Adding and Optimising Images in WordPress
Images make your content more engaging, but large, unoptimised files slow your site down and frustrate visitors. The good news is that a little care at upload time makes a big difference.
This article explains how to add images cleanly and keep them fast and accessible.
Preparing Images Before Upload
Resize images to roughly the size they will display at. A 5,000-pixel photo from a phone does not need to be uploaded at full size for a 1,200-pixel-wide layout.
- Crop to the right shape and resize sensibly.
- Export as WebP or JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics.
- Compress to reduce file size before uploading.
- Give the file a descriptive, hyphenated name.
Inside WordPress
- Always add alt text describing the image for screen readers and search engines.
- Choose an appropriate display size, not always 'Full'.
- Let optimisation plugins create modern formats automatically.
| Image type | Best format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | WebP / JPEG | Compress to ~80% quality |
| Logos & icons | SVG / PNG | Crisp at any size |
| Screenshots | PNG / WebP | Avoid heavy compression |
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.