Nayan Dhumal
Canva makes it easy to create featured images, in-post graphics and Pinterest pins for your blog without design skills. The trick is to set up a few templates once and reuse them. This guide covers the right sizes, a simple design system and practical tips to make your blog images look consistent and load quickly.
Good images make a blog look trustworthy. They help readers skim, make posts more shareable and give your site a recognisable style.
You do not need to be a designer. You need a few repeatable templates, a small set of colours and fonts, and the habit of exporting images at sensible sizes.
Key takeaways
- Create a custom-size design for your featured images and save it as a template.
- Pick two or three brand colours and two fonts, and stick to them.
- Keep text on images short and large enough to read on a phone.
- Download as PNG for graphics with text and JPG for photos.
- Compress images and give them descriptive file names and alt text.
- Elements marked with a crown or Pro label need a paid plan.
Step 1: Choose your image sizes
Canva lets you create a design at any custom size. These are common sizes for blog images:
| Image | Common size (pixels) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Featured image | 1200 x 628 | Wide format that works well when shared on social media |
| In-post graphic | 1200 wide, any height | Fits most blog content widths |
| Pinterest pin | 1000 x 1500 | Tall format that suits Pinterest feeds |
| Instagram post | 1080 x 1080 or 1080 x 1350 | Square or portrait |
Check your theme’s content width and featured image settings as well. Some themes crop featured images to a different shape.
To create a custom size, click Create a design, choose Custom size, enter the width and height and click Create.
Step 2: Set up a simple design system
Consistency matters more than fancy design. Decide these once and reuse them:
- Colours: two or three main colours, plus white or a dark neutral. Save the hex codes.
- Fonts: one bold font for headings and one clean font for smaller text.
- Layout: where the title goes, where your logo or site name goes and what the background looks like.
On this blog, featured images use a dark navy background, a bold yellow highlight and the same font on every post. Readers start to recognise the style.
Pro tip
Once you are happy with one featured image, duplicate it for every new post and only change the text. Your images stay consistent and each one takes a couple of minutes.
Step 3: Use templates, then make them yours
Canva has thousands of templates. They are a great starting point, but if you use them unchanged, your images will look like everyone else’s.
- Change the colours to your brand colours.
- Swap the fonts for your chosen fonts.
- Remove decorations that do not add meaning.
- Save your edited version as your own template.
Step 4: Keep text short and readable
Most of your readers will see your images on a phone.
- Use a short title, not the full post title if it is long.
- Make the text large enough to read at a small size.
- Make sure there is strong contrast between text and background.
- Avoid putting important text near the edges, where it may be cropped.
Zoom out in Canva to around 25% to see how the image looks at a small size.
Step 5: Create helpful in-post graphics
Images inside posts should explain something, not just decorate.
- Step graphics: show a process in three to five steps.
- Comparison graphics: show two options side by side.
- Checklists: summarise the key points of a post.
- Annotated screenshots: add arrows and labels to a screenshot so readers can follow along.
Any important information in a graphic should also be in the text, so search engines and screen readers can understand it.
Step 6: Download at the right format
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| PNG | Graphics with text, flat colours and screenshots |
| JPG | Photos and images with many colours and gradients |
| Printables and documents, not blog images |
Click Share, then Download, choose the file type and download.
Step 7: Optimise before uploading
Large images slow your blog down.
- Compress images with a compression tool or an image optimisation plugin before or after upload.
- Consider WebP. Many optimisation plugins can convert images to WebP, which is usually smaller.
- Rename files with descriptive names, such as how-to-write-meta-description.png, instead of “Untitled design (4).png”.
- Add alt text in WordPress that describes the image. If it fits naturally, include your post’s main topic.
For more on alt text and other on-page checks, see what a focus keyword is.
Free vs paid elements
Canva has a free plan and paid plans. Some templates, photos and elements are marked with a crown or a Pro label, which means they are part of a paid plan. If you are on the free plan, filter for free elements or check the label before you use something. Check Canva’s own pricing page for current plans.
Also check the licence for any photo or element you use, especially if the image is for a product you sell rather than a blog post.
Common mistakes
- Too much text. An image is not the place for full sentences.
- Too many fonts and colours. Stick to your design system.
- Huge files. Uploading large images straight from Canva without compressing them.
- Missing alt text. It helps accessibility and helps search engines understand the image.
If you are planning to sell printables made in Canva, see my guide to selling printables and ebooks from your blog.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a blog featured image be in Canva?
1200 x 628 pixels is a common size that works well for sharing. Check your theme’s settings, because some themes crop featured images differently.
Is Canva free for blog images?
Canva has a free plan that is enough for most blog images. Elements marked with a crown or Pro label need a paid plan.
Should I download blog images as PNG or JPG?
Use PNG for graphics with text and flat colours, and JPG for photos. Compress either before or after uploading.
How do I make my blog images look consistent?
Pick two or three colours and two fonts, create one featured image template and duplicate it for every post.
Do blog images help SEO?
Images help readers, and descriptive file names and alt text help search engines understand them. Keep files small so they do not slow your pages.