Best Tools to Create Great Images for Your Small Business Website or Blog


images for blog posts

In the world of digital marketing, creating striking images for blog posts is paramount. With 65% of people being visual learners and articles featuring images receiving 94% more views, the need for visually captivating content is clear.

This highlights the essential role of vibrant and engaging imagery in enhancing digital marketing strategies.

However, the cost of hiring professional graphic designers for high-quality images can be prohibitively expensive, especially for smaller businesses or individual marketers. In light of this, many marketers have turned to a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach for their image editing needs.

This DIY approach involves leveraging various user-friendly graphic design tools and software that are available in the market. These tools often come with pre-designed templates, easy-to-use interfaces, and tutorials to guide users in creating professional-looking images.

By using these resources, marketers can produce engaging and visually appealing content for their blogs, social media posts, and other digital marketing materials without the need for extensive graphic design skills or a hefty budget.

In addition, many of these tools offer free versions or are relatively low-cost, making them accessible to marketers of all levels. They also provide flexibility and creative control, allowing marketers to tailor their visual content to align precisely with their brand identity and campaign goals.

As a result, the DIY method has become a practical and popular solution for creating compelling visual content in digital marketing.

images for blog posts

Choosing the Best Place to Source Images for Blog Posts

When choosing image creation tools, consider these essential factors that can significantly impact their effectiveness for your specific business or blogging needs:

  • Ease of Use: Consider tools with intuitive interfaces for quick learning and efficient design creation.
  • Template Variety: Look for tools offering a wide range of templates to suit different types of content.
  • Customization Options: Ensure the tool allows adequate customization to maintain brand consistency.
  • Image Quality and Diversity: Choose tools that offer high-quality and diverse image options.
  • Integration Capabilities: Tools that integrate with other platforms (e.g., social media, blogging platforms) can streamline your workflow.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Weigh the features against the pricing to ensure it fits your budget.

images for blog posts

Our Methodology: How We Chose the Best Places to Source Images for Blog Posts

Identifying the best resources for sourcing images for blog posts is key to enhancing the visual appeal and effectiveness of online content.

Our methodology for this selection uses a scale from 1 to 10, assigning weights to various criteria based on their importance in providing high-quality, relevant, and legally compliant imagery. This scale approach ensures that sources which excel in crucial areas like image quality, variety, and licensing clarity are given prominence in our assessment.

Image Quality and Resolution (10/10)

High-quality, high-resolution images are paramount for professional and visually appealing blog posts.

Variety and Diversity of Collection (9/10)

A wide range of images, including different subjects, styles, and themes, to suit various blog topics is highly valued.

Licensing Clarity and Usage Rights (9/10)

Clear information on licensing and usage rights to ensure legal compliance and proper usage of images.

Cost-Effectiveness (8/10)

Free or cost-effective sources are preferred, balancing budget considerations with quality.

Search Functionality and Ease of Use (8/10)

User-friendly platforms with efficient search tools enable quick and easy image sourcing.

Regular Updates and Fresh Content (7/10)

Frequent updates with new images to provide fresh options for regular blog post creation.

Attribution Requirements (7/10)

Understanding the need for attribution or credit to the image creators and preference for minimal or no attribution requirements.

Customization Options (6/10)

Availability of tools to edit or customize images to fit the specific needs of a blog post.

Reliability and Reputation of the Source (6/10)

Trusted and reputable sources with a consistent track record are preferred for reliable image sourcing.

Community and User Contributions (6/10)

Platforms that allow contributions from a community of photographers and artists offer a diverse and dynamic collection.

Ethical and Responsible Sourcing (6/10)

Sources that ensure ethical practices in image sourcing and respect for intellectual property rights.

This methodology leads to a comprehensive evaluation of various image sources, highlighting those that offer the best combination of quality, diversity, and user-friendliness.

By focusing on these key criteria, we aim to identify image sources that can effectively enhance the visual impact of blog posts while adhering to legal and ethical standards.

images for blog posts

Where to Make Images for Blog Posts

Fortunately, there are some truly magical image editing tools designed for the technically challenged, and many of them are free to use or have low-cost plans.

Piktochart

Piktochart is one of the most popular online tools that allow you to create graphics, presentations and even infographics.

Their mantra, ‘Take your visual communication to the next level without hiring a graphic designer” is true to its nature, since they’ve helped a lot of marketers in create outstanding infographics over the years.

With Piktochart, all you need to do is to enter your data and choose a template and it automatically does the work for you.

MakeaMeme

MakeaMeme or MAM is a completely free online tool you can use to make your own meme. It includes a library of images you can simply slap on a caption and download after registering.

However, the site does not specify if the images are under copyright, so using them may land you in legal trouble if you use it for your business, especially if your post goes viral. It is far safer to use the meme generator, where you can upload your own image or a stock photo for commercial use.

Here’s one using an image from Pixabay, an equally magical site for free stock photos, illustrations, and videos:

5 Easy-to-Use Tools to Create Images for Blog Posts

Other sites where you can find free and royalty-free images that require no attribution are MorgueFile and Public Domain Pictures.

Stencil

This is an online tool for easily creating images for blog posts. Stencil has its own library of thousands of royalty-free images that you can simply drag and drop to the work space, manipulate, filter, and a host of other stuff. The tool also provides social media icons, quotes, and templates.

Here is a sample:

images for blog posts

You can’t simply copy and paste the image you’ve made, however. You have to save it on Stencil and download it, which takes a while. At any rate, it is easy to use and the free version allows you to create up to 10 images a month, so it’s all good.

PlaceIt

A blog is a useful marketing tool, more so if you can actively promote your brand through your visual content. A great tool for brand placement is PlaceIt, which lets you drag and drop your website’s URL or any landing page for a product in any of the stock photos or videos it has in its library.

It is free to use if you only need a small image (400×300 px) like the one above, but if you want high-res images, you have to pay per piece (from $8 up). You can also get 9 images a month for $29 or 31 images for $99.

There is the option to make demo videos, but there is no free version. You either pay per video ($29 or so) or pay $199 a month for unlimited videos and nine images.

Canva

Canva is a nifty image-editing tool, which makes it easy to make professional-looking graphics without having any graphic design chops.

You can choose from pre-set templates, or create your own. Aside from photos, you can also create infographics.

All you have to do is choose among the many design options and start playing! Some photos and layouts carry a small price tag, but there are many of free ones as well. They have over 1 million pre-existing images and graphics to choose from.

images for blog posts

Comparison of Image Creation Tools for Blogs and Websites

Selecting the right tool for creating images for your blog or website is crucial. This table compares our five featured user-friendly image creation tools, outlining their key features, pricing, and unique offerings.

Tool NameKey FeaturesPricingBest For
PiktochartGraphics, presentations, infographics creationFree basic plan, paid plans start at $29/monthMarketers needing infographics and visual presentations
MakeaMeme (MAM)Meme creation with a library of imagesFreeQuick meme creation for social media posts
StencilEasy image creation with library of royalty-free images, social media icons, quotes, templatesFree for up to 10 images/month, paid plans availableSocial media posts and blog imagery
PlaceItBrand placement in stock photos/videos, product demo videosFree for small images, high-res from $8/image, videos from $29Brand marketing and product demonstrations
CanvaWide range of templates, over 1 million pre-existing images and graphicsFree basic plan, paid plans availableVersatile graphic design needs from social media to print

images for blog posts

DIY-ing Images for Blog Posts

Exploring the DIY path for creating images for your blog posts is both an exciting and practical approach. Here are the 5 tools featured in the article that can empower you to craft engaging and visually appealing content:

  • Piktochart: This tool is particularly effective for those looking to create infographics, charts, and data-driven visuals. Its user-friendly interface makes it a great choice for presenting complex information in an easy-to-understand and visually appealing format.
  • MakeaMeme (MAM): For creating engaging and humorous content, MakeaMeme is a perfect tool. It allows you to quickly create memes that can add a light-hearted or viral aspect to your blog posts, making them more shareable and engaging.
  • Stencil: Stencil is known for its simplicity and efficiency, making it ideal for bloggers and marketers who need to create graphics quickly. With a straightforward interface and a wealth of stock images and icons, it’s a great tool for creating compelling visuals with minimal effort.
  • PlaceIt: PlaceIt stands out for its ability to create mockups and professional-grade design templates. It’s particularly useful for placing images into real-life scenarios, such as showcasing a design on a t-shirt or a mobile app on a smartphone screen.
  • Canva: A popular choice for its versatility, Canva offers a wide range of templates and design elements that cater to different styles and needs. It’s a fantastic tool for creating social media graphics, blog images, and more, with an intuitive interface that’s accessible for users of all skill levels.

While these tools are not a complete substitute for a professional graphic designer, they offer amazing alternatives to kickstart your visual content strategy.

Experimenting with these tools will help you determine which one best suits your image creation needs, allowing you to enhance your blog posts with visually striking and relevant content.

Image: Depositphotos.com

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Larry Kim Larry Kim founded WordStream in 2007. He serves as company CTO and is the author of 4 Award-Winning Books on Software Development. Larry also blogs at the WordStream Blog and practices photography in his spare time.

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