10 Image Compression Tips for Faster Websites

Images account for roughly 50% of total webpage weight. Optimizing them is one of the most impactful things you can do for page speed. Here are 10 proven tips.

1. Choose the Right Format

Use JPEG for photographs, PNG for graphics with transparency, and WebP for the best of both worlds. WebP provides 25-35% smaller files than JPEG at equivalent quality.

2. Use the Right Quality Level

For web images, 70-80% JPEG quality is the sweet spot. Most users can't tell the difference between 80% and 100% quality, but the file size difference is dramatic.

3. Resize Before Compressing

Don't serve a 4000px wide image in a 800px container. Resize to the maximum display size first, then compress. This alone can reduce file sizes by 80%+.

4. Use Responsive Images

Serve different image sizes for different screen sizes using the srcset attribute. Mobile users shouldn't download desktop-sized images.

5. Implement Lazy Loading

Add loading="lazy" to images below the fold. This defers loading until the user scrolls near them, improving initial page load time.

6. Strip Metadata

Camera metadata (EXIF data) can add 10-50KB to each image. Strip it for web use unless you need it for copyright or location purposes.

7. Consider Client-Side Tools

Tools like Compresso let you compress images without uploading them to a server. This is faster and more private than server-based tools.

8. Use a CDN

Content Delivery Networks serve images from servers closest to your users, reducing latency. Many CDNs also offer automatic image optimization.

9. Enable Browser Caching

Set appropriate cache headers for images. Since images rarely change, long cache durations (1 year) prevent unnecessary re-downloads.

10. Monitor with PageSpeed Insights

Regularly test your site with Google PageSpeed Insights to identify unoptimized images and track improvements over time.

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