Blog / Growth
How to Decrease Image Size without being Tech-Savvy
Learn how to decrease image size for your blog posts or articles without the need for advanced technical skills. Optimize your images for faster loading and a better user experience.
Images play a crucial role in making your blog posts visually appealing and engaging. But using high-resolution images without optimising their size can lead to slower loading times and a less satisfying user experience. The good news is that you don’t need to be a tech guru to decrease image size for your blog posts or articles. In this guide, I’ll walk you through simple steps to make your images smaller for your blog, ensuring faster page loading and happier readers.
1. Choose the Right Image Format #
The choice of image format can significantly impact its size. Two common formats are JPEG and PNG. JPEGs are great for photographs and images with many colors, while PNGs are ideal for images with transparency or sharp edges. To decrease image size, opt for JPEG when possible, as they tend to be smaller. You can easily convert your images to the right format using free online tools or even built-in features in many image editors.
Also keep an eye out on WebP. Although support is good in browsers, other tools might be less supported.
2. Resize Images Proportionally #
Before uploading an image to your blog post, make sure it’s the right dimensions. Often, images from digital cameras, smartphones or Unsplash or other stock photo sites are much larger than needed. Most CMS’ have a maximum width for images, usually around 1200 pixels. Resize your images to match this width while maintaining the original aspect ratio. This ensures that your images fit well within your blog’s layout without causing unnecessary bloat.
3. Use Image Compression Tools #
You don’t have to be tech-savvy to take advantage of image compression tools. Numerous online tools and software applications can automatically reduce the file size of your images while preserving their quality. Some popular options include TinyPNG, Compressor.io, and ImageOptim. Simply upload your image, and these tools will do the rest, making it easy for anyone to decrease image size.
4. Leverage Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) #
CDNs are services that help distribute your website’s content to various servers worldwide. They optimize the delivery of your images and other assets, making them load faster for users no matter where they’re located. Many popular CDNs like Cloudflare and Amazon CloudFront offer user-friendly setups that require little technical expertise. By implementing a CDN, you can significantly improve your website’s loading times without delving into complex technical details.
Other image-focussed, and pricier, CDN’s are: Cloudinary](https://cloudinary.com/) and Imgix.
5. Lazy Loading for Images #
Lazy loading is a technique that loads images only when they come into the user’s view, rather than all at once when the page loads. This reduces the initial page load time and improves the overall user experience. Implementing this feature can be as simple as adding a plugin, like this one for Jekyll, making it accessible to even a bit tech-savvy users.
6. Optimize Alt Text and File Names #
While not directly related to file size, optimising alt text and file names is essential for accessibility and SEO. Alt text provides a text description of your images for visually impaired users and search engines. Make sure to include relevant keywords in your alt text and use descriptive file names. This not only improves your blog’s search engine ranking but also ensures that your images are well-organised and easy to manage.
In Spinal you can simply select Alt in the bottom-left to change the alt-attribute value.
7. Test and Monitor Load Times #
After implementing these techniques, it’s crucial to test and monitor your blog’s load times regularly. Tools like PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/) and GTmetrix can help you evaluate your website’s performance. Keep an eye on your site’s speed score and address any issues that arise promptly. Regular monitoring ensures that your blog continues to load quickly and keeps your readers engaged.
By following these simple steps, you can decrease image size for your blog posts or articles without requiring extensive technical knowledge. This not only enhances your site’s performance but also improves the user experience, leading to more satisfied readers. With the right tools and strategies, you can make your blog load faster, and your content more accessible to a wider audience.
Written by July Forand
Published:
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