Marketers using unoptimised images are suffering as a result of their laziness as user patience appears to be dropping.

A recent study from Bynder shows that optimising images increases load speed by 30 percent on average, which can result in a three percent increase in sales or leads.

“Load speed is an important metric for marketers,” says Steve Vinnall, global director of brand and communications at Bynder.

“As Google always aims to provide its customers with the very best user experience, pages with slower load speeds will see their rankings suffer as a result. From a user experience perspective, website quality is at an all-time high in 2024, meaning consumers may quickly click off your page if faced with a long load speed.”

An important step that’s often overlooked

Previous studies have shown that a bounce becomes 32 percent more likely when load time drags from one to three seconds, and on average websites displayed on the first page of Google search results load in 1.65 seconds.

Poorly optimised images are a frustrating and simple reason for falling down the rankings. Amid the constant challenge of optimising content for search engines, Vinnall says it is “reassuring to see the tangible impact of an area as simple as image optimisation”.

He praises the advantages of Bynder’s Dynamic Asset Transformation module, claiming that it “allows marketers to automatically optimise images on demand for use in external systems, adapting web coding to provide the best user experience”.

“My advice to marketers would be to pay close attention to the small details in the same way you would the big ones. Simple edits to images can have just as big of an impact, as we can see from our findings – enhanced load speed, rise in sales and better user experience.” 

Techniques for optimising images

Preparing images for publication requires only a simple understanding of the relevant factors.

HubSpot’s guide for image optimisation begins with selecting the right image format for the specific purpose – JPG for photos, PNG for graphics, GIF for animations, and SVG for vectors – each offering specific benefits and limitations. 

Setting ideal file sizes and resolutions leads to intelligent compression and resizing. Compression reduces file sizes without degrading appearance, while resizing adjusts dimensions to minimise data usage, both crucial for improving website performance.

Next, consider moving away from vanity metrics.

Cover image by Mike van den Bos via Unsplash.