIY images could improve your blog score, just give them a try. Stop using the same free stock images everyone else is using, and start producing your own DIY images.

DIY images are especially suited for parenthood, motherhood and crafts blogs.

At Home With Natalie is a truly suggestive blog from this point of view. Natalie is a stay-at-home-mom-of-five who writes about her experience as a mom and the everyday activities she does with her children. Her view on motherhood is extremely creative, so she shares about decorating, creative activities and innovative recipes for the little ones. Her blog images are reflective of her enthusiasm as a mom and portray a joyful picture of their family.

4. Creativity.

Source: We The Parents

Creativity is definitely a key factor that differentiates dull blog images from appealing images. Instead of using stock photos, you can try creating some unique pictures that fully embody your personality and blog topic.

Here are some creative techniques you can try out for your blog:

Collage – put together pieces of different photos to create a new, surprising visual.

Patterns & textures – use patterns and textures to enhance your message and come up with a creative image. It is important to note that both patterns and textures add a touch of DIY to a design.

Typography constructions – Use typography to play with words and meanings. Choose a font (a family of fonts or a pair of fonts) that goes well with your blog topic and with your personality. Use animated typography, for a more appealing effect.

Surprising color combinations – A beautiful color palette can save an ordinary design or photo. Playing with colors means that you can add filters to your photos, create colored frames or add text boxes.

There are many types of color palettes, from monochrome palettes to complementary combinations, gradients or pastels. It’s up to you to find your style!

For inspiration, visit We The Parents blog to see some examples of creative images. Their techniques for creating original blog images range from collage, use of patterns and textures, pastel colors, and playful shapes to using the classic poster layout.

5. Recognisability. They’re easily recognizable

Source: Hippie In Heels

Here is one of the best-kept secrets of successful bloggers (though you may have noticed yourself :P): all of their blog images have a coherent visual style. That’s why they’re easily recognizable.

I strongly advise you to take a tour of the Hippie In Heels blog to understand what a coherent visual identity really is. Her personal brand is easily recognizable and memorable. She’s got a unique color palette using light blue as the main color. There’s also a pair of fonts (a hand lettering and a sans serifs font) that appear on all of her blog images. And there are several shapes and glitter textures that she uses as over layers to create a glamour effect. Whoever does her blog’s visual materials must be a skilled designer. If she creates them herself, she must be really multi-talented!

Use these design elements to create a unique visual identity for yourself:

Photography style – test several photography styles and find a unique style that matches your storytelling technique and personality. Play with photoshoot angles, details, and perspectives.

Color palettes – Use filters to add an even more personal touch to your images. Adding filters to photos is extremely easy nowadays, as most mobile phones have their own set of camera filters. Also, you can add filters using Bannersnack.

Fonts – Choose a font (family or pair of fonts) and stick with it. This font will be your voice and people will learn to recognize your brand, by simply seeing your message.

Visual style – Clearly define your visual style and use it to create all of your blog images. Your visual style is an extension of your personality. So, choose between girly and romantic, hippie and adventurous, urban chic, classy aristocratic and so on.

6. These images are eye-catching.

Source: Positively Present

Yes, they are! The reason why bloggers put so much effort into creating eye-catching images for their blogs is that their blog posts get shared across social media and other websites and they’re seen by many people. Having some attention-grabbing images increases your chances to get clicks, visitors and have your blog read.

And plus, it’s a positive experience you offer to your readers every time they come back to read your updates.

Dani DiPirro, the owner of Positively Present , has been working for many years to shape the visual style of her blog images. When she started the blog, back in 2009, things were pretty simple and unattractive. She had a clearly unique message and self-development tips, but her visuals were average. On the contrary, the blog pictures she uses today are some of the most recognizable blog images on the web!

Revamp your blog and stand out!

I hope this guide on how to create stunning blog images has equipped you with all the knowledge you need to start creating a new visual style for your blog. Enough with the stock images look! Create your own original blog images using the techniques I’ve listed above and always keep an eye on the world’s most reputed bloggers for inspiration!

Start creating high-resolution images that truly reflect your style right now!  Create a free account with Bannersnack and start designing!

 

Illustration by Anita Molnar 

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