Images in articles and posts

Every article gets a header image, and longer articles get images in the body too. Each image is either drawn for the article or, when your workspace prefers it, a stock photo from Unsplash or Pexels that passed review. You can also draft a single image on its own for a social post.

Images in an article

• Header image. Drawn for the article by default.
• Body images. A post of 600 words or more gets about one image per 450 words, up to 6. Each one goes after the first paragraph of the section it illustrates.
• Alt text. Every image has alt text. The checks flag header alt text that’s too short, too long, a filename, or stuffed with the keyword.

Body images are a stock photo when one passes review, otherwise a drawn image.

Use stock photos instead of drawn images

The workspace profile, a system document owners can open under Documents → System files, holds the image policy:

• Draw images (the default).
• Stock first: look for an Unsplash or Pexels photo first, have the image reviewer check that it fits, and draw one only when none passes. The review then says why.

The policy also sets how many body images an article gets, or turns them off. A single article can ask for a different number, or none, with a short note such as “product shots, no people”, through the article’s options.

A stock photo is shown from its source, and its credit line (“Photo by … on Unsplash”, with links) is added to the article. Some destinations, such as Ghost, receive the credit as the image caption.

If you supply your own image link in a brief, the reviewer checks it too, and what it finds shows as a warning.

Draft a single image

1. Choose New generation, then Image.
2. Describe the image in the prompt and write its alt text. Optionally pick an aspect ratio.
3. Choose Generate. The image comes back to Review like any draft.

Calendar posts in an image format are drafted the same way from the calendar.

Use an approved image

Once approved, the image’s Use it box offers:

• Download image for a drawn image.
• Open image and Copy credit for a stock photo, so you can post it by hand with its credit.

To post an image with social copy, publish the copy to a social destination and pick the approved image in the Image field. The image must be made for the same post: the same piece, or drafted for the same calendar post. See social posts and newsletters.

Where images are hosted

A draft’s images are private links that expire after a few minutes. Once a version is approved and published or exported, its images move to permanent public addresses. Destinations that host their own media, such as WordPress, Ghost and Webflow, receive copies of the files.

What images cost

Images use credits like any other draft. A header and body images are part of the article’s charge. A single image is its own draft.

If something goes wrong

• The image doesn’t fit the article. Request a revision and say what to change, for example “Use a photo of a workshop, not an office”.
• A stock photo was skipped. None of the candidates passed review, so Wavefront drew one. The review notes say why.
• A social network refused the image. Some networks accept only certain file types or need an image at all. The publication’s error names the problem.