I think most people would agree that a company’s website is one of the most important elements of its brand marketing. That is because we truly live in a digital world, and one that is predominantly accessed via mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets.
That said, most people on the go with their mobile devices, simply lack the time and/or patience to wait for web pages to load slowly on their devices. So, if your website loads slowly, this can result in a significant loss of website traffic. A slow loading website can also hurt your rankings in Google’s SERPs.
How Large Uncompressed Images Hurt Your Website’s Performance
Large, uncompressed image files that need to be download from your website’s hosting server take up too much storage and slow down the speed at which your web pages load in a browser. That is why image compression is so important when it comes to website performance.
What Is Image Compression and Why Is It Important?
Image compression is the process by which digital images can be reduced in file size, while minimizing the loss in image quality.
Types of Image Compression
There are two main types of image compression, lossy and lossless.
Lossy Compression
Lossy compression can significantly reduce image file size, but with a corresponding loss in image quality.
Lossless Compression
Lossless compression keeps quality intact, but at the expense of a larger file size.
How Large Image Size Affects Website Performance
When your website utilizes large, high-resolution, uncompressed images, this can seriously slow down your website’s performance. That is because, very large images take longer to load, which can frustrate visitors and increase your website’s bounce rate.
Additionally, the number of images on a web page can worsen the problem. For example, an image gallery with dozens of very large, high-resolution images (e.g. thirty, 5MB images) can take quite some time to load for the first time (visit) when none are optimized. Bandwidth limits and slow servers can make it even worse.
Benefits of Compressing Website Images
Improved Page Load Speed
When it comes to website performance, speed matters. In fact, research shows that a significant reduction in website image file sizes, can cut your page load times by up to half. Web pages that load in under two seconds keep visitors interested. Faster websites also lead to higher engagement and more time spent on your website by visitors. Thus, when images are compressed (smaller), your pages become snappier. This makes users more likely to stay and explore.
Enhanced SEO Performance
Google ranks fast websites higher in their SERPs. Compressing images means your web pages load quicker on all devices. Thus, using compressed images not only helps to speed things up, but can also boost your SEO. Better search engine rankings means more visibility, more clicks and more visitors. It truly is an easy way to give your website an edge over your competitors.
Reduced Storage and Bandwidth Costs
Smaller images take up less space on your hosting provider’s server. This also means less data to transfer so that your bandwidth requirements and costs shrink as well. That is not only good for your wallet, but good for the environment as well since you would be reducing energy use.
Better User Experience
Believe it or not, most visitors do notice when a website loads quickly. As such, they are more likely to stay, read content and return later. Slow-loading web pages frustrate visitors and discourage them from staying, especially when browsing your website from a mobile device connected to a cellular network. Use of image compression speeds things up, which helps keep visitors happy and engaged for a better user experience.
Choosing the Right Compression Method
As mentioned earlier, there are two types of image compression. Therefore, you must decide between lossy and lossless compression based on your needs. Use lossy compression when a slight drop in image quality is acceptable. Use lossless compression for logos or images with text.
You can go to a website like TinyPNG to compress images for free, or if you have Photoshop, you can use that to compress your images.
So, should you compress your website images? Yes, because compressing images is one of the easiest ways to boost your website’s speed, SEO and overall user experience. It also can lower your hosting costs by utilizing fewer server resources.
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