Every website needs images, but so does each of your website articles published on your site. Pictures, infographics, stock photos etc. enhance your articles. They make them more attractive and increase the likelihood they will be clicked…and viewed.
There are many ways to make your articles more inviting to read. Use of images is one of the best methods to dramatically improve your views by 80% or more.
Enhance Your Article with Images
Of course you want to use pics and photos in your marketing material and on your website. These are just some ways you will want to use images.
- Your article becomes more visually appealing and easier to read. It becomes less boring.
- Appeals to visual learners
- May convey additional information about your article
- Improves reader’s retention
- Allows you to add a personal touch
- Increases views if image is appears in local search
Don’t feel compelled to use clinical photos all the time. Clinical photos can be mixed with non-clinical images to express feeling or entrench a message. For instance, if a new drug receives “FDA Approval,” you might choose (as I have!) to insert a pic of a “thumbs up” or a rubber stamp that says “approved.”
What to Do and What Not to Do
I learned a hard lesson at the start of my marketing career. I was caught, and successfully fined >$750, for the use of a retinal photograph downloaded from the Internet. Here are a few “best practices” for use of images in your articles;
- Do NOT download images from the Internet
- Do NOT use material for which you do NOT have permission
- Improve SEO by using ALT TAGS
- Use images which are relevant to your article
- Informatics enhance your message
- Obtain consent if using recognizable patient photos
Royalty Free Photos – Free or Inexpensive
I use the following sites for my clinical publishing and for my marketing and podcasting.
Free “Royalty Free” Sites
- Pixabay.com
- Flickr.com
- Morguefile.com
- Canva.com (Canva is actually one of the BEST and FREE design and layout tools for graphics)
Inexpensive Stock Sites
- Fotolia.com
- 123rf.com
- iStockphoto.com (pricier)
- Depositphotos.com
- Presentermedia.com
All the best!
Randy