Checklist: Optimize website for seo and Speed

Optimize Images for SEO and Speed

• Boost Visibility: Properly optimized images can improve your search engine rankings, making your content more discoverable.

• Enhance User Experience: Fast-loading images keep your audience engaged and reduce bounce rates.

• Improve Accessibility: Use descriptive alt text to make your images accessible to all users, including those using screen readers.

• Increase Engagement: High-quality, relevant images capture attention and encourage interaction with your posts.

• Background images: When selecting background images for your website, it is crucial to adhere to a recommended size of 1250 x 800 pixels. This dimension strikes a balance between visual clarity and loading speed, which is essential for user experience. The resolution should ideally be set to 72 dots per inch (dpi), which is standard for web images, although 96 dpi can also work effectively without significantly compromising quality. This ensures that the images load quickly while maintaining a decent level of clarity on various devices.

• Cover photos: For Wix cover photos, the ideal dimensions are 1200 x 628 pixels. This size is optimized for social media sharing as well, ensuring that your cover photo displays well across platforms when shared. It is important to ensure that the focal point of the image is centered, as cropping can occur in different contexts, especially on mobile devices.

• Feed ads: When creating feed ads on Wix, it is recommended to use images that are 1080 x 1080 pixels. This square format is particularly effective for social media platforms, where visual content is key to engagement. Ensuring that the image is vibrant and eye-catching will help in attracting potential customers and increasing click-through rates.

• Large images: For images that are intended to span the entire width of the screen, it is advisable to use images that are at least 2500 pixels wide. This size ensures that the image maintains its quality and sharpness on larger displays, providing a more immersive experience for visitors. Additionally, optimizing these images for web use can help reduce loading times without sacrificing quality.

• Smaller images: For smaller images, such as those found on staff pages or in other contexts where space is limited, a width of 800 pixels is generally sufficient. This size allows for a clear representation of the subject without overwhelming the layout, ensuring that the overall design remains clean and user-friendly.

• Product images: In the context of Wix Stores, product images should ideally have a minimum resolution of 3000 x 3000 pixels. Additionally, maintaining an image ratio of 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 2:3, or 9:16 is critical for showcasing products effectively. For mobile viewing, it is recommended to utilize square images (1:1 ratio) to ensure that they are displayed correctly on various devices, enhancing the shopping experience for users.

• File size: To optimize loading speeds and overall website performance, Wix recommends keeping image files under 25 MB. For GIFs, a maximum size of 15 MB is advised. Reducing file sizes helps improve page load times, which can significantly impact user retention and search engine rankings.

• File type: When choosing between file formats, JPGs are often preferable due to their smaller file sizes compared to PNGs. This can lead to faster loading times while still providing adequate image quality for most web applications. However, consider using PNGs for images that require transparency or for graphics that need to maintain high fidelity.

• Starting with a RAW file: To ensure the highest quality in your images, begin with an uncompressed or RAW file format. This allows you to preserve the image's quality during editing and compression processes, ensuring that the final output remains sharp and visually appealing.

• Aspect ratio: It is essential to size images according to the same aspect ratio as the area they will occupy on the website. For instance, a hero image should typically be around 1920 pixels wide with a 16:9 aspect ratio. This practice helps in maintaining visual consistency and prevents distortion or cropping that can detract from the user experience.

• Image resolution: For optimal results, always upload images with a resolution that complements the display size and intended use. Higher resolutions provide better quality, but it's important to balance this with file size to enhance loading speeds. Aim for resolutions that maintain clarity without causing delays in page loading.

By taking the time to optimize your website for SEO and speed, you create a seamless and engaging experience for your audience, ensuring your social media efforts yield the best possible results.