User Story 9 - As a user, I want to set a cover image for my blog post, so that it visually represents the content and makes it more engaging for readers.

[DachiCharkviani]

As a user, I want to set a cover image for my blog post, so that it visually represents the content and makes it more engaging for readers.

Justification:
This is a highly prioritized user story because adding a cover image to a blog post significantly enhances its visual appeal. A cover image provides a snapshot or representation of the blog post, making it more engaging for readers and increasing the likelihood that they will click on and interact with the content. Without a cover image, posts can appear plain and uninviting, potentially leading users to overlook them.

The cover image also acts as a branding tool for the post, allowing users to associate a specific image with the content and its theme. This is especially important in forums where many posts may have similar text-based titles but can stand out with distinct cover images. Thus, we identified this feature as essential for improving both user engagement and the visual identity of the blog posts.

Impact:

• The cover image captures the reader's attention and encourages them to engage with the post.
• It improves the overall appearance of the post, creating a more professional and visually appealing layout.
• By enhancing the post’s presentation, it leads to increased user interaction and potentially higher retention rates.

Effort:
To integrate this feature, changes will need to be made to both the front-end and back-end:

Backend:

• Modify the database to store a 'cover image' attribute associated with each blog post.
• Implement functionality to allow users to upload and save an image file as the cover image for their post.

Frontend:

• Update the post creation form to include an option for uploading a cover image.
• Display the cover image prominently on the blog post page, ensuring proper scaling across devices and screens.