WordPress 5.0 was released, and it included the brand new Gutenberg block editor as well as a slew of other cool features. The Cover block, for example, allows you to add cover images to your posts and pages.
Some users have been perplexed by this feature because it appears to be similar to the Featured Image option, which has been available in WordPress since WordPress 2.9.
In this article, we’ll go over the distinctions between the cover images and featured images in the WordPress block editor.
What exactly is a cover image?
A cover image is typically a large image that serves as the cover photo for a new section of a blog post or page. It is included in the overall article. When beginning a new section or storey within your article, you can use a cover image.
With WordPress’s Cover block, you can add text and a colour overlay to your cover image.
You could also make your article more engaging by adding a colour overlay that fits your theme colour or even the mood of the content.
Similarly, adding text overlay assists your users in determining where a new section in your article begins and what it is about.
Heading text has traditionally been used by bloggers to separate sections of a blog post. With cover images, you can now separate sections in a more visually appealing manner.
What exactly is a Featured Image?
A featured image (also known as a post thumbnail) is the main image that represents the content in an article. They are clearly displayed on your site on individual posts, blog archive pages, and the homepages of news, magazine, and blog websites.
In addition, when an article is shared, featured images are displayed in social media feeds.
The featured images are carefully designed to be visually appealing. These images provide users with a quick glimpse of your content and encourage them to read the entire article.
Because almost all WordPress themes support featured images by default, you’ll see a meta box for adding one in your post edit screen.
Your WordPress theme completely controls where and how featured images are displayed.
How Do I Insert a Cover Image in WordPress?
The new WordPress block editor (Gutenberg) includes a Cover block that allows you to add a cover image to your WordPress posts.
To begin, you must either create a new post or edit an existing one. Click the add new block button on the post edit screen, then select Cover block.
The Cover block can be found under the Common Blocks tab.
If you click on the block, the Cover block would be added to your content editor, alongside options for adding your new cover image.
To upload a new cover image, simply drag and drop an image or video into the block area. Alternatively, you can click the Upload button, navigate to a file on your computer, and then open it to upload.
If you want to add an image that is already in your media library, click the Media Library button and select an image from your media gallery.
After you’ve added your cover image, you can easily customise it by clicking on it.
Above the image, you’ll see a toolbar with customization options. Fill in the title… field in the centre of the image, and block settings, such as colour overlay, in the right-hand panel.
Aside from the alignment option, the cover image block offers two width options: wide and full width.
The option for wide width makes the image appear as wide as your content. With the full-width option, your image fills the entire window screen.
After that, you can give your cover image a title. When you click on the cover image, the “Write title…” field appears in the centre of your cover image.
To add text, simply click in that area. You can type your cover image title and format it using the formatting options that appear above the text or above the cover image.
Finally, on the right side panel, there are cover block settings. When users scroll down the page, you can enable Fixed Background to create a parallax effect.
Color overlay options are available below that. It adds your theme’s colour as an overlay colour with 50% transparency by default, but you can change the overlay colour and opacity by moving the point.
Finally, by selecting the Advanced option, you can add CSS code and additional styles to your cover image.
That’s all!
If necessary, repeat this step to add multiple cover images to a single article.
How Do I Insert a Featured Image in WordPress?
The procedure for adding a featured image remains the same as before. If you’ve been using WordPress for a while, you’re already familiar with the process of adding a featured image.
To add a featured image, first open a post edit screen and then navigate to the Featured Image meta box on the right side of the screen.
You must select the Set featured image option.
Following that, you can either drag and drop a new image into the uploader or select an image from your existing media library.
After that, you can enter a title and alt text for your featured image before clicking the Select button.
You have added a featured image to your article successfully.
If you want more information, read our beginner’s guide to adding featured images in WordPress.
You can preview your post after you’ve added your featured image to see how it looks.
If you are using the new default theme Twenty Nineteen or another advanced theme, your featured images may still have a colour overlay.
By going to the WordPress customizer, you can remove it or change the colour.
Simply go to your WordPress menu and select Appearance » Customize.
When you’re in the Customize panel, click the Colors option on the left.
On this tab, you can change the primary colour of your theme as well as enable or disable the image filter.
By selecting the Custom option and selecting a colour, you can change the primary colour of your theme.
If you want to turn off the colour filter on your featured images, simply uncheck the box next to “Apply a filter to featured images using the primary colour.”
Please keep in mind that featured images are managed by WordPress themes, so if your theme does not support image filters, you may not see this option.
Conclusion – WordPress Cover Image vs. Featured Image
Let’s look at some best practices now that you know how to add a cover image and a featured image.
WordPress blogs, online magazines, news, and entertainment websites have all used featured images as post thumbnails or main article images.
A well-designed featured image encourages users to open an article. They’re excellent for making your website more visually appealing and interactive.
The images on your cover are actually parts of your article. When a user opens your article to read it, they will see your cover image. As a result, they make your articles more engaging and enjoyable to read.
The best way to use cover images is to create a beautiful transition between sections within a lengthy article.
Cover images differ from regular post images in that they can be full-width and have text overlays applied to them.
You can increase user engagement on your posts by properly adding cover images.
We hope this article clarified the distinction between a cover image and a featured image in the new WordPress block editor.
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