Image Compress

Welcome back to SEO Made Easy. Let’s talk about image compression.

Compression is the process of reducing your image data size without compromising its quality, and its importance for SEO lies in the ability to speed up your website.

Ever found yourself waiting endlessly for a website to load while shopping online or searching for a recipe?

Chances are, the site's prolonged loading time was due to oversized images and media. In an era of fast internet connections and minimal patience, users are quick to abandon slow-loading websites, negatively impacting your SEO.

Think of it this way: ever clicked on something, expecting a thrill, but it's a total letdown? Happens to the best of us. Same deal when a website takes its sweet time to load – even if it's got cool stuff, waiting feels like forever, and people bounce. Just trying to dodge those boring moments online!

Compressed images load much faster, preventing the frustrating experience of watching a webpage load in sections, like in the internet era from the 90s.

Now, how do you go about compressing your images?
If a professional photographer is handling your visuals, ask them for optimal settings, they will help you in this process.

For Mac users:
a simple method involves using Preview: open your image, click 'File,' then 'Export,' choose 'JPEG,' and adjust the 'Quality' slider to strike a balance between file size and image quality. Save, and voila!

On Photoshop:
navigate to 'File,' then 'Export,' and select 'Save for Web (Legacy)' to efficiently balance quality and file size.

You can compress images also in Canva, the most budget-friendly choice I guess?
Once your masterpiece is ready, click 'Download,' choosing JPEG with the ability to tweak quality settings.

When choosing the right image size and format, think of it as tailoring your images to fit different purposes. Use JPEG for straightforward photos and PNG for illustrations or images with clear backgrounds. Try to keep your image size below 20KB—it's a strategy that has worked well for many.

Also, be cautious with Instagram; if your photos are too large, they might end up looking low-quality because the platform compresses them automatically, giving them a grainy and distorted look - just making them ugly.

In a nutshell, give your website a quick file check, compress those images, and sprinkle in some relevant keywords.
Keep an eye on your analytics – be patient. Unlike the quick gains on Instagram, navigating the bustling Google search scene takes time. Your traffic will get there, just stay consistent and let the algorithm do its thing.
Cheers to smoother loading times and increased visibility on the web!