There's a few things that you need to remember when uploading images to your website.
Choosing the right format is crucial for ensuring that your images are optimised for web use. JPEG is the most commonly used format for photographs and images with many colors, while PNG is best for images with transparency or those with fewer colours. Avoid using GIFs for large images, as they can result in large file sizes.
Optimising your images for web use will help reduce file sizes resulting in faster loading times. Use image editing software like Photoshop to resize your images to the appropriate dimensions for your website and reduce their file size by compressing them without compromising their quality.
For example, a high-quality JPEG image for a website should generally be around 100KB-200KB in file size. For images that are used as background images or large banners, the file size can be a bit larger, up to 500KB or even 1MB in some cases.
Descriptive file names can help search engines like Google understand what your images are about and improve their SEO value. Use descriptive words that accurately reflect the content of the image and include relevant keywords. For example:
French-lime-Notre-View-Candle.jpg
If you’re exporting photos from your camera or phone, the file names are going to be a random set of numbers and letters such as “IMG_3073.jpeg”. To re-name them on your computer, click on the file name which will highlight the current text, and replace it with your optimised file name.
Alt text is a brief description of your image that appears when the image cannot be loaded. It's essential for accessibility, as it helps visually impaired visitors understand the content of the image. Use clear and descriptive alt text that accurately describes the content of the image.
For example, the alt text for the image below would be something like 'A man sitting outside his home looking up and smiling with a laptop on his lap'.
Regularly auditing and updating your images can help ensure that your website is visually appealing and up to date. Remove any outdated or irrelevant images and replace them with new, high-quality images that reflect the current state of your website.
