Most marketers would hardly be surprised by the fact that images posted on a website play a huge role in user experience. But when it comes to the actual optimisation of images to provide the best experience, many are at a loss.
LetsBuildWebsites.com claims that there are a few important steps in optimising images. The biggest concern with pictures to be uploaded should be their size. It is better to resize the image before it is uploaded; if you do it later, the picture will have to be resized by the server every time it is loaded. Think about the hundreds of pictures that have to be loaded on a bigger site and the impact that would have on loading time.
Another key issue is image storage. It is possible to store them all over the Internet but then you risk losing some of them due to reasons beyond your control. That is why it might be a better option to use your own server or an online file storage service, such as Mozy Online Backup.
Selecting the most appropriate format is another element to consider, as different images look best in different formats. If you have an image that does not have many colours or details, it is best to save it as a 8-bit PNG or a GIF format. Images that need to display a lot of detail and many colours would look good in 24-bit PNG or JPG, which is smaller.
Last but not least, make sure that the image you are about to post would not cause copyright issues and that you are actually allowed to use it.