Optimizing Images for Speed and SEO
Images are a fundamental part of every website and allow visitors to develop an understanding of the company's persona. They are the fastest and most effective way to connect a user to your brand.
Image File Formats
Choose the right format: - JPEG: Best for photographs - PNG: Best for graphics with transparency - WebP: Modern format with best compression - SVG: Best for icons and logos
Reducing File Size Using Compression
After selecting your desired image format and desired size, the images need to be compressed to reduce the file size.
There are two types of compression methods: - Lossy: The file size is reduced by eliminating data, this is not visible to the naked eye, but can significantly reduce file size. - Lossless: This technique does not lose any data in the compression process.
Why Speed Matters
The below chart tells the story of why being top dog is worth all the marbles - don't let images get in your way! Pages in the top positions load significantly faster than those below.
Best Practices
- Compress all images before uploading
- Use descriptive file names
- Add alt text for accessibility and SEO
- Specify image dimensions
- Consider lazy loading for below-fold images