5 Image Optimization Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

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image optimization mistakes
source (istockphoto.com)

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “image”? If you’re like most business owners, you think of how to address the challenges of image optimization.

The number of images that need to be optimized has grown with the rise of social media. Businesses need to adapt to using images online because customers will take notice if an image is slow to load.

Not only must you ensure images load, but optimized images also reduce the file size without sacrificing quality.

Here are some of the most common image optimization mistakes that you should avoid in your business.

1. Using Images That are Not Responsive

Images that aren’t responsive prevent the page from loading on different screen sizes and can lead to a poor user experience. To ensure your business website images are responsive, use an image plugin that can resize the image based on the size of the device. Also, reduce the number of images being used to help improve page loading times.

2. Not Utilizing Compression

Not compressing images can mean slower website speeds because of having larger file sizes. Compression makes images smaller, faster, and more bandwidth efficient.

Without compression, images can take up a large amount of storage. This result in slower page speeds and inevitable user frustration.

Further optimization adjustments may include resizing and cropping. This ensures that the image suits the website and provides the desired reading or viewing experience.

3. Failing to Set Width and Height Attributes for Images

Failing to set width and height attributes for images is a common error that can affect page speed. It’s important to make sure images are specified with a fixed width and height within the HTML document.

This allows the browser to figure out how much space the image should occupy regardless of the actual image size, making the page load faster. Additionally, instead of resizing images with an HTML document, it’s better to first adjust the original image size and then specify the fixed width and height.

4. Not Combining Images Into CSS Sprites

A sprite sheet is a collection of all the images for a website in one file. It enables the browser to minimize the number of requests and download one larger file instead.

This reduces the HTTP overhead associated with many requests, helping to improve page loading times. To ensure doesn’t make this mistake, developers should use tools to combine the images into a single sprite sheet. This will save time and ensure proper image optimization so that the website performs better.

5. Using the Wrong Image Type

Using the wrong image type is the biggest mistake when it comes to image optimization. This can result in images that are too big in file size, take too long to load, or look distorted.

To avoid this, always check the image resolution and file size before using an image. There are different image formats, so you need to make sure the file type is appropriate for the project.

PNG files provide the best quality, whereas you can use JPEG files if you need a smaller file size. Use a png to jpeg converter to format your image.

Avoid Common Image Optimization Mistakes to Optimize Your Website

Image optimization should not be taken; it’s an integral part of your online presence. From sized images to using the wrong file formats, common image optimization mistakes can reduce the performance of your website. Try it out and see the benefits of website optimization for your images.

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