Why Are My Blog Posts Not Showing Thumbnails or Featured Images?

Publication date: September 12, 2023. Last updated: October 5, 2023

Ensure your blog posts grab the reader's attention with striking thumbnails and featured images. A well-displayed image can significantly improve the attractiveness of your posts, increasing engagement and driving more traffic to your site. However, issues such as missing or improperly set featured images can affect your website's SEO and user experience. In this article, we will explore various reasons why your blog posts might not be showing these thumbnails or featured images.

What Is a Featured Image?

A featured image is a specific image that you choose to represent a blog post or a page on your website. It is often displayed as a thumbnail in search engine results pages (SERPs) and social media platforms. The image adds personality and context to your content, making it more appealing to users. Understanding how to properly upload and set featured images is crucial for optimizing your website's appearance and search engine visibility.

Step-by-Step Guide to Set Featured Images

Here are the detailed steps to ensure that your featured images are set correctly:

Login to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to the blog post or page you wish to enhance with a featured image. Click on the “Screen Options” button located at the top right corner of the screen. Check the box next to “Featured Image” to enable the featured image functionality. Click on the “Set Featured Image” link. Browse your media library or upload a new image from your computer. Select the image that best represents your post and click “Set Featured Image”.

Following these steps will ensure that your blog posts are correctly displaying featured images, which can significantly enhance your website’s appeal and visibility.

Common Issues and Solutions

Despite following these steps, you may still encounter issues with featured images not displaying. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

1. Featured Image URL Issue

If the URL of your featured image is incorrect, the image may not display properly. Ensure that the image is correctly uploaded and that the featured image URL is correct in your post's settings.

2. Image Type and Size

Some image types or sizes may be unsupported by certain platforms. Make sure that your image's file type is supported (JPEG, PNG) and that its dimensions are appropriate for web use (typically 120630 pixels for best SEO results).

3. Browser Cache

Clearing your browser cache might help if the image still doesn't display. Browser caches can sometimes prevent new images from loading.

4. Theme Compatibility

Ensure that the theme you are using supports featured images and that there are no conflicts with plugins that may interfere with the display of images.

SEO Benefits of Featured Images

Featured images offer several SEO benefits. They can:

Improve click-through rates from search engines and social media platforms. Make your blog posts more visually appealing, which can increase user engagement and time on page. Help establish your blog as a visual reference in the eyes of search engines, potentially improving your overall SEO.

Incorporating high-quality, relevant featured images is a simple yet effective way to enhance the user experience and improve your online visibility.

Conclusion

Properly setting featured images for your blog posts can have a significant impact on your website’s content presentation and SEO. By ensuring that your featured images are uploaded, chosen correctly, and displayed properly, you can improve the visual appeal of your posts and enhance your website’s overall search engine performance. If you continue to experience issues, it may be helpful to consult with a web developer or a professional SEO advisor.

Implementing best practices for featured images can be a simple adjustment to your content strategy, but it can yield substantial rewards in terms of engagement and traffic. Start by checking each blog post and ensuring that the featured image is set correctly and relevant. Your readers and search engines will thank you for it!