In a world where images are everything, it's important to make sure that your website is using images that are optimized for the best user experience. Images should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. They should also be able to load quickly so that users don't have to wait long for them to appear on their screen. Image optimization is an important part of creating a positive user experience on your website. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to optimize your images for the web.
By following certain optimization steps, you can ensure that your website's images are helping rather than hindering your visitors experience. This guide will show you how to make your site faster and more profitable with some simple changes. It's easy!
To improve your website's performance and put money in your pocket, follow these easy steps! Check out our guide below.
1. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of distributed servers that deliver content based on the geographic locations of the user requesting the content. Using a CDN can help improve page load times by delivering content from a server that is closer to the user's geographical location. This is especially helpful if you have users all over the world accessing your website.
2. Remove Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Most eCommerce platforms compress images to some degree when you upload them, but this can often lead to a loss in image quality. If you want to ensure that your images look their best, it's worth removing the compression that is applied by default (known as 'CLS'). This can be achieved by making a small change to the code of your website. This can help to speed up the page load time and make it easier for search engines to index your content.
3. Choose the Right File Format
The first step in image optimization is choosing the right file format. The three most common formats for web images are JPEG, PNG, and WebP. JPEGs are best for photos and images with lots of color, while PNGs are better for graphics with fewer colors and simpler designs. WebP formats can help save server space because the image compression keeps the sharpness of the original image and greatly reduces the size of the file.
4. Resize and Compress Your Images
It's important to resize your images before you upload them to your website. If an image is too large, it will take longer to load and could end up slowing down your entire site. On the other hand, if an image is too small, it will appear pixelated and blurry on the screen. Try to find a balance between file size and image quality when resizing your images.
Once you've saved your images in the correct file format and resized them accordingly, the next step is to compress them so they take up less space on your server without sacrificing quality.
5. Add Alt Text to Your Images
Alt text is a short text that describes an image on a web page. It's important to add alt text to your images because it helps improve accessibility for users who are visually impaired and ensures that search engines can index your images correctly so they appear in search results relevant to the text surrounding them.
6. Use Responsive Images
One of the latest trends in image optimization is using responsive images, or images that change size based on the device they're being viewed on. This helps improve page load times on mobile devices by only loading an image that is appropriate for that particular device.
Conclusion
Image optimization shouldn't be excruciating or confusing. In fact, there are some easy steps you can take to ensure your images are optimized for the web.
First, consider the file format. JPEGs are generally the best format for photos, while PNGs are better for graphics with transparency. Next, make sure your images are the right size. If they're too large, they'll slow down your website; if they're too small, they'll look Pixelated. Finally, choose descriptive filenames and add alternate text to help search engines understand your images. By following these simple steps, you can ensure that your images are optimized for the web - without all the agony!