Do I Really Need a Feature Photo for My Blog Tips?

A small blogging struggle (and what I do about it)

I’ve been blogging for years now and one thing that still trips me up — especially when I’m writing helpful posts like WordPress tips — is what on earth to use for the feature image.

Recipes? Easy. I just use a photo of the food.
Travel? I’ve got plenty of photos from the places we visit.
But blog tips? Things like how to fix double photo uploads or tidy up your Media Library? That’s trickier.

Do I leave it blank? Or find something? And what sort of image even makes sense?

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The Feature Photo Dilemma

When you don’t include a featured image:

• The post still looks fine — especially on desktop.
• But if you share it on Facebook or Pinterest, it pulls in a random image… or nothing at all.
• Your homepage may look inconsistent if some posts have a photo and some don’t.

That’s why I’ve started looking for simple, tidy images that suit blog posts about blogging.

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What I Use Instead

Here are a few things that work well for me — and they’re all free or easy to make:

✅ 1. Canva-made title graphics

I sometimes pop into Canva.com and make a quick image with the blog post title on a plain background.

• I use soft colours and easy-to-read text
• It only takes a few minutes
• Great if you want a matching look across all your blog tip posts

✅ 2. Free stock images from Pixabay

Pixabay is one of my go-to sites. It’s free, no sign-up needed, and perfect for blog photos.
Try searching for:

• “Laptop”
• “Typing”
• “Blogging”
• “Minimal desk”
• “Notes” or “checklist”

These kinds of images are tidy, neutral, and work for almost any blog-related topic.

Other good stock photo sites:

• Pexels
• Unsplash

✅ 3. Screenshots

If I’m showing how to do something in WordPress, I might include a screenshot of the Media Library or settings screen.
It might not be beautiful, but it’s useful — and that’s what counts.

✅ 4. Simple object photos

I sometimes use a photo of my desk, notebook, or phone. It adds a personal touch without needing anything fancy.

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My Honest Approach

These days, if I can’t find a feature photo that suits a blog tip post, I don’t panic. Sometimes I:

• Leave the feature image blank (especially for short or technical posts)
• Reuse a simple image across a group of blog tips
• Add a Canva title image just to keep the blog feed looking tidy

And I think that’s perfectly fine. Your readers are here for the content — not the stock photo. 😊

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Thanks for reading — I hope this helps you feel less alone if you’ve ever stared at your post thinking, “Now what do I use for the picture?”
Let’s keep blogging simple and real. — ♡ Janet