If you run an online store, plugin is a true art that you want to master. Image optimization is critical in building successful eCommerce sites because product photography is the foundation of your online store.
As previously stated, if you own an eCommerce store, you may recognize the importance of eCommerce product images. The key to success is to present any item properly. Customers will be curious about how jewelry or clothing items will appear to them, or how a typical leather sofa will appear in their living room.
Why is product image size important on eCommerce websites?
Images, as you may be aware, are among the most important assets for your eCommerce store.
There is a proverb that goes:
"However, they are all too often overlooked, with store owners completely forgetting to optimize images for the web."
There are two reasons for this:
- Since getting images optimized for your site is another extra step in the never-ending list you have to do
- It is considered a low priority, then easily forgotten
However, if you want to improve your conversion rate, loyalty, customer engagement, and even lifetime value, you should start with your image collection.
Before we go any further, consider why images are so important to the success of your company.
1. First impressions count
Images or pis are the first thing your buyers see when they visit your product page, and it is believed that these first few seconds are critical in determining whether they will continue looking for your products or not.
Actually, according to a 2017 study conducted by Square and BigCommerce, extra product photography is the first thing that American online customers want from online brands.
2. An image is more valuable than 1,000 words
Photos help customers feel more confident about the quality and details of a product than any short or long description.
The ability to feel the products as if they were in a real store through high-quality product images allows any customer to investigate many details about the items they are looking for.
According to data from BigCommerce and Square, roughly half of respondents said they couldn't touch, feel, or try their favorite products when shopping online.
3. Mobile is taking over
Images will be required as mobile shopping becomes more important in everyone's life, as evidenced by Google's Speed Update move. Mobile users are more numerous when using images rather than words or texts to assess and navigate the suitability of your products.
A clear and appealing eCommerce item implies that your items will be clicked and purchased more frequently.
4. Images can ruin your business site
It is important to note that low-quality and unprofessional photos for websites can have a negative impact on your customer experience and ranking in search engines.
You might wonder the three following questions:
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“Do your images load slowly?”
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“Have you not included the meta description?”
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“Are people bouncing as they land there?”
What is the best size for eCommerce product images?
If you're using Photoshop, you can create the product image template by creating blank files and resizing them to your specifications. This helps you keep image sixes consistent. There is more information about the requirements, but the best starting points for template sizes to use in your store are between 1,200px and 1,600px on the longest side. Keep in mind that you only have enough detail for customers to look at an object in and out.
A key consideration is how to reduce image file sizes to help keep page loading times to a minimum. You should not be concerned because nothing ruins a user experience more than a slow-loading page. According to statistics, approximately 47 percent of users now expect a webpage to load in under two seconds, and 40% will abandon a page that takes more than three seconds to load.
As a result, you should avoid large images that take a bit longer to load. The general rule for AIM image file sizes is to keep them under 70 kb. Fortunately, using Photoshop's "Save For Web" tool allows you to reduce file size without sacrificing image quality.
Besides, you should also consider this:
- 50% of customers will not be willing to wait 3 seconds for a website to load.
- Globally, the average page loading time is increasing.
- Amazon discovered that if their pages slow down by just one second, they could lose USD1.6 billion per year.
- Page loading time is one of the most important ranking factors in Google's algorithm.
Another method for reducing image file size is to use Adobe Photoshop's "Save for Web" command. You want to use this tool to get the images adjusted to the smallest file size possible while maintaining image quality.
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Quality: It is located at the top and right-hand corners.
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File format: You can find it at the top and right-hand corner
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Optimization: You can find it at the top and right-hand corner
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Color: You can find it at the top and right-hand corner
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Downsizing and sharpening: It's in the bottom and right-hand corner.
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Expected file size: You can find it in the bottom and left-hand corner
You can also select Export As.
You may be wondering how to select the proper file type.
GIF, PNG, and JPEG are three popular file types for uploading photos to the web.
JPEG or.jpg images are an old file format. JPEG is quickly becoming the Internet's de facto standard for photos. JPEG photos can be compressed, resulting in high-quality photos with small file sizes.
GIF or.gif images have lower quality than JPEG images and are widely used for more images, including interior decoration photos and icons. GIFs also help with animation. In terms of image optimization, GIFs are well-known for being ideal for simple and straightforward images on any webpage. However, GIFs are not a good solution for complex images, and this is especially true for larger images.
PNG images are increasingly being used in place of GIFs. PNGs also support more colors than GIFs and will not degrade over time with re-saves, as JPEGs do. You should keep in mind that PNG-24 photos are over three times larger in file size than PNG-8 photos. This is why you must exercise caution when working with PNGs.
And here are some pointers to keep in mind when selecting file types:
- In most cases, JPEGs can be your best friend in the eCommerce world. They can provide you with the highest quality while maintaining the smallest file size.
- Never use GIFs for large product images. There will be no way to reduce the file size. Only use GIFs for thumbnails and decorative images.
- PNGs are a good alternative to both GIFs and JPEGs. If you can only use PNG images, try PNG-8 rather than PNG-24. Due to their small file size, PNGs excel as simple decorative photos.
That's what image optimization is all about. You can check out 5 more Tips to optimize your online store's product images
Thank you for reading
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