Our aim is to deliver websites that look sharp and crystal clear on every device. To help you get the best from your images and make your web experience smoother, our design and SEO experts have answered the most common questions we receive about images. Here’s what you need to know:
What size should my images be?
It all comes down to how and where the image will be used. Is it a full-width banner, a small thumbnail, or a logo? Each placement has different requirements.
An image taken on your phone might look fine when used small, but it will likely appear blurry or pixelated if stretched across a large space, like a homepage header. To avoid this, always supply your webmasters with the highest-resolution version you have. They can then resize it as needed to ensure it looks sharp and professional in every spot.
If you’re managing the uploads yourself, aim for image dimensions between 1500 and 2500 pixels wide, and keep the file size under 500KB. This gives you a good balance between visual quality and fast loading times.
Will my images slow down my website?
Big, high-quality images do look great, but they can also slow down your site if they’re too large. Slow loading times frustrate visitors, and that means more people might leave before your site even loads. You can test your website speed using tools like the Pingdom Website Speed Test, this test shows how large your site, how fast it loads and where your website might be slowing you down.
Our rule of thumb is to stick to 3’s – keep page speed under 3 seconds and page sized around 3mb, enabling your website to load fast and reduce bounce rates.
What file types should I use?
Choosing the right file format for your images makes a big difference to how your site performs and how good your images look. Some formats are perfect for web use, while others can cause problems or slow your site down.
Here are the most web-friendly file types:
.jpg (or .jpeg) – Ideal for photographs and images with lots of colour or detail. JPGs strike a good balance between image quality and file size, making them a go-to choice for most website photos.
.png – Best for graphics, icons, logos, and images that need transparency. PNGs keep edges sharp and allow for transparent backgrounds, which is great for layered designs.
.svg – A vector format that’s perfect for logos, icons, and graphics that need to stay crisp at any size. SVGs scale perfectly on all screens without losing quality.
.webp – A modern file format created by Google, WebP offers excellent image quality at much smaller file sizes than JPG or PNG. It’s supported by all major browsers and is a great option if you want fast-loading images without sacrificing clarity. Many content management systems (like WordPress) now support WebP, and image compression tools often include it as an export option.
How to Name Images for SEO
Naming your images properly isn’t just about keeping your files organised – it also plays a part in both SEO and accessibility.
Search engines like Google use file names to help understand what an image is about. When you use clear, descriptive names, it increases the chances of your images appearing in relevant search results and boosts the overall visibility of your website.
Good file names also support accessibility. In some cases, especially if alt text is missing or not properly set, screen readers may fall back on the file name to describe the image. A well-named image can provide a more meaningful experience for visually impaired users.
Here’s how to do it right:
- Use short but descriptive names that explain what’s in the image. For example, instead of IMG_1234.jpg, use blue-running-shoes.jpg.
- Stick to simple characters: letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. Avoid spaces, special characters like question marks, or symbols such as % because they can cause problems when uploading.
- Keep it concise. Aim for fewer than eight words per filename to keep things readable and easy to manage.
- Use hyphens (-) to separate words rather than underscores (_), since search engines treat hyphens as spaces.
Why Is Alt Text Important for SEO?
Alt text, or alternative text, is a short description you add to your images that tells search engines and screen readers what the image shows. It plays a big role in SEO because search engines can’t “see” images the way humans do, they rely on alt text to understand the content of your images and index them properly
But alt text isn’t just for SEO. It’s also a key part of making your website accessible to everyone, including people who use screen readers due to visual impairments. When your images have good alt text, these users can understand what the image is about and how it ties into your services, making your site more inclusive.
To write effective alt text, be clear and concise, describe the image accurately, and avoid stuffing keywords. Think about what information the image conveys and how you’d explain it to someone who can’t see it. Good alt text benefits both your search rankings and your users, making it a win-win for your website.
Getting your website images right isn’t just nice-to-have, it’s essential for performance, accessibility, and visibility in search. From choosing the right file format to writing effective alt text, a few small tweaks can have a big impact on how your site looks, loads, and ranks.
If you’re ever unsure about image specs, file types, or SEO best practices, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. And if you’re looking for a site that looks great, loads fast, and works for everyone, WorkPR always here to help.
