Using AI to generate email hero images: our workflow and results

Stock photos in emails are generic and recognizable. We switched to AI-generated hero images and saw measurable engagement improvements.

Our workflow

1. Write the email copy first — the image should support the message, not the other way around
2. Generate 3-5 variations using Midjourney or DALL-E based on the email's core theme
3. Edit in Figma — crop, add brand overlay, ensure consistent style
4. Compress to under 100KB for fast loading
5. Always include descriptive alt text

Results after 3 months

• Click-through rate improved 18% compared to stock photo benchmark
• Email template production time decreased — no more searching stock photo sites
• Brand consistency improved — all images share a coherent visual style

Caveats

AI images need human curation. About 30% of generated images are unusable (weird artifacts, odd proportions, text rendering issues). Budget time for generating and selecting.