: High-quality images should generally be at least 300 PPI for clarity . For web headers, many platforms recommend a width of at least 2500px to ensure the image doesn't pixelate on large monitors .

According to experts at 10Fold and Medium reviewers , a strong article image should have:

: The lighting should be clear, and objects or people should be well-defined .

: The JPG (or JPEG) format is ideal for photographs as it balances high quality with smaller file sizes . For scientific papers or graphics with text, PNG is often preferred because it uses lossless compression that preserves fine lines .

: Always ensure you have the rights to the image. You can find free-to-use visuals on sites like Unsplash , Pixabay , and Pexels . Picking Good Header Images - Scholastica Help Desk

To ensure your image looks professional across different devices, follow these technical standards:

: Some "evergreen" images—like a person in a coffee shop—are versatile and can fit various niches from nature to technology .