Image Optimization for the web

  1. Smoother user experience: Enhancing user experience (UX) by optimizing images, improving speed, and usability boosts customer loyalty and conversions. Poor usability and slow sites deter consumers, leading to business failures.
  2. Improved SEO performance: Around 68% of online journeys begin with search engines, making optimized image descriptions vital for better visibility. Using accurate keywords and descriptions enhances your chances of ranking well.
  3. Better accessibility: Improving accessibility ensures all users, including those with disabilities, can engage with your site. Features like alt text and ARIA enhance inclusivity, user satisfaction, reach, and may even meet legal requirements.
  4. Easier storage and retrieval: Optimized images save storage space and improve upload/download speed. They are easier to manage and allow for storing more files than high-resolution images

Why do we need to optimize our Images

How to optimize images

  1. Choose the Right Format

  2. Resize Your Images

  3. Compress Images

  4. Optimize Website Logo

  5. Use Descriptive File Names

  6. Add Alt Text

  7. Use Responsive Images

  8. Utilize Image CDNs

  9. Lazy Loading

  10. Regularly Audit Your Images

Select the appropriate image format to achieve the right balance between quality and file size. JPEG is ideal for photos due to its efficient compression, while PNG is better for images with transparency or text. SVG is perfect for logos and icons because it scales without losing quality. WebP is widely supported across all major browsers and provides a good balance between file size and quality. AVIF offers more efficient compression and often results in smaller file sizes.​​​JPEG for photographs.

 

  • Choose PNG for graphics with transparency or sharp text

  • Utilize SVG for logos and icons

  • Use WEBP for compressed images

  • Use AVIF when supported for compressed images

 ​Choose the Right Format

Resize images to the actual dimensions needed on your website to prevent loading unnecessary large files. Uploading images that are significantly larger than required, which slows down your site.

 

  • Determine the display size of the image on your site.

  • Use photo editing tools like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP to resize the image.

  • Save the image in the resized format before uploading.

Resize Your Images

Compression reduces the file size without a noticeable loss in quality. This step is crucial for improving the loading speed of your website.

 

  • Use online tools such as TinyPNG or ImageOptim to compress your images.

  • Save your compressed images and check the quality to ensure it meets your standards.

Compress Images

Converting images to icons can simplify graphics and improve site performance.

 

  • Use an image to icon converter tool to convert larger images into smaller, more efficient icons.

  • Ensure that the icons maintain quality and are appropriately sized for your website.

Optimize Website Logo

Search engines use file names to understand the content of images. Descriptive file names can help improve your SEO and make your content more discoverable.

 

  • Rename your images using relevant keywords. For example, instead of “image1.jpg,” use “sunset-over-beach.jpg.”.

  • Avoid using spaces or special characters; instead, use hyphens to separate words.

Use Descriptive File Names

Alt text provides a textual description of an image, which is essential for accessibility and can improve SEO. It helps search engines index your images and provides context for users with visual impairments.

 

  • Include a brief description of the image content in the alt text field.

  • Ensure the alt text is relevant to the content surrounding the image.

Add Alt Text

Responsive images adapt to different screen sizes, ensuring optimal loading speed and quality on all devices. This technique is essential for improving user experience on mobile devices.

 

  • Implement the srcset attribute in your HTML to define multiple image sizes for different devices.

  • Test your website on various devices to ensure images load correctly.

Use Responsive Images

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) speeds up image loading by distributing your images across multiple servers worldwide. This ensures that users load images from the server closest to them.

 

  • Choose a CDN service like Cloudflare or Amazon CloudFront

  • Configure your website to serve images through the selected CDN.

Utilize Image CDNs

Lazy loading defers the loading of images until they are needed, meaning images below the fold won’t load until users scroll down. This technique enhances initial page load speed.

 

  • Implement lazy loading using the loading="lazy" attribute in your image tags.

  • Ensure that images still load properly when users scroll.

Lazy Loading

Over time, your website may accumulate images that are outdated or unnecessary. Regular audits help maintain optimal performance and eliminate clutter.

 

  • Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze your site’s images.

  • Remove or update images that no longer serve a purpose.

Regularly Audit Your Images

Thank You

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