Configure a consistent visual direction while allowing Publisher to choose section-aware subjects and varied placements for each article.

Image fields

How the image plan works

Publisher builds the media plan from article sections rather than repeating a title-level prompt. It incorporates section context, varies format, framing, lighting and palette, avoids recent layout signatures and selects a paragraph position inside eligible sections.

Introductory text, table of contents, FAQ and conclusion areas are not used for inline placement. This avoids a predictable “image after every heading” layout and keeps visuals attached to sections where they add meaning.

Default prompt vs custom prompt

The built-in prompt contains mandatory safety, relevance and no-rendered-text requirements. Your custom prompt is additional visual direction.

Useful example: “Clean editorial technology photography, calm navy and electric-blue accents, realistic materials, natural depth, no logos, no interface text.”

Avoid asking every image to show the same composition. Do not include secret product information, complete customer data or copyrighted brand assets you do not have permission to use.

Required versus optional images

There is no separate “images required” switch in 3.7.6. Featured-image behaviour has its own toggle. Inline images become a blocking quality expectation when the configured minimum is greater than zero. Set minimum and maximum to zero for a text-only workflow.

Provider configuration

OpenAI and Gemini are supported image providers. Provider/model/AI quality live under AI Providers, while count, visual direction, size and WebP quality live under Images. A successful text connection test does not validate image access.

Media Library output

Generated files are stored as WordPress attachments, converted to WebP where supported, associated with the post and given descriptive alt text and attachment metadata. Alt text should communicate the image’s content in context; it is not a place to repeat keywords mechanically.

Recommended setup sequence

1. First complete a text-only draft.
2. Select and save the image provider and model.
3. Enable a featured image and set inline minimum/maximum to 1/1.
4. Keep Medium AI quality and WebP 82 for the first test.
5. Add a concise visual-style prompt.
6. Generate a Draft and inspect the provider result, placement, crop, file type and alt text.
7. Increase inline counts only after the layout is consistently useful.

Retry behaviour

The media plan is checkpointed so a retry can continue without silently inventing a different layout for every attempt. Provider failures can be retried according to job policy. Cancel preserves safe completed work and does not publish an incomplete article.

Common problems

• No images: verify provider key, model access, billing and a positive image requirement.
• Quality blocker for images: confirm the actual inline count meets the configured minimum.
• Image contains text: strengthen the additive no-signage/no-interface-text direction and retry; never rely on generated text for factual UI.
• Repetitive layout: remove over-specific composition instructions and review more than one article.
• WebP unavailable: verify server image libraries and inspect the attachment format/error.
• Poor alt text: correct it in Media Library before publication and refine the stable style instructions.

Verification checklist

• Featured and inline counts match their separate policies.
• Inline media appears only in eligible, relevant sections.
• Images vary without breaking brand consistency.
• Files are efficient WebP attachments where supported.
• Alt text is descriptive and contextual.
• The report records actual media and errors.

Related guides

Image providers · Media quality checks · Image job recovery