An image should have a job. It might demonstrate a step, reveal a detail, explain a relationship, or establish an appropriate visual tone. Choosing that job first helps you avoid adding large decorative assets that slow a page without helping the reader understand anything.
Decide what the image contributes
Ask what a reader would miss if the image were removed. A screenshot can show a confusing setting, while a diagram can clarify a sequence better than another paragraph. If the image is purely decorative, keep it restrained and do not present it as evidence for a factual claim.
Prefer an example that matches the actual explanation. A generic chart that looks like a revenue result can mislead if it is not clearly illustrative. Avoid invented customer photographs or fabricated testimonials used to make a new project appear established.
Confirm permission and protect private details
Use original work or material with appropriate rights for the intended use. Read the license requirements for attribution, modification, and commercial use rather than assuming an image found through search is free to republish. Keep a record of where the asset came from and the permission relied upon.
Inspect screenshots for email addresses, account identifiers, financial details, private messages, or other information that should not be public. Use a safe demonstration account where possible. Cropping the obvious area may not remove every sensitive detail, so review the complete exported image before uploading it.
Match size and format to the content
Export a version sized for the space it needs to fill, with appropriate alternatives for different displays when useful. A small card rarely needs the full dimensions of an original photograph. Compare the result visually instead of choosing the smallest file regardless of legibility.
Simple vector artwork can work well as SVG when it is created or reviewed safely. Photographs and complex raster images need a suitable raster format and compression setting. Keep the editable original separately so later changes do not depend on repeatedly editing an already compressed copy.
Describe information that matters
Write alternative text according to the purpose of the image in its context. Describe the information the reader needs rather than mechanically listing every visible object. For a complex chart or process, provide a nearby textual explanation or data representation that conveys the important relationships.
Pure decoration should not create unnecessary announcements for screen-reader users. Avoid using an image as the only place essential instructions or contact details appear. Text in ordinary page markup is easier to resize, select, translate, and maintain than text permanently embedded in a graphic.
Check the published version
Inspect the image on a narrow screen and with text enlarged. Confirm that labels remain readable and no important part is cropped by the layout. Reserve predictable space where appropriate so loading the image does not move a link or button someone is trying to use.
Review the page after upload, not only the local file. Verify the correct asset path, dimensions, and loading behavior. Remove obsolete exports from the publishing workflow when they are no longer needed, while keeping an organized source archive for future corrections.
Go to the source
Policies and product details can change. Check the official documentation before acting.
General educational information, not financial, tax, or legal advice. Examples are illustrative; results and earnings are not guaranteed.