How to Add Thumbnail Images to Your WordPress RSS Feed

Published November 20, 2023 · Updated February 1, 2024

Adding thumbnail images to your WordPress RSS feed can significantly enhance its visual appeal and effectiveness. Thumbnails provide a quick visual context and make your feed more engaging for subscribers. In this post, I’ll guide you through the process of adding thumbnail images to your WordPress RSS feed by inserting a simple code into your theme’s functions.php file.

Table of Contents

Why Add Thumbnails to Your RSS Feed?

Before we dive into the how-to, let’s briefly discuss why this is beneficial:

Visual Engagement: Thumbnails catch the eye and can increase click-through rates.
Brand Consistency: They help maintain your brand’s visual identity across platforms.
Content Preview: Thumbnails give readers a sneak peek into the content, enhancing user experience.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Thumbnail Images

Prerequisites

Access to your WordPress website’s admin area.
Basic understanding of navigating through theme files.

Step 1: Access the Theme Editor

Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Go to Appearance > Theme Editor.

Step 2: Modify the `functions.php` File

In the Theme Editor, locate the functions.php file in your active theme’s folder.
Be cautious while editing this file, as incorrect edits can disrupt your site’s functionality.

Step 3: Insert the Code

Scroll to the end of the functions.php file.
Copy and paste the code below:
This code snippet does two things:
- It adds a namespace for the media:content element.
- It includes a function that fetches and embeds the post’s thumbnail image into each RSS feed item.

Step 4: Save Changes

Click the Update File button to save your changes.

Testing Your RSS Feed

After implementing the code, it’s crucial to test your RSS feed:

Access your RSS feed URL, typically http://yourwebsite.com/feed/.
- You can see an example on BizStack RSS feed here: https://bizstack.tech/feed/
Check to see if the thumbnail images are appearing in your feed.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you’ve successfully added thumbnail images to your WordPress RSS feed, making it more visually appealing and informative. This small change can significantly impact how users interact with your content through RSS readers.

If you encounter any issues or need further customization, consider reaching out to a professional WordPress developer for assistance.

Cagri Sarigoz( Founder )

I’m founder of BizStack at Cagri Sarigoz LLC and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs.

With over 14 years in tech, marketing, and AI, including my role as Head of SEO at CitizenShipper and co-founder of TaleBot at Intale AI, I’m dedicated to sharing genuine, useful product insights and tips.

At BizStack, I aim to cut through the digital noise to provide clear, actionable advice.

And more than all else, I’m a father to a (always) little girl and a husband.

Contact me at [email protected] for assistance.