In the world of websites, images play a crucial role. They can make your site visually appealing, convey information quickly, and even enhance your brand’s storytelling. However, high-quality images can also slow down your website if not properly optimised, leading to a poor user experience and lower search engine rankings.
In this TIC sized learning, we’ll explore what image optimisation is and how you can best ensure your images are compressed for your website. We’ll also introduce you to tools like Squoosh and Canva to help you in this process.
What is Image Optimisation?
Image optimisation is the process of reducing the file size of your images without compromising their quality. The goal is to make your website load faster and perform better, while still delivering high-quality visuals to your visitors. Optimised images can significantly improve your website’s speed, enhance user experience, and boost your SEO rankings.
Why is Image Optimisation Important?
- Faster Load Times: Large image files can slow down your website, leading to longer load times. This can frustrate users and increase bounce rates.
- Better SEO: Search engines like Google consider page load speed as a ranking factor. Optimized images can improve your site’s SEO, helping you rank higher in search results.
- Improved User Experience: Faster websites provide a better user experience, keeping visitors engaged and more likely to convert.
- Reduced Bandwidth Usage: Optimised images consume less bandwidth, which can save costs, especially for websites with a high volume of traffic.
How to Ensure Your Images are Compressed
To optimise your images, you need to focus on two main aspects: file size and dimensions. Here are some practical steps and tools to help you achieve this.
Using Squoosh to Reduce Image Size
Squoosh is a powerful, free online tool developed by Google that allows you to compress and optimize your images efficiently.
Steps to Use Squoosh:
- Upload Your Image: Go to Squoosh and drag your image file into the app.
- Choose Compression Settings: Squoosh offers various compression options, including lossless and lossy formats. Experiment with the settings to find the perfect balance between quality and file size. You can view this in the screen while you work
- Adjust Image Dimensions: You can also resize your image within Squoosh by adjusting the width and height.
- Download the Optimized Image: Once you’re satisfied with the compression and dimensions, download the optimized image to use on your website.
Using Canva to Set Exact Dimensions
Canva is a versatile design tool that allows you to create and customise images with specific dimensions, ensuring your images fit perfectly on your website.
Steps to Use Canva:
- Create a New Design: Log in to Canva and select “Create a design.” Choose “Custom dimensions” to set the exact width and height for your image.
- Design Your Image: Use Canva’s extensive library of templates, graphics, and fonts to design your image.
- Export Your Image: Once your design is complete, click on the “Download” button. Choose the appropriate file format (PNG or JPEG) and download your image.
- Optimize with Squoosh: To further reduce the file size, you can run the downloaded image through Squoosh for compression.
Best Practices for Image Optimisation
- Use the Right File Format: JPEG is great for photos, while PNG is better for images with transparency. SVG is ideal for scalable vector graphics.
- Compress Images Before Uploading: Always compress your images using tools like Squoosh before uploading them to your website.
- Resize Images to Fit Their Purpose: Ensure your images are not larger than necessary. Use Canva to set exact dimensions based on where the image will be used on your website.
- Use Descriptive File Names: Name your image files with relevant keywords to improve SEO.
- Leverage Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading to defer loading images until they are needed, which can improve initial page load times.
Conclusion
Image optimisation is essential for maintaining a fast, efficient, and user-friendly website. By compressing your images and setting the correct dimensions, you can enhance your site’s performance and improve SEO. Tools like Squoosh and Canva make this process easy and effective.
At The Island Creative, we recommend incorporating these practices into your website maintenance routine to ensure your visuals are always optimised for the best possible user experience.