AI image tools can produce an eye-catching picture in seconds. Before you publish one as a business post, advert or poster, check eight things: the message, the facts, readability on a phone, the layout, your branding, the size, accessibility, and whether the image fairly represents what you offer.
Published 15 October 2026 by Civil Digital.
1. Is there one clear message?
Someone scrolling past will give your graphic a second or two. Decide the single thing you want them to take away — “20% off boiler services in November”, “Summer fete, Saturday 13 June” — and make sure it's the biggest, clearest text on the image. Then check there's an obvious next step: a phone number, a website, “message us to book”.
If the graphic tries to say five things, it usually says none of them well. Put the extra detail in the post text instead.
2. Are every date, price and phone number correct?
AI image tools can misspell words, distort lettering or invent text that looks plausible but is wrong. Read every word on the image slowly, character by character:
- Dates, days of the week and times (does the date really fall on that day?).
- Prices, discounts and any conditions.
- Phone numbers, email addresses, web addresses and postcodes.
- Your business name and the spelling of any place names.
A reliable approach is to generate the image without text, then add the words yourself in a design tool where you control the spelling and font.
3. Can you read it on a phone?
Most people will see your graphic on a phone, often as a small preview. Shrink it to thumbnail size or look at it on your own phone at arm's length. If you can't read the main message, the text is too small, too thin or doesn't stand out enough from the background. Busy AI backgrounds are a common cause: text over detailed scenery is hard to read.
4. Does the eye go to the right place first?
This is visual hierarchy: the order in which people notice things. The main message should come first, the supporting details second and the small print last. Check that the most striking part of the image isn't a decorative detail that pulls attention away from what you're promoting, and that there's enough space around text so it doesn't feel cramped.
5. Does it look like your business?
AI tools tend to produce a different style every time. If your posts look unrelated to each other, people are less likely to recognise them as yours. Use your own logo (not one the tool has redrawn), stick to your colours and fonts, and keep a similar layout across posts.
6. Is it the right size for where it's going?
Each platform and placement crops images differently: a square feed post, a tall story and a wide link preview are different shapes. Check the platform's current recommended sizes, then preview the image where it will appear to make sure nothing important is cut off at the edges or hidden behind buttons. A printed poster needs a higher-resolution file than a social media post.
7. Can everyone understand it?
- Use strong contrast between text and background.
- Don't rely on colour alone to carry meaning.
- Put the key details in the post text too, not only in the image, so screen readers and search can pick them up.
- Add alt text (an image description) where the platform lets you.
8. Does it fairly represent what you offer?
An AI image of a perfect kitchen, a finished extension or a team you don't have can mislead customers if it looks like your own work. In the UK, advertising rules (the CAP Code, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority) apply to ads however they were made. If an image is illustrative rather than real, make sure it doesn't give a false impression. Also avoid images that copy recognisable people, other businesses' logos or branded products, and check that the tool's terms allow commercial use.
Before you press publish
Ask someone who hasn't seen it to look at the graphic for three seconds and tell you what it's promoting and what they should do next. If they can't, it needs another pass.
When it's worth getting help
For a quick post, these checks may be all you need. Professional help is worth considering when the graphic matters more: an advert you're paying to show, a poster for an important event, or a set of graphics that should look consistent. Civil Digital offers a promotional graphics service for small businesses and local organisations that covers these steps, from the brief to the final check.