Why Optimising Your Images is Crucial for Website Performance (And How to Do It)

Images are a vital part of any website, enhancing user experience and engagement. However, if not optimised properly, they can slow down your website, negatively affecting SEO, user retention, and conversion rates. In this guide, we’ll explore why image optimisation matters and provide a step-by-step approach to ensuring your images are web-ready before uploading them.

Why Image Optimisation Matters

1. Improves Page Load Speed

Large, unoptimised images can drastically slow down your website, leading to poor user experience. According to Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load.

2. Boosts SEO Rankings

Search engines consider page speed a ranking factor. Faster-loading websites are more likely to appear higher in search results, giving you a competitive edge.

3. Enhances User Experience

Visitors expect a smooth browsing experience. A slow website with lagging images can lead to frustration, increasing bounce rates and reducing conversions.

4. Reduces Server Load and Bandwidth Usage

Compressed images take up less space on your server, reducing hosting costs and ensuring smoother website performance, especially for sites with high traffic.

How to Optimise Your Images for the Web

Step 1: Choose the Right Image Format

Different image formats serve different purposes:

JPEG – Best for photographs and images with gradients.
PNG – Ideal for images requiring transparency.
WebP – A modern format offering high-quality compression with smaller file sizes.
SVG – Used for logos and icons as they are scalable without losing quality.

Tool Recommendation: Use Convertio.co to easily convert images to the best format for your website.

Step 2: Compress Your Images

Compression reduces file size without significant quality loss, improving loading speed.

Recommended Tools:

TinyPNG – Compresses PNG and JPEG images while maintaining quality.
ImageOptim – Ideal for Mac users to bulk-compress images.
Squoosh – A Google tool allowing on-the-fly compression and format conversion.

Step 3: Resize Images Before Uploading

Uploading oversized images and relying on CSS or HTML to resize them can waste bandwidth. Resize images to the exact dimensions needed for your website.

How to Resize Images:

Adobe Photoshop – Use ‘Save for Web’ to reduce file size.
Canva – Offers easy resizing and compression options.
Online Tools – ResizeImage.net allows quick resizing without software installation.

Step 4: Use Descriptive File Names and Alt Text

SEO-friendly file names and alt text improve accessibility and search visibility.

File Name Example: Instead of “IMG_12345.jpg,” use “blue-sneakers-men.jpg.”
Alt Text Example: “A pair of blue running sneakers for men.”

Step 5: Implement Lazy Loading

Lazy loading defers image loading until they are needed, reducing initial page load time. Most modern CMS platforms like WordPress support lazy loading natively.

How to Enable Lazy Loading:

In WordPress, use plugins like Smush or Lazy Load by WP Rocket.
For custom websites, implement loading="lazy" in the HTML <img> tag.

Conclusion

Proper image optimisation is essential for improving website speed, SEO rankings, and user experience. By using tools like TinyPNG and Convertio.co, resizing images appropriately, and leveraging lazy loading, you can ensure your site runs smoothly and efficiently.

Want to improve your website’s performance? Contact our team today for expert optimisation services!