Steps to use Featured Image in Wordpress

Steps to use Featured Image in Wordpress
Oct 05, 2011
wordpress

It's a given today, each blog post should have at least an image. Wordpress is more aware of this and have options to easily add images/videos to posts. But we often need a specific image for a post that can used by wp themes in separate locations from text content. Something like slideshows on home page or stylish display of posts in home page (as in screenshot above) needs this.

Wordpress added an option called 'Featured Image' as early as it's version 2.9. But it's not intuitive & not all themes avail this either.

The screenshot above is a demo view of Sight theme. A nice & free theme that works elegantly, thanks to wpshower.com. It uses 'Featured image' in both slideshow and positioning image next to teaser content.

When we set to use this feature, many times I need to explain site owners on how to use this option. While most know how to upload an image in wordpress, setting up a 'Featured image' has a small twist. I wrote a document for this, but a video will be very easy to follow.

Sure enough, here is a video available at Vimeo. In this video you can find 'how to add Featured Images for posts'. Note the tricky part of using a tiny 'Set a featured image' text link after uploading image. It's the cruicial part. Hope Wordpress will simplify this soon.

Using WordPress Featured Images from Bill Robbins on Vimeo.

In this video, the featured image does not appear in theme, but that's due to the settings in theme. Themes that support 'Featured Images' will automatically show theme.