We all know that image optimization is important. But, what are the best ways to do it? In this blog post, we will take a look at the most effective ways to optimize WordPress images and make your site faster in the process.
Images are a vital part of any website, but unfortunately they can often slow down the loading time. This is especially true when WordPress sites have many images uploaded and embedded into posts or pages.
The best way to optimize these images for WordPress is by reducing their file size while retaining quality as much as possible.
How to optimize images for wordpress
You have a few options for optimizing your images for WordPress.
There are a few things you can do:
– Use a WordPress plugin to compress all your images
– Or manually optimize using Photoshop
– Optimize all images to a maximum width of 2000px
– Use the Proper File Type (JPEG vs PNG) – JPEG is best for photos, and PNG should be used when working with text or logos.
This will make sure that you are delivering only what is necessary to load faster on any device, particularly for mobile devices with limited storage space like smartphones.
The best WordPress Image Optimizer Plugins
There are a wide range of image compression images available.
The WP Smush plugin is perhaps the most widely used today.
WP Smush is a WordPress plugin to optimize images, so that they take up less space on your site. This will help you reduce the load time of your pages and make it easier for mobile users with slower connections or smaller screens to enjoy your content without waiting too long.
EWWW image optimizer is another popular option.
EWWW Image Optimizer is a WordPress plugin that automatically optimizes images as well as provides lossless quality.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer is also worth looking at.
The free version of ShortPixel Image Optimizer optimizes all the images in your Media Library by preparing them for display at high resolution on retina screens. It also includes an automatic cropping option when uploading new photos and full lossless quality preserving.
ReSmush.it is another popular plugin.
While not the most flexible of image compression plugins, it certainly does the job.
How do I optimize images in WordPress without plugins?
You don’t need a Wordpress plugin to optimize images.
WordPress automatically compresses your JPEG images by up to 82% of the original image when you upload them.
An image optimization plugin is not always needed.
However, if you want further compression then you can cownload software like IrfanView, GIMP, or Photoshop on your computer and open the image up there. You will have the option to compress the image, but it’s a balance between finding the right file size and without sacrificing too much image quality.
Do not use an image optimizer such as TinyPic because they automatically compress the photo which means reducing quality and clarity of the image.
It’s better to do it manually so you can make a clear judgement about the file size and quality.
What file size should images be for WordPress?
When I first started my digital marketing career in the 1990’s, the ideal image size was less than 30kb.
By today’s standards this seems ridiculously small.
But as technology has advanced, and as connection speeds have increased, so too has the acceptable image sizes.
The best size is now between 50kb and 100kb because they will help load your blog pages quicker and save WordPress files from taking up too much server space.
A good rule is to have all images be an absolutely maximum file size of 300kb but only for very high quality images that have a lot of detail.
The smaller the file size, the faster the image will load.
Choose the Right File Format
Choosing the right image format is vital. You don’t want to choose the wrong format for the job.
Think about the nature of the image. Is it a photograph? Animation? Logo?
Each type of image have their own desired format.
Images are encoded using JPEG, GIF or PNG formats. The most popular format is the JPEG because it’s color-rich and lossy compression preserves all of your original quality but also keeps a small file size that will load faster for everyone on any device.
I’ll explain more about the different image formats, so you can make up your own mind.
JPEG
This is the most popular file format for images because it’s color-rich and compression minimizes your quality but without sacrificing quick loading time.
Use JPEG for images such as photographs or when you want to show a lot of detail and color in photos this is the best format.
The downside, though, is that it becomes more difficult for your viewers on older devices or without high-speed internet access.
GIF
The gif image format was created in 1987 by CompuServe, which means there are lots of older photos on social media that will be in this format. GIF was a popular image format in the early days of the web because it preserves transparency.
PNG
The PNG file format was created in 1995 and is best for photos with flat colors or textured backgrounds, like logos or illustrations. The PNG file is newer than JPEG and GIF, but it’s great for displaying sharp text because the data doesn’t get compressed as much like other formats.
Use a PNG for simple images with fewer colours such as logos. This is the best format if you want to keep your image crisp and clear, without sacrificing colour or quality.
Lossy vs lossless compression
Lossy compressions is considered the best option because it’s smaller in size, will load faster and is perfect for photos.
However, lossless compression preserves all of your original quality but the file size will be larger and therefore may slow down the speed of your website.
Lossless compression is desired for images with text and line art that require high detail. It’s larger in size but provides an uncompressed representation of the data file which results in clearer photos when zoomed-in on the photo.
What Is WordPress Image Optimization And How Does It Work?
WordPress image optimization is about finding ways to compress images without sacrificing quality so that you get as much out of them as possible while making sure that they load fast for all devices.
Images are one of the most important aspects on any blog or website. Images can impact your SEO, conversion rate, and even bounce rates.
Why You Should Be Optimizing Your Images for WordPress
You need to optimize images for a number of reasons. One reason is that images often make up the bulk of your site’s weight, which can slow down your website and lead to high bounce rates or people leaving before they see anything you want them to.
The other major reason is that most web pages are now accessed through smartphones, so reducing the size of your pictures is one of the best ways to make sure they load quickly.
Since the advent of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, the web has changed. The internet is no longer accessed solely by desktop computers and laptops, but also by mobile devices with different screen sizes.
Images must be optimized to be displayed correctly on all devices.
Another big reason why it’s important that all images are optimized is because of the rise in advanced web technologies such as HTML-responsive design, which changes a website’s appearance and layout based on the device viewing it.
If you don’t optimize your image file, then might appear crisp on a phone or tablet, but pixelated or blurry when viewed in a full-screen mode by someone using a desktop, for example.
Optimizing Existing Images
Once you begin optimizing your images, it makes sense to go back and compress your existing images too.
This is something bloggers are often too busy to do on a regular basis, and it can be time-consuming.
However, if you already have an entire media library of optimized images, then it’s worth taking the time as it will speed up your website and create a better experience for your visitors.
Optimise For Search Engines
Optimization doesn’t just stop at file size and image quality.
You also want to optimize your images for search engine crawlers. The easiest way to do image SEO is by adding an alt text tag that describes the image in a few words or sentences.
An alt tag will help with image search, and will also provide some context for users who might be looking at your images in a browser with an ad blocker.
The file name of your image is important too.. It should include your keywords, so that people will be able to find it when they use these terms in a search engine.
Also, consider the words on the image itself. Google can read images, and if the text on them is relevant to your post, it might assist in your efforts to appear in search results.
Conclusion
Optimizing your images for Wordpress site is important for user experience, and for search engines. Get it right, and you could be rewarded with organic traffic from the SERPs and also starting to rank in Google Images for your chosen keywords.