Why you need to optimise
Which image looks best?
The two images below display the same. One has been optimised correctly for the web using Photoshop Elements. The other image has been incorrectly resized using Dreamweaver. Can you tell which is correct?
Image 1
See actual size of image |
Image 2
See actual size of image |
Explanation
One image is huge - physical size, file size and resolution. This will make download times much longer for the end user (who will leave your site frustrated). The cost of web traffic to your department will be more than it needs to be.
The other image has been optimised for the web - physical size, file size and resolution have been reduced correctly for the web.
Photoshop Elements (or other image editing programs) are what must be used to optimise images. Dreamweaver should never be used to resize an image. It only changes the display size but doesn't alter the file.
Correctly optimised images download more quickly for users.