Website Image Optimization for SEO

Uploading images to your website can be one of the quickest killers of your website performance. When we take a great photo on our phone or create a fantastic graphic in Canva, those items are pretty much always too big for your website. Even if you “reduce file size” when downloading, it’s not enough. This is where image optimization comes into play, especially when mobile performance matters most.

I was recently on the “Take Your Shot Podcast” with the incredible Halle Heather. We had so much fun (yes, really) talking about how business owners can optimize their website’s SEO to help search engines find your website and how covering these SEO basics also improves the user experience. You can listen to the episode right here!

Let’s dive into why optimizing images for the web is crucial and how you can do it effectively.

The Importance of SEO

Early in the podcast, we established how SEO and the user experience on your website are directly connected. Common SEO issues can hurt your website’s visibility, such as:

1. Slow page load times: This is not only frustrating to users but also hurts your SEO. You can use free tools like Page Speed Insights to identify specific issues on problem pages.
2. Unoptimized Images: Using images that are too large can slow down page loading. Free tools like TinyPNG compresses images without losing quality (more on that in a minute!)
3. Broken Links: These hurt your SEO and are frustrating for users who commit to tapping a link for more information only to have it not work. Use a tool like Broken Link Checker to check your website.
4. Ignoring Meta Descriptions: These help users and search engines know what your website and pages are all about.

Addressing these common issues will also improve the user experience on mobile devices, which is more important than ever because most users will be accessing your website from their phones. In addition to covering these SEO basics, it’s important to make sure your website is mobile responsive, meaning it should adjust the size and elements to fit any screen, making it easy to navigate.

Solid SEO helps search engines find your website AND helps you understand how customers interact with it once they’re there by utilizing tools like Google Analytics. By examining customer behavior on your website, you can determine which pages are performing well, where you’re losing them, and what actions they (or are not) taking.

Should I DIY My Website’s SEO?

Depending on your comfort level with working in your website’s backend, you can certainly address some of these common SEO issues yourself using free tools. They do not have to be done all at once, but some of these changes take time for search engines to recognize.

If you are looking to create a new website, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort later by making sure your website is SEO optimized from the very beginning, which is how we develop websites at Woods MarCom. Hiring an expert in SEO is an investment in the success of your business’s most important marketing asset: your website.

Take it from this local business owner who called the investment in a new website by Woods MarCom, “The best investment I’ve made in my business,” because of the ROI with increased website traffic and customers…and that’s what it’s all about!

Why Image Optimization is So Important

Image optimization can make or break your website performance, particularly for mobile devices. Large, unoptimized images can significantly slow down your website, leading to higher bounce rates and lower search engine rankings. Here are some key reasons why image optimization is essential:

1. Improved Load Times: Compressed images load faster, enhancing the user experience. Slow-loading websites can cause users to leave your site before it fully loads.
2. Better Mobile Performance: Mobile users are often on slower connections, making image optimization critical for ensuring a smooth browsing experience on smartphones and tablets.
3. Enhanced SEO: Search engines prefer faster websites. Optimizing your images improves your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
4. Reduced Bandwidth Usage: Smaller image sizes reduce the amount of data transferred, which is particularly beneficial for users with limited data plans.

Myth About Image Compression

There’s a common misconception that compressing images will reduce their clarity. This isn’t true. While reducing the resolution of an image can impact its quality, image compression techniques are designed to maintain clarity while reducing file size. Image compression keeps your images clear without compromising on quality.

My Image Optimization Workflow

Here’s my step-by-step workflow for optimizing images for the web, whether I’m adding images to my site or redesigning a client website:

1. Size the Image: First, I resize the image (length and width) to exactly what I need for the space on the website. This ensures that the image is not larger than necessary and gets you off to a good start.
2. Name the Image Appropriately for SEO: I download the image from Adobe (or Canva) and give each image a descriptive file name that includes relevant keywords. This helps search engines understand what the image is about, which is always a key component of any SEO strategy.
3. Compress the Images: I use Tinify to compress my images in bulk. Tinify reduces file size while maintaining image quality and lets me convert them into various formats at the same time. I can easily drag/drop the images all at once.
4. Convert to WebP: Whenever possible, I convert images into WebP format using Tinify. WebP offers superior compression compared to older formats like PNG and JPEG, making it ideal for web use whenever possible. (Not all web platforms support WebP, but it’s the best if you can use it.)
5. Upload to Website: Finally, I add the optimized images to my website.

My images are now sized perfectly, named for SEO, compressed, and optimized. This workflow is fast and efficient, and it makes a huge difference in my website performance over just uploading the images from my phone or graphics program.

Why I Love Tinify

Tinify (previously TinyPNG.com) is my go-to tool for image compression. They don’t pay me to say that; it’s legit my favorite out there. Here’s why:

1. Free to Use: Tinify offers a free version that works great.
2. Bulk Compression: You can drag and drop several photos to be compressed at once, saving a lot of time.
3. Format Conversion: Tinify allows you to bulk convert PNGs or JPEGs into WebP files, which are the best format for websites. You can also convert from PNG to JPEGs, which is your next best option when WebP isn’t available.
4. SEO-Friendly: Tinify doesn’t change the name of your files during compression, which is huge for maintaining SEO benefits.

I stopped using other tools because they often renamed my strategically named images to some junk title during compression. 🤐 Tinify ensures that my SEO efforts aren’t messed up during conversion.

Start Optimizing Your Images for SEO!

Optimizing images is a crucial step in maintaining a high-performing, user-friendly website. Following a proper image optimization workflow ensures your site runs smoothly and efficiently, providing the best possible experience for your visitors.

Tinify reached out recently with questions about my image workflow and was kind enough to create a customer story on their website. Check it out here: Customer Story – Web Ultra Rachael Woods.

Adding a solid image compression tool to your workflow just takes a few extra moments, but it will have you well on your way to a faster, more efficient website that ranks higher in search results and provides a better user experience. Happy optimizing!