The arrival of the new WordPress block editor has been both exciting and confusing for many users. One of the most powerful new content blocks is the Cover block. This lets you easily add beautiful full-width visuals with overlays to divide up sections in your articles.
However, some users have been puzzled about how the Cover block differs from the existing featured image functionality. What exactly is each one intended for, and when should you use them?
As a WordPress expert with over 15 years of experience, I’m going to clear it all up for you in this comprehensive guide.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What is a cover image?
- What is a featured image?
- How to add cover images in WordPress
- How to add featured images in WordPress
- Best practices for using both together
Let’s start by examining what purpose each image type serves.
Contents
What is a Cover Image in WordPress?
A cover image is a full-width visual that introduces and represents a new section within your content. It acts like a chapter divider, breaking up walls of text and adding visual interest to your page.
With the Cover block in WordPress, you can easily overlay text, apply color tints, and span images across the entire width of your theme with no margins.
Some key characteristics of cover images:
- They appear inline within your content, not just on archive pages.
- They visually separate different sections or “chapters”.
- You can add short text overlays to label each section.
- They utilize the full available page width for maximum impact.
- Color tints can be added to fit branding or set the mood.
Here is an example of a cover image being used to start a new section in a blog post:
The main purpose of a cover image is to break up long-form articles into logical parts. This improves skimability for readers, allowing them to quickly scan and jump between sections.
Adding brief descriptive titles via the overlay text further helps orient readers and gets them excited to read each new part.
When Should You Use Cover Images?
According to WordPress developers, cover images are most useful when:
- You have a long post or page with distinct sections or “chapters”
- You want to break up blocks of text to improve readability
- You need space for large, visually immersive media within the content flow
- You wish to label or introduce different parts of the post
Cover images provide visual segmentation between sections. This keeps visitors engaged as they scroll through multi-part articles.
Now let’s compare this to featured images.
What is a Featured Image in WordPress?
A featured image, also called a post thumbnail, is a representative image chosen to illustrate an entire piece of content at a glance. It serves as the identifying “cover photo” for the post.
Featured images are displayed prominently in locations like:
- Post listing pages and archives
- Social media posts when links are shared
- Google search results
- Related posts sections
- Email newsletters and subscriptions
In short, the featured image gives readers a preview of what the post is about before they click through. It entices them to read the full article.
Here is an example of a featured image shown on a blog homepage:
So in summary, here are the key differences between featured images vs. cover images:
- Featured images represent the post as a whole. Cover images introduce sections within the post.
- Featured images display externally to attract readers. Cover images appear inline within the content flow.
- You can only have one featured image per post. You can have multiple cover images per post.
Now let’s walk through exactly how to add each type of image in WordPress.
How to Add Cover Images in WordPress
Thanks to the Cover block, adding cover images is easy. Just follow these steps:
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Start a new post or open an existing draft to edit.
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Click the Plus icon to open the block inserter toolbar.
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Search for “cover” and select the Cover block from the results.
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The cover image area will appear in your editor. Drag and drop an image here or click Upload to choose a file from your computer.
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Adjust the image position if needed. Center alignment usually works best.
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Click on the default “Write title…” text to add a custom title. Keep it short and punchy, 5 words max.
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Optionally tweak the color overlay opacity and hue. This lets you tint the image to match branding or set a mood.
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Resize the Cover block by dragging the handle on the bottom right so it fits your content.
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Repeat these steps to add more Cover blocks wherever you want new sections to start.
I recommend 2-4 cover images maximum per piece of longform content. You don’t want to overwhelm the reader.
Here are some pro tips for choosing cover images that captivate readers:
- Vibrant photos with pops of color grab attention quickly.
- Large images have more visual impact. Cover blocks expand them edge to edge.
- Ensure text overlays have enough contrast to stay legible atop the photo.
- Summarize each section’s theme or “chapter” in the short text overlay.
- Only add cover images where they enhance the content flow. Don’t just use for decoration.
With strategic use of Cover blocks, you can provide visual segmentation and make your posts more interesting to read.
How to Add Featured Images in WordPress
Adding a featured image works the same as it always has in WordPress. Here are the simple steps:
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Open the editor for the post you want to add a featured image to.
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Scroll down and expand the “Featured Image” meta box on the right.
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Click “Set Featured Image”. The media upload popup will appear.
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Upload a new image or select an existing one from your media library.
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Enter a title and caption if desired. These are helpful for SEO and accessibility.
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Click “Set Featured Image” to save your selection.
Here are some pro tips for picking the best featured images:
- Incorporate your brand colors, logo, or other identifying elements for recognition.
- Choose images that relate closely to the post topic. Don’t use random pretty pictures.
- Text extracts or quotes can make informative featured images.
- For flexibility, size images at least 640px wide. This works across themes.
- Look at metrics and see which image types perform best for clicks/engagement. Then optimize accordingly.
- Show interesting faces and emotions to better connect with readers.
An eye-catching featured image that encapsulates your content will help drive more visitors from social shares, search listings, and article previews.
Best Practices for Using Cover Images vs Featured Images Together
Now that you understand the purpose of cover images and featured images, when should you use each one? Here are my top tips as a WordPress expert:
Use Featured Images When:
- You want one primary image to represent the entire piece of content.
- Your goal is to entice readers from archives, search listings, etc.
- You’re sharing the post on social media and want a good link preview image.
- You only have small thumbnail space, like 300px in a newsletter.
Use Cover Images When:
- Your post has distinctly different sections or “chapters”.
- You want to break up long blocks of text for easier reading.
- You need more room for large, visually impactful media within the content.
- You wish to label parts of your post or introduce new segments.
In short, featured images work excellently as “outward-facing” illustrations of your content, while cover images enrich the “inward-facing” article reading experience.
For maximum impact, use both together! Featured images draw readers into your content, then cover images engage them as they read it.
Pro Tip: Properly Optimizing Your Images is Crucial
No matter what, properly optimizing your images is hugely important for both cover images and featured images.
Here are some essential technical optimization tips from my years as a WordPress developer:
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Compress JPGs to reduce file size with minimal quality loss. I recommend compressing to around 70-80% quality.
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Use a plugin like EWWW to automatically compress images on upload. This saves you time.
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Add width and height dimensions to image tags so browsers can reserve space before loading.
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Enable lazy loading to only load images as they become visible in the viewport. Major speed boost!
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Host images on a CDN like Cloudinary. This puts them closer to visitors for faster delivery.
Properly compressed, sized, and lazy loaded images can massively improve your site speed. This leads to more organic traffic, lower bounce rates, and better SEO. Optimize your featured and cover images!
Let‘s Recap…
We‘ve covered a lot of ground here! To quickly recap:
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Cover images introduce new sections visually within your content.
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Featured images illustrate the post as a whole from the outside.
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Use featured images to attract readers from listings and shares.
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Use cover images to break up and engage readers in longform content.
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Optimize all images for maximum speed.
Hopefully this guide has helped you understand the difference between cover vs featured images in WordPress. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Keep Learning
Want to dive deeper on optimizing images and content? Check out these resources:
- A Beginner‘s Guide to Featured Images in WordPress
- How to Properly Size Images in WordPress
- The Complete Guide to WordPress Image Optimization
Keep crushing it!
