Image Optimisation: The key to faster, greener websites

In today's digital landscape, websites are increasingly image-rich. However, the abundance of visuals doesn't always equate to an enhanced user experience. In fact, unnecessary images can clutter pages and hinder communication with your audience. We've all encountered those stock photos that add little value to the message being conveyed.

Why bother optimising images for web?

Well, consider this: images contribute to over 60% of a website's power consumption. A heavier website translates to slower loading speeds, impacting both the environment and your site's search engine optimisation (SEO). The good news is, there are simple yet effective methods to significantly reduce image file sizes without compromising quality.

What about image quality?

The key is to ensure that optimised images maintain their visual integrity while being substantially smaller in size compared to their original counterparts.

Image compression is paramount in this regard. Contrary to common misconceptions, compressing images doesn't have to mean sacrificing quality. By understanding the distinction between image size and image dimensions, you can optimise your visuals more effectively.

Image size vs image dimension

Image Size refers to the overall file size of an image, measured in bytes, kilobytes, or megabytes. It's influenced by factors like image dimensions, format, compression, and color depth.

Image Dimensions denote the width and height of an image in pixels, representing its physical size when displayed on screens or printed.

When compressing images, aim for a file size between 50-100kb. While achieving this might be challenging for highly detailed images, slightly exceeding 100kb is acceptable in such cases.

Image optimisation tools

To facilitate image optimisation, we've explored two exceptional tools: Squoosh and ShortPixel, both accessible via web browsers.

Squoosh is free, user-friendly, and enables you to preview compression results before downloading. It allows you to compare different compression settings or the original image, supports various file formats like PNG and JPG, and allows for resizing alongside compression.

For those seeking a quick and straightforward solution, ShortPixel is an excellent choice. Also free, it allows you to compress up to 50 images simultaneously while retaining quality. It also offers resizing capabilities, ensuring images are tailored to fit your website's dimensions accurately.

Remember, when resizing images, aim to crop or adjust them to match the dimensions they'll occupy on your website. Loading oversized images unnecessarily burdens your site and compromises user experience.

What are the benefits?

By leveraging these image optimization tools, you can significantly enhance your website's performance, reduce carbon emissions, and deliver a seamless user experience.

So, why wait? Start optimising your images today and reap the benefits!