Images that earn their kilobytes

Stock smiles and purple gradient blobs train readers to skip. If the image does not change what the reader understands, cut it.

Evidence beats vibe

Screenshots of the actual UI, photos of the actual place, diagrams of the actual process — these pull weight. Generic “team collaborating” photos do not. When in doubt, prefer a simple diagram over a cinematic nothing.

Alt text is the caption for machines and people

Write alt text like a terse caption: what is shown that matters. “Photo” is not alt text. Neither is stuffing keywords. If the image is pure decoration, mark it decorative and keep it out of the reading flow.

Crop for the crop

Upload with the layout in mind. A landscape that only ever displays as a tiny square will lose its subject. Give editors a hard rule: subject must survive a center crop.

One strong image per section

Galleries are where meaning goes to die. One well-placed image next to a claim beats six thumbnails under the fold. Treat bandwidth and attention as shared budget.