Image Compression Still Matters In The Age Of Broadband
Despite the spread of broadband, image compression and page load time optimization are still important because faster download times have raised people’s expectations of faster download times.
The vast majority of Internet users in the USA have switched over to broadband, using image compression to optimize your page load time may not seem to be such a big issue. However, page load time optimization is still important because the faster download times of broadband have raised people’s expectations of faster download times. Internet users have also lowered their tolerance of pages that take more than twenty seconds to load in their browsers.
Image compression for faster page load times should be considered as one aspect of website optimization, along with techniques to increase traffic, generate leads and responsiveness, improve navigability, retain prospects and close more sales.
The single biggest cause of slow-loading websites is image files that are too large and too numerous. Whenever you want to add an image to one of your web pages, use an image compressor to reduce the size of the image file.
If you have Photoshop, you can reduce the size of a JPEG file by downgrading the quality of the image without significantly compromising the appearance of the photo on your web page. If you do not have Photoshop you can use a free online image compressor such as Jpegwizard, which allows you to reduce the size of your image file quickly and easily without having to download any software.
If your web page carries a lot of banner ads which you host on your own site, you can use your preferred image compressor to reduce the size of those files as well.
If you have a lot of goods that you want to display, use thumbnail images instead of full-sized ones. When visitors to your home business website want to view a larger image they can simply click on the thumbnail.
It is easy to produce thumbnail versions of your photos nowadays. For example, FrontPage includes a thumbnail option, and Jpegwizard always includes a thumbnail when it come presses JPEG files.
The biggest problem with compressing JPEG files is that if you compress them too much they suffer a marked deterioration in quality. Another way to reduce image size is too convert your image files to PNG format. PNG delivers good quality images with a much smaller file size than JPEG can manage.
PNG represents an improvement over the highly-compressible GIF images, but if you want to feature some simple animations on your website you would need to use GIF. GIF images can be turned into simple animations in a GIF editor.
However, you should think carefully about whether an animation would really add anything of value to your web page that would justify a slower download time.
Since the process of compressing image files is quick and easy to do, there is really no excuse for using bloated image files just because Internet download speeds are so much faster than they used to be. Your aim should be to make your home business website attractive, to support your text with one or two photos or images, but also to get your page onto your visitors browser as quickly as possible, and definitely in less than twenty seconds.
The easiest way to do that is to compress your image files.
Nial Robbins is the owner http://www.NDR-HomeBiz.com, the site for the best home business opportunities, free home based business training and to earn money on line.
Submitted By ArticleUnited.com