Image Optimization for Web: Complete Guide

Why Image Optimization Matters

Images often account for 50-80% of a webpage's total size. Optimizing them can dramatically improve load times, user experience, and SEO rankings.

53%

of users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load

Format	Best For	Transparency	Animation
JPEG	Photos	❌	❌
PNG	Graphics, logos	✅	❌
WebP	Everything (modern)	✅	✅
SVG	Icons, logos	✅	✅
GIF	Simple animations	✅	✅

💡 Pro Tip: WebP offers 25-35% better compression than JPEG with similar quality. Use it with a JPEG fallback for older browsers.

Reduce file size while maintaining acceptable quality. Most images can be compressed 50-80% without noticeable quality loss.

Use our Image Compressor tool to quickly compress images in your browser - no upload required.

Don't serve a 4000px image if it displays at 800px. Resize images to their actual display size (considering retina displays).

/* Serve 2x for retina displays */
Display size: 400px
Actual image: 800px (2x)

Only load images when they're about to enter the viewport:

<img src="photo.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Description">

⚠️ Don't over-compress: Heavy compression creates visible artifacts. Always preview before saving.