How to Optimize Your Web Images (Revised)
Images are important. The right images can change the look of
your web pages instantly and, more importantly, they can
instantly boost your online sales.
However, your pictures must come up quickly. Graphics that are
not properly optimized can slow down the opening of your web
pages considerably, and a slow web site will cost you sales.
Apply the following techniques to help speed up your pages, keep
potential buyers at your site, and boost sales.
* Keep images and graphics as small as possible in file size.
The larger the file sizes, the longer the images take to
download. * Always optimize images before placing them on your
web site. Some graphics software programs (e.g. Adobe Photoshop)
have a special function for optimizing files. Optimizing
compresses a file and reduces the file size while maintaining
the highest image quality possible. * Reduce your file size by
saving images in the proper graphic format. GIF or JPEG are the
most popular formats for web images. * Avoid large and
unnecessary graphics -- especially on your home page. Only use
images that support your sales message. If you have too many
images on your page(s), they will distract your visitors and
will dramatically slow down the opening of those pages. * If
large images are necessary to illustrate your products, display
smaller images (thumbnails), and provide links to the larger
versions (which will open on a new page). * Crop images. If, for
example, you're showing a photo of a person using your product,
much of the surrounding background is not necessary to support
your sales message. Every bit that you crop out (remove) helps
to lower the file size of that image. * Reduce the number of
colors in clipart and illustrations. The more colors in an
image, the bigger the file size and therefore the more time it
takes to open a page. Use gradients sparingly. They contain two
or more colors and produce a larger file size than a single
solid color. * Keep the resolution of your images at 72 dpi, the
maximum resolution a computer monitor can read. * Include ALT
tags in your images. Search engines can't read images, and ALT
tags tell them what an image is about. Use your main keyword in
your ALT tags to optimize your search engine position.
Pictures can instantly improve the look of your web site, but it
won't matter how good they look if they significantly slow down
the opening of your web pages. Use high quality, relevant
pictures that support your sales message but make sure they are
optimized.