Solid content for a website must include a variety of elements, including original information, structure, the right length, an intriguing headline, etc. Images are often overlooked yet they are one of the most important components of an engaging piece.
Customers want to view the goods they want to purchase from every aspect. With the help of images, customers will be able to know everything about the item they plan to purchase thanks to this. In this article, we will try to guide you in the best possible way so that you can optimize images for page speed purposes on Magento 2. So let’s get started!
Why is image optimization for Magento 2 crucial?
We cannot downplay the significance of image optimization for Magento 2 shops. Building an original website that draws visitors is more crucial than ever. Your website will load slowly if you do not optimize images. The customer’s shopping experience is negatively impacted by this, which is why they are forced to leave right away. Optimizing images on your website can guarantee that customers have a positive shopping experience.
How to Optimize Images on Magento 2 stores
You may use a variety of techniques to optimize photos in Magento 2. However, the amount of intricacy required by each approach varies, so select the best one for your needs.
Image size is determined by the resolution, or “pixels,” of the image. The overall amount of pixels as well as the image’s height and breadth are what decides it.
- Maintain the aspect ratio of the original picture.
The proportion between width and height is indicated by the aspect ratio, which is written as two integers separated by colons, such as 1:1, 3:4, 16:9, etc. The aspect ratios of the uploaded images and the product images on the website differ, which is currently a common problem for the vast majority of e-commerce stores and hinders users to optimize images.
- Image compression in Magento
It is no longer true that an image cannot be compressed without losing quality. Thanks to a number of online tools and solutions, images can now be compressed without losing quality. One may use Google Pagespeed to specifically optimize images for PageSpeed, and Google even tells you how much you can do.
- Limit the size of your Magento 2 pictures.
The eCommerce platform for Magento has its own specifications for product image size, which is limited to 1200 width by 1920 pixels. Because of this, Magento will skew any picture that is larger than the aforementioned numbers.
Use WebP to enhance Magento 2
Changing the image format is a better technique to make product photos more Magento-friendly. At the moment, Google suggests using the Webp image format. It features lossless compression and loss of image quality and is specifically made for web pages.
There are several methods to convert product images from a Magento 2 store to Webp.
- Utilize online conversion tools like Webp Converter, Online-Convert, and TinyImage, among others.
- Utilize certain plugins with Adobe Photoshop tools. The Webp format is not yet supported by Photoshop so we will advise adopting plugins like Telegraphic or AdoveWebM to provide the required functionality.
If you’re still unsure as to why WebP is the most popular image format, the graphic below provides a thorough comparison.
Uploading images that are search engine optimized for Magento 2
Optimize images for SEO because it makes a lot of sense since Google is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Here are a few quick tips to help you optimize your photos for search engines.
Create Alt tags carefully.
The importance of the Alt tag is that it will give search engines information about photos and websites, enabling them to identify your website and accurately index images. Additionally, Google finds the Alt tag to be very helpful in structuring the search results page more precisely.
Put a little effort into naming the images
Search engines look up image file names on Google as well. This is why it’s important to provide image files with meaningful, keyword-rich names. You should use names like “one-step-checkout-magento-2.jpg” rather than generic ones like IMG00273. If you make your website easier for Google to recognize, your website will undoubtedly benefit from the results.
Create sitemaps
Sitemaps on the internet will improve your images’ visibility in image search results. You also provide Google with extra information by creating sitemaps, hence, y ou will get more use out of Google’s algorithms.
Whenever possible, use vector images
Consider your design carefully since a clean design is a quick design, even if you may believe it is unimportant. You may substitute some sorts of photos on your website with CSS, vectors, or even typefaces. The remainder can be accelerated using a CDN, but improving the cleanliness and lightness of your website should be a top priority.
The following are some of the standout functions that Vector provides: the fastest design responsiveness, no loss of information, and zoom-friendly pictures The good thing about SVGs is that they may even be compressed and shrunk with gzip to further reduce their size!
Delay loading of images to eliminate crucial render paths
Another method to optimize images in Magento 2 is to delay image loading. Declaring the crucial render route not only facilitates but also improves performance. The deferred script, which is determined by image formats like gifs, pictures, or other media on the screen, then performs lazy loading.
Optimize Images Using Fastly
A fantastic program for managing several formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF, is Fastly IO. It promotes loss conversion using adaptive pixel scaling for various screen resolutions. You must first activate Fastly IO, then configure and confirm it in order for it to function properly on your store. To compare your website speed before and after using Fastly, you must first evaluate the speed of your store’s website before using this tool. You will then get a good perspective on this tool.
Use Multiversion Images Versions Depending on Screen Size
For Magento 2 developers, a flexible design means new potential and difficulties. One of them is the usage of several picture versions for various screen resolutions. Depending on your frame, Magento 2 will display the image that fits you the best. For instance, forcing the server to switch from wide to narrow will cause your screen to shrink from 960px wide to 240px.
Replace Images With CSS3 Styles
Most people fail to realize the possibilities of CSS3. CSS3 styles may entirely replace some graphics and offer excellent vector efficiency. For whatever screen resolution or device, CSS3 supports 100% shading, animation, and gradient management. CSS3 values produce straightforward geometries when using CSS3 in place of SVG.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, one of the most crucial things you must do to improve your page speed is image optimization in Magento 2. Customers will leave if they wait too long to learn about your item or brand, no matter how excellent it is, or how interesting and unique your content is. Therefore, if you want to compete in the market, you will have to optimize images in Magento 2, there’s no way around it!