Optimizing web images is extremely important to ensure that websites load quickly and that users have a positive experience. Here are some tips on how to optimize your images for the web:
Reducing image size: Reducing the size of images is one of the most important optimization steps. Don’t use images larger than necessary. For example, if you only display an image with a size of 800×600 pixels, there is no need to load an image with a resolution of 4000×3000 pixels.
Choose a format: JPEG and PNG are two of the most common image formats on the web. JPEG is generally recommended for more complex images and photos as it provides high quality images in a small file size. PNG is an uncompressed and lossless format that also supports transparency, so it’s great for simpler images and cases where transparency is important.
Use image optimization tools: There are many online and offline tools available to optimize images. Examples include TinyPNG, JPEG-Optimizer, ImageOptim, etc. These services automatically compress images without appreciably losing their quality.
Lazy loading: The technique of lazy loading (delayed loading) means that the images are loaded only when the user scrolls the page, thus making the page load faster. This feature can be easily set up with different web development frameworks or content management systems.
Use of cache: Use of cache allows website images to be stored in the user’s browser, so that they do not have to be downloaded again on the next visit. This can result in significant acceleration.
Responsive sizing: If your website is responsive (mobile friendly), then make sure that the images are also responsive. Use code that allows images to automatically scale across devices and screen sizes.
Black and white, low resolution: If your images do not require full color depth and resolution (such as icons, backgrounds), you may consider converting to black and white or using lower resolution versions.
These practices can help you optimize your images, improving website speed and user experience.