Why You Should Use Unique Images on Medium

My two cents from a reader’s perspective.

Here’s a small disclaimer: I’m not an expert when it comes to how Medium works. In fact, I’m not even close to being an expert.

So you might rightly be wondering, “Why in the world would I write an article about what images to use on Medium?”

Valid question.

Here’s why: I’m not just a writer — I’m also a reader here. For the purposes of this article, that’s really important.

I spend at least an hour (or two) reading article after article on this platform every single day.

I don’t do it because I have to — I do it because I want to. I love discovering new, talented writers and supporting others on their writing journey.

Frankly, I think Medium is the best thing since sliced bread.

But that’s beside the point.

The fact is, as a reader, I often make a decision about whether or not I want to read a particular article based on the cover image alone.

Sometimes, I’ll be scrolling through my feed and a particular picture will jump out at me and make me read the article at gunpoint. (So I do, because I’m a sheep.)

Anyway, if I love an article, I often check to see who wrote such a brilliant masterpiece and start binge-reading other articles from that author.

As a writer, that’s what you want. You want people to be so captivated by your writing that they want to read more.

So, I can’t stress this enough — I’m definitely not the most experienced person to say this as a writer, but as a reader, I can say this with confidence: Images matter way more than you realize.

Specifically, here’s why you should only use unique images:

Your articles will stand out

Have you ever watched a toddler in a room full of toys? If not, here’s what usually happens:

After a while, the toddler gets sick of seeing the same toys over and over again, and she stops playing or even looking at the toys she’s seen a thousand times.

Sadly, old toys don’t stand out like they did when they were new and eye-catching and still made weird dinosaur noises.

The same thing happens to the images you use. (Except they never make weird dinosaur noises in the first place. If they do, I want to know where you get your images from).

So, if you keep using the first picture that comes up when you type “happiness” in the search bar, that’s the equivalent of giving a toddler an old toy — you’re shooting yourself in the foot before you even hit publish.

You might have the best story ever, but if the picture you use is already plastered all over Medium, readers like me probably won’t give it a second glance.

Believe me, you don’t want to be the old, worn-out toy that no one looks at anymore. You want to be the new, savvy cool kid on the block.

So how do you do that? You do that by picking original images. And you find original images by using original search terms.

For example, instead of searching for the term “happiness”, why not search for “happy adult” or “happy person”?

Instead of searching for “woman”, why not search for “woman outside” or “woman traveling”?

This is exactly how I find my images. I experiment with terms until I find what works.

Unfortunately, I didn’t always do this. When I was just getting started, I hadn’t read enough to understand which pictures were being used a lot and which ones weren’t.

Now, though, I realize how important originality is from a reader’s perspective.

So try it. Don’t settle for what’s on the first page unless it looks original. Keep searching, and you’ll find hidden gems no one else is using.

You’ll help talented photographers

Using new images doesn’t only benefit you and your writing — it also gives more exposure to photographers who are struggling to get noticed and jumpstart their own creative careers, too.

If that’s not a win-win, I don’t know what is.

I’ve spent a lot of time combing through Unsplash, looking for that perfect image to suit my article, and here’s what I’ve noticed: there are a ton of amazing pictures that are just waiting to be discovered.

No matter what your topic is, there are thousands of options to choose from. For example, I tried searching for “woman traveling” and Unsplash came up with over 42,000 pictures.

It’s easy to find great images if you know where to look

Medium makes it really easy to include quality images in your post. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it.

When I started a blog back in high school, I remember having to choose between a free image that looked like it was taken with a piece of wax paper over the lens or a professional image that I had to pay for.

With Unsplash, you can use breathtaking images for free.

It seems too good to be true, but it’s not. Be sure to use this tool to your advantage. Get into the habit of using creative search terms and I promise that you’ll be amazed by what you uncover.

Bottom line

Picking images is part of the writing process on Medium, and that’s not every writer’s cup of tea. But considering that images can make or break your article, they’re incredibly important to include.

Don’t spend five hours pouring your heart and soul into a piece and then settle for the first image you come across.

Here’s a rule of thumb I like to remember: If you’ve seen a picture used by someone else, don’t use it.

Instead, get creative. Use different search terms until you find images that work for your article.

Readers like me will thank you.