![_Silver II .png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23tm7Bm5Z7QhgwcqB5d71QJ1txWg2os2hqN1L7AVR4C2odkibEocgFWS6qvXJcbAL7GGb.png) *I have not been a part of this great community for long, but I have quickly picked up some tips and tricks to making my posts cleaner and easier for me to create. Hopefully some of these tips can help someone else pick up some basics more quickly than I have.* ![peakd bar.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23swkjXLpRXcC6LMVYi5wzfGkadM1Xv9CsWG4qBzHs5B9bKTpzqCmDP28oQ26JN32uyrG.png)

Thumbnail

A thumbnail is the nice banner at the top of the post. It also is the part of the post that will be grabbed and shown when you post on PeakD, or your favorite platform. It is important to make this look nice to grab the attention of your audience. Without a properly formatted thumbnail the first image in your post will be picked and displayed on the platforms front-end. Take the below examples. On the right is one of my posts from two months ago without a proper thumbnail. On the left is yesterday's post with a thumbnail.

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23tSKwPw8Az7uFEtoo3HzY3vS5Y3Msfa71oAqUPvv754pUWs83VZ1PYuSkC5Dxj2bb1cy.png

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23tGbndV2EkeTUR4ktBag3khPyA3hzK3n6nFH1nyTpwyr4phGRXq3R2n2cZVfD4xeWREQ.png

Besides being smaller and less appealing, the older post doesn't convey to the reader what the post is going to be about. Sure the reader could read the title or brief description, but why not take every opportunity to make your post stand out?

Creating a Thumbnail

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23zGyoCAiXs8idWDedSVT8Zv2N5ArGJEAjccvFKtUwRe1ZfZgejAbyf1ijAkp6jsubnKj.png

The good news is creating a thumbnail is quite a simple process. I like to use [Canva](https://www.canva.com/) for making my thumbnails. If this is your first thumbnail, use the search box and search for 'Twitter Ad'. If there is a template that looks like something similar to what you are envisioning, select that option, otherwise choose the first opiton 'Create a blank Twitter Ad'. Alternatively you could create a 1600 x 900 new image.

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/Eou9DFHzJmNT9FtA4PRCiYr8kKnZdpSjncVWBgv8k8CKbxss6NkW6ukfZvdMmNrbSKU.png

Select the background option on the left side tool bar. I kept it simple and selected a single color from the color pallet, but there are countless more complex options and a full color pallet to choose from. You can even upload your own image. Continue to move up the tool bar on the left and add some text. Select your font, choose some text that gives your audience an idea of what they will be consuming if they click on your post. Slide up to the next tool and upload some images. Move everything around until you are happy with the final image and then it is time to download your masterpiece.

![Screen Shot 2022-02-12 at 12.28.54 PM.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23uQhkatDzdkVU6XchRGFWice5BjMCkvXY7xVPHnZ2MYVMTfaW7QV69kgCWLJpzQeqGs2.png) ![peakd bar.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23swkjXLpRXcC6LMVYi5wzfGkadM1Xv9CsWG4qBzHs5B9bKTpzqCmDP28oQ26JN32uyrG.png)

Intro

With a proper thumbnail in place I added a brief italicized introduction . This further helps draw in your audience by giving them the bite size sample of what is to come. Why italicized? Not a necessity, but it helps differentiate it from the rest of the post. ``` *Use an asterisk to italicize a line of text.* Note: Don't include a space after the opening or before the closing asterisks. **Use two asterisks to make a block bold** ``` **Results** --> *Use an asterisk to italicize a line of text.* **Use two asterisks to make a block bold**

Too much to remember?

Use the tool bar at the top of the editor. Highlight the block of code you want in italics or bold and click the *I* or B. Hint, there is a button for many of the code options I am showing you next.

![Screen Shot 2022-02-12 at 2.13.52 PM.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23tGW1ffPeqJ6ciU7Jum1tb2nvXEtZNBaixEqtQLTZhDuDbGvJV7n1nvsgit77GKB9Zbd.png) ![peakd bar.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23swkjXLpRXcC6LMVYi5wzfGkadM1Xv9CsWG4qBzHs5B9bKTpzqCmDP28oQ26JN32uyrG.png)

Headings

Headings help separate your text. PeakD posts use Markdown language, however I have past experience with HTML and 'cheat' a bit and use HTML tags. The proper Markdown code for Headings is to include a '#' before the text you wish to alter. One hashtag for Heading 1, two for Heading 2 and so on. My more convoluted method uses HTML. Don't be like me, it's more complicated. ``` HTML

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

More complicated than Markup # Heading 1 ## Heading 2 ### Heading 3 ```

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

![peakd bar.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23swkjXLpRXcC6LMVYi5wzfGkadM1Xv9CsWG4qBzHs5B9bKTpzqCmDP28oQ26JN32uyrG.png)

Images and Resizing

I found PeakD through Splinterlands and at this point focus on Splinterlands content. I still have much to learn about Splinterlands, and Hive as a whole, and hope to start posting about other topics down the line. However, because I am Splinterlands focused right now, most of the images I use for my posts are Splinterlands content. Here are some resources I have discovered.

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23xVD4uBiLXFf4ntVR9to74fPAagaPswZCuy6PXrnU7vjUQAj2zKQ7soTwD8cgmFLdTC1.png

* Card images available [HERE](https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlands/splinterlands-card-images-by-level)

* Website I use to make the cards smaller [HERE](https://imageresizer.com/). I haven't figured out how to do this with coding yet 🤷‍♂

* A great older post by @flauwy with splinterlands graphics [HERE](https://hive.blog/spt/@flauwy/free-splinterlands-graphics-i-will-design-for-you)

If you want to center an image or text, use the below code ``` IMAGE or TEXT ``` If you want to pull the images left or right use the below code. The Furious Chicken image above is pulled right. Notice how the text flows down the left side of it. ```

IMAGE

``` ![peakd bar.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/23swkjXLpRXcC6LMVYi5wzfGkadM1Xv9CsWG4qBzHs5B9bKTpzqCmDP28oQ26JN32uyrG.png)

Lists

Lists can be ordered or unordered. My post used several unordered lists, but the coding for an ordered list is a minor change. The visual difference is an ordered list gets a numerical listing, an unordered list is separated by bullet points. ``` Unordered List

Lava Spider

Fire
Level 1
...

Ordered List - The only change is to change the

Lava Spider

Fire
Level 1
...

Lava Spider

Fire
Level 1
...

Lava Spider

Fire
Level 1
...

Block Quotes

Tables

OPPONENT

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/AKCF2jF7aUagwppoUHFB4gDdgXDqDLGyTn9mt6n3brBiC87ZEqhf5fevEtK3Wqr.png

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/AJmr77mifetG815q55jnV8yhUng5pVJFw7QHSQPJs9KpCjRMpSc4KsxqTiPmhvv.png

Basic Table

A Filled In Table

OPPONENT

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/AKCF2jF7aUagwppoUHFB4gDdgXDqDLGyTn9mt6n3brBiC87ZEqhf5fevEtK3Wqr.png

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/candnpg/AJmr77mifetG815q55jnV8yhUng5pVJFw7QHSQPJs9KpCjRMpSc4KsxqTiPmhvv.png

Snippets

Emojis and Wrap Up

🤙

Thanks for reading!

[If you would like to use my affiliate link to experience the fun Splinterlands has to offer, here you go. Thanks in advance!](https://splinterlands.com?ref=candnpg)

Thumbnail

Creating a Thumbnail

Intro

Too much to remember?

Headings

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Images and Resizing

Lists

Lava Spider

Lava Spider

Lava Spider

Lava Spider

Block Quotes

Links

Tables

Basic Table

A Filled In Table

Snippets

Emojis and Wrap Up

🤙