Choosing the Right Images for Your Website

Choosing the right images for your website can be time-consuming and stressful. The right visuals can make or break your site’s appeal and effectiveness, but why does it take 17 hours to find the right image for your home page?

In this edition of Whiskers of Wisdom, you will discover:

• How to select images that resonate with your audience.

• Tips for optimising images for web performance.

• Legal considerations when using images online.

Let's get started.

Why Images Matter

Images play a crucial role in capturing attention. They help convey messages quickly and effectively. People process visuals faster than text. Thus, the right image can enhance user experience and engagement.

Know Your Audience

To choose the right images, understand your audience. What are their interests? What emotions do you want to evoke? For example, a travel blog might use vibrant, scenic photos. A tech site might prefer sleek, modern images.

Relevance and Context

Ensure your images are relevant to your content. An image should support and enhance the accompanying text. Avoid generic stock photos that don’t add value. Instead, choose images that clearly illustrate your points.

Quality Over Quantity

High-quality images are essential. Blurry or pixelated images look unprofessional. Invest in good photography or use reputable stock photo sites. Websites like Unsplash or Pexels offer high-quality, free images.

Optimising for Performance

Large image files can slow down your website. Optimise images to balance quality and load time. Use formats like JPEG for photos and PNG for graphics. Tools like TinyPNG can help reduce file sizes without losing quality.

Legal Considerations

Using images without permission can lead to legal issues. Always check the licensing of images. Many free stock photo sites offer images under a Creative Commons license. Ensure you understand the terms of use.

Adding Alt Text

Alt text is a brief description of an image. It helps with SEO and accessibility. Make your alt text descriptive and relevant. For example, instead of "image1.jpg," use "young woman hiking in the mountains."

Consistent Style

Maintain a consistent style across your site. This creates a cohesive look and feel. Decide on a colour palette and stick to it. Ensure your images align with your brand’s visual identity.

Examples

Before: A generic stock photo of a handshake on a tech site. It adds no real value.

After: A photo of a team working on a laptop. It’s relevant and engaging.

Before: A low-resolution image of a product on an e-commerce site.

After: A high-resolution, well-lit image showcasing the product’s details.

Choosing the right images involves understanding your audience and ensuring relevance. Quality and optimisation are key. Remember the legal aspects and add descriptive alt text for better SEO and accessibility.

By following these guidelines, you can create a visually appealing and effective website. For further insights, check out our guide on optimising website speed.

Now, let's make your website shine with the perfect images.

Kevin

P.S. If your website needs a refresh rather than a rebrand, or complete new design, you can always book us to polish the images. Send me a message and let's have a chat.