How to Optimize Images for WordPress without Losing Quality?

Did you know that images often make up around 50% of a webpage’s total size? 

Are you frustrated with images loading slowly on your site? Do you want to learn how to optimize images for WordPress? If yes, then you’re on the right page!

Imagine how large and unoptimized images can slow down your website. And you know it’ll lead to a poor user experience and lower search engine rankings. 

Therefore, optimizing your images is a simple yet effective way to boost your WordPress site’s speed and performance. 

But how to do it? That’s why we have come up with this article. 

Here, we’ll guide you through the best practices on how to optimize images for WordPress. So by the end of this article, you’ll be able to create a faster and more efficient website.

Now, let’s get started!

Image Optimization and Its Role in Site Performance

How often have you crossed a site with images that take time to load? It takes forever for some sites, doesn’t it?

In fact, Google reports that the probability of a visitor bouncing increases by 32% as page load time increases from 1 to 3 seconds.

We know it’s frustrating! 

We have a website, and we know it’s a disaster if our pages are slow or the images are stuck between loading. It’s a complete nightmare!

One of the causes of this is the unoptimized images. 

Large, unoptimized images are one of the primary causes of slow-loading websites. They consume more bandwidth and increase server load, causing page rendering delays. 

Moreover, search engines like Google consider website loading speed as a key factor in determining search rankings.

Besides, when visitors land on your website, the images take too long to load. They might be frustrated and leave before going through your content. This sends negative signals to search engines about your site’s performance.

Therefore, image optimization ensures that your WordPress site loads quickly and efficiently, providing a better experience for your visitors.

In the following sections, we’ll look into how to optimize images for WordPress!

How to Optimize Images for WordPress?

So, you know why it’s important to optimize your images. Then we’ll show you how we do it on our site and make it perform faster. 

1. Choosing the Right Image File Format

But first, let’s see why you need the correct image format! This is one of the first steps in learning how to optimize images for WordPress.

If you want your WordPress website to be fast and look great, then you must use the right images. 

By images, we mean the image formats. There are different types of image files, and each one is good for different purposes. 

Let’s look at the most common ones!

1. JPEG: JPEG (or JPG) is great for photos. If you take a picture of a sunset, your pet, or your favorite food, then JPEG is a good choice for colorful pictures.

2. PNG: This format is best for clear pictures or transparent backgrounds. It keeps all the tiny details and is useful for logos, drawings, or pictures with words.

We use the PNG format in our blog, SiteSaga, so it’s easy for you to read our content without being distracted by hard-to-read images. 

3. WebP: WebP is a new kind of image format. It’s like a mix of JPEG and PNG. It keeps the picture looking nice and makes the file small. Also, many WordPress websites now use WebP.

Now that you have an idea of image format, picking the right image type is an easy way to speed up your website. 

2. Create Right-Sized Images Using Image Editors

Let’s start optimizing images!

One of the best ways to optimize images for WordPress is to ensure they are the right size before uploading them. 

At SiteSaga, we prepare every blog image carefully to fit our layout perfectly, using Adobe Photoshop.

Our ideal image size is 760 x 550 pixels, so every image fits neatly into our content without slowing down the site or needing resizing after upload. Here’s exactly how we create right-sized images using Photoshop:

Step 1: Choose the Right Image for Your Content

Before you even open Photoshop, select an image that fits your blog post.

For example, if we’re writing about a plugin like Rank Math, then we visit the official Rank Math website and look for a visual section that best explains the feature we’re discussing.

Once we find the section we want to show, we’ll press “Windows + Shift + S” to open the snipping tool.

Now, use the mouse to drag and select the part of the screen you want to capture. The screenshot will be copied to your clipboard.

Step 2: Open Adobe Photoshop and Create a New Canvas

Next, open the Photoshop app on your desktop, then click on the “Create New” button.

In the new file window, set the canvas width to 760 pixels and the height to 550 pixels. We’ll also set the resolution to 100 to keep the image crisp for the web. 

Then, click the “Create” button.

Step 3: Paste the Screenshot

Now, there is a blank canvas ready for the image! Here, press “Ctrl + V” to paste your screenshot directly. Or, press “Windows + V” to see your clipboard history and select the screenshot if needed.

As you can see, the image is on the canvas. You can use the “Move Tool” to drag it into position or the Transform Tool (Ctrl + T) to resize it.

Step 4: Crop and Clean Up

After that, we ensure the screenshot fits well inside the 760-pixel width. If it’s too tall, then we’ll crop out the unnecessary space using the “Crop Tool (C)” or simply adjust the image position.

You need to trim off anything that’s not useful. Extra white space or background parts can distract from the focus.

Step 5: Save the Image in the Right Format

Once your image looks good, press “Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S” to open the Save for Web window. Choose PNG-24 format for best quality and clear text. It’s perfect for screenshots. Make sure the file size isn’t too large. 

Moreover, Photoshop will show a preview with file size estimates. Once you’re satisfied, click the “Save” button.

Step 6: Name Your File Properly

Now, a dialogue box will open to save your image on your desktop. 

But before hitting save again, give your file a clear, descriptive name. This will help you stay organized in your WordPress media library and improve SEO. 

For example, we’ll use the name “rank-math-settings.png” instead of random image1.png.

Now, hit “Save,” and your image is ready to be uploaded to your blog post on WordPress!

3. Compress Your Images Before Uploading to WordPress

After creating and saving the right-sized image, the next step is compression. 

Even when an image is of the correct size, it can still be heavy and slow down your website. That’s where TinyPNG comes in. 

It’s a free, simple tool that uses smart compression to reduce image file size without losing quality. It works for PNG and JPEG files, making it perfect for the images we prepare.

At SiteSaga, we always compress our images before uploading them to WordPress. This helps us keep the image quality looking great while reducing the file size. So our site loads fast and gives users a smooth experience.

Here’s exactly how we do it:

First, we go to the TinyPNG website. On the TinyPNG homepage, simply drag and drop your saved image file into the upload box on the page. 

You can also click to browse your files and select the image manually.

Also, the free version of TinyPNG allows you to upload up to 20 images at once, each up to 5MB in size. 

As soon as the image is uploaded, TinyPNG begins compressing it. In just a few seconds, it shows how much space you saved. Once the compression is done, click the “Download icon’ to save the image to your computer. 

It’s common to reduce an image size by 50% or more, which can improve page loading time.

We love that it keeps the image looking sharp, especially for UI screenshots or graphics with text, which we use often.

Once downloaded, you’ll find the image with the same name in your download folder. 

Also, if you’re compressing multiple images at once, then click “Download All Images” to get a “tinified” ZIP file with everything included. Then, you can unzip the folder and keep it ready for upload.

Before uploading the image to WordPress, always double-check the image file name. A clean, descriptive file name helps with SEO and keeps the WordPress media library tidy. 

Now that the image is compressed and renamed, it’s ready to upload to WordPress. 

So, open your WordPress dashboard, then go to “Media” and click on the “Add Media File > Select Files” option. 

Then choose the image that you’ve just saved.  

Also, add the alt text, title, and caption for your image so it’ll be easy for you to find and reuse it. Now, our properly optimized image is ready to use on your blog post. 

This is how we ensure our site stays fast and efficient without ever sacrificing quality. TinyPNG is one of our favorite tools for image optimization and a must in our publishing process at SiteSaga.

4. Set WordPress to Auto Image Optimization with Smush Plugin

Another way to optimize your chosen images without doing it manually is to use one of the image optimizer WordPress plugins. For this guide, we’ll use Smush. 

It’s a popular WordPress plugin that optimizes and compresses images to improve your website’s speed without reducing quality. Besides, it automatically compresses images when uploading, so you don’t need extra work. 

So, let’s see how to set up this plugin.

First, you must install and activate this plugin, like any other WordPress plugin. If you’re new to this, check out our article on installing a WordPress plugin.  

Now you’ll see the Smush in the menu of your WordPress dashboard. Click on it, and you’ll be welcomed with a setup guide.  

Once you click the “Begin Setup” button, you’ll see the option to enable/disable the “Automatic Compression” option. Let’s keep it enabled, because that’s the point of using this plugin here. 

Next, enable “Super Smush,” which will optimize your image twice as much as the regular Smush. 

Now, choose whether to enable/disable “Strip my image metadata.” It’s better to choose to enable it. Because photos often store camera settings in the file, i.e., focal length, date, time, and location, removing this data reduces the file size. Rest assured, it does not strip SEO metadata.

Another option is to enable/disable “Compress Full Size Image.” The purpose of this feature is to let you choose whether or not you want Smush to compress your original, full-size images when you upload them to WordPress.

When you upload an image to WordPress, it usually creates smaller versions of it (like thumbnails or medium-sized images) for use in different parts of your site. Smush can automatically compress these smaller versions to help your site load faster.

But your original image (the full-size one you uploaded) is usually not compressed by default. So, enabling this option is helpful if your theme uses the full-size image directly on the page. Because it’ll make those large images smaller without changing how they look.

Plus, Smush saves a backup copy of your original image just in case you want to access it later, so it’s safe.

On the next step, enable the “Lazy Load option.”  

This option stops images from loading until a visitor scrolls down to see them. It’s especially useful for pages with lots of images.

For this guide, we’re using the free version, so let’s go with the “Complete Setup” in the following setup process. 

As you can see in the Smush dashboard, we don’t have any images to compress. So, let’s upload. 

Click on the “Upload Image” button. 

Before uploading, don’t forget to resize the image like we did using Adobe Photoshop. So, let’s upload some images here!

Once your images are uploaded, go to “Smush > Dashboard.” You don’t have to do anything here. 

As you can see in the image above, it’s optimized already. If you remember, then we enabled auto compression while setting up. Smush has done its part, so our images are ready to use. 

So this is it; it’s all done here!

Alternative Image Optimizer Plugins for WordPress

If you’re looking for other alternatives for image optimization plugins, then here are some popular ones. 

1. Imagify

Imagify is a powerful WordPress image optimization plugin developed by WP Media, the creators of WP Rocket. It helps you compress, resize, and convert images to modern formats like WebP and AVIF while maintaining visual quality. 

With over 900,000 active installations, it’s a trusted solution for improving website performance through efficient image handling. When you upload images to your WordPress site, it’ll auto-optimize them using its Smart Compression technology. 

Features:

• Automatically balances image quality and performance without manual intervention.
• Compress existing images in your media library with a single click.
• Set maximum width and height to ensure consistency across your site.
• Convert images to next-gen formats for better compression and faster loading times.
• Restore images to their original state if needed.

Pricing:

Imagify offers a freemium model, where you can get the free version from the official plugin directory of WordPress.org.

The premium version comes with the following plans from its official website. 

• Growth: Costs $4.99/month (billed yearly) or $5.99/month, includes 500MB of image optimization per month, with $5 per additional GB.
• Infinite: Costs $9.99/month (billed yearly) or $11.99/month, offers unlimited image optimization.

2. Optimole

Optimole is another powerful image optimization plugin for WordPress. With over 200,000 active installations, it offers a comprehensive solution to boost website performance by optimizing images in real-time.  

It also automatically compresses, resizes, and serves images via a global CDN. After that, it delivers them in the most suitable format and size for each visitor’s device and browser. This ensures that your images are always optimized without any manual intervention.

Features:

• Serves images through a CDN with over 450 locations worldwide.
• Stores and manages images in the cloud, reducing server load.
• Optimizes an unlimited number of images, even on the free plan.
• Automatically adds watermarks to images to protect your content.
• Also, the Automatic Next-Gen Formats conversion will reduce WebP and AVIF  file size by up to 80%.

Pricing:

Optimole also offers a freemium model. You can install the free version directly from the WordPress plugin directory. 

Or you can upgrade to a premium plan from its official website for additional features.

• Starter: Costs $19.08/month, supports up to 40,000 monthly visits, includes all free features plus email support and individual setup assistance.
• Business: Costs $39.08/month, supports up to 100,000 monthly visits, includes all Starter features plus live chat support and custom domain (CNAME) usage.
• Flexible: Costs $90.83/month, supports up to 250,000 monthly visits, includes all Business features with priority email support.

3. EWWW Image Optimizer

Finally, we have EWWW Image Optimizer, which is a robust WordPress plugin. This plugin boasts over 1 million active installations. And once you upload images to your site, it’ll auto compress and optimize them.

Moreover, this plugin utilizes lossless and lossy compression techniques to reduce image file sizes. It also allows you to optimize images outside your WordPress media library.

Features:

• Compatible with PNG, JPEG, GIF, and even PDF files.
• Delivers images via a global Content Delivery Network, boosting load times for visitors worldwide.
• Includes features like page caching, JS/CSS optimization, and Critical CSS generation.
• Also, free image backups store your original images for 30 days.
• The Bulk Optimizer will compress theme images, BuddyPress avatars, BuddyPress Activity Plus images, etc. 

Pricing:

EWWW Image Optimizer offers both free and premium plans. The free version can be installed directly from the WordPress plugin directory.  

Or upgrade to a premium plan with more advanced features from its official website.

• Standard Plan: Costs $8/month or $80/year. Offers unlimited CDN images, 25k API Flex Quota, 50 GB bandwidth, and includes the SWIS Performance Plugin.
• Growth Plan: Costs $16/month or $160/year. Includes all Standard features, 50k API Flex Quota, 200 GB bandwidth, 100+ CDN locations, and support for custom domains.
• Infinite Plan: Costs $32/month or $320/year. Provides all Growth features, 100k API Flex Quota, and 400 GB bandwidth.

If you want more tools, then go through our article on the best image optimization plugin for WordPress.

What are the Best Practices for WordPress Image Optimization?

By now, you must have a detailed idea about how and why optimizing images is important for your site. 

Let’s dive into some best practices on how to optimize images for WordPress:

• As we said earlier, in the steps of optimizing images, always select the appropriate image format. 
• Also, uploading large images will slow down your site. So, resize images to the exact dimensions you’ll need. 
• The most important part is compressing your images without affecting image quality.
• Following that, do remember to rename your image files with descriptive, keyword-rich names.
• Additionally, add alt text to each image to improve accessibility and SEO. It’ll describe the image content and will help search engines understand your site’s visuals.
• Over time, unused or outdated images can pile up, consume storage, and potentially slow down your site. So, regularly review and clean your media library.

So, be attentive to your image quality! Following these best practices can boost your website’s speed, user experience, and search engine rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Now, we’ll answer some of your burning questions about how to optimize images for WordPress!

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap! So, in this article, we’ve covered how to optimize images for WordPress. We hope you liked it!

If you have any more questions or suggestions about this article, then please don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below. We’d be happy to help!

You can also check out our article on the best WordPress cache plugins to boost your site speed. Also, you might be interested in knowing the best Flickr WordPress plugins. 

Also, follow us on Facebook and X for similar types of content. 

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