Select Page

How to Serve Images in Next-Gen Formats for Better Page Speed

Page Speed

In the fast-paced world of digital design, user experience is everything. Visitors expect web pages to load almost instantly, and every millisecond of delay can make the difference between a user engaging or leaving your site. For digital creatives, staying on top of the latest performance strategies isn’t just helpful—it’s crucial. One of the most effective ways to boost page speed is by serving images in next-generation (next-gen) formats like WebP, AVIF, JPEG 2000, or JPEG XR. These formats can significantly reduce file sizes without sacrificing visual quality.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the benefits of next-gen image formats and the step-by-step process to get started serving them on your website.

Why Next-Gen Image Formats Matter

  1. Improved Load Times
    Traditional image formats like JPEG or PNG can be quite large. Next-gen formats like WebP and AVIF compress images more efficiently, resulting in smaller file sizes and faster load times—key metrics for user experience.
  2. Better Quality at Lower File Sizes
    Modern compression algorithms can maintain high resolution and color depth at lower file sizes, giving you the best of both worlds: beautiful imagery that doesn’t weigh down your site.
  3. Boosted SEO & Rankings
    Google recognizes page speed as an important factor for search engine rankings. Optimizing images can directly influence your SEO efforts, potentially increasing visibility and traffic.
  4. Enhanced User Experience
    Faster page loads foster better engagement and reduced bounce rates. As digital creatives, you want your designs to shine—quickly and without lag.

Next-Gen Formats at a Glance

  1. WebP
    • Pros: Widely supported by modern browsers, excellent balance between compression and quality, supports both lossy and lossless compression.
    • Cons: Limited support in older browsers (though this is diminishing rapidly).
  2. AVIF
    • Pros: Higher compression efficiency than WebP, supports HDR and advanced color profiles, great for ultra-high-quality images.
    • Cons: Still rolling out in terms of wider browser support; encoding can be slower.
  3. JPEG 2000 & JPEG XR
    • Pros: Better compression than traditional JPEG, improved color depth.
    • Cons: Limited browser support (mainly Safari for JPEG 2000 and Internet Explorer/Edge Legacy for JPEG XR).

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Next-Gen Image Formats

1. Choose the Right Format

  • For most modern websites, WebP is currently the safest bet due to its broader compatibility.
  • If you’re looking for state-of-the-art compression and willing to manage fallback solutions, AVIF is worth testing.

2. Convert Images to Next-Gen Formats

  • Online Tools: Websites like Squoosh or CloudConvert can quickly convert images to WebP or AVIF.
  • Desktop Tools: Adobe Photoshop (with plugins), GIMP (with plugins), and command-line tools like ImageMagick or cwebp for batch processing.
  • CMS/Framework Plugins: Some CMS systems (like WordPress) and frameworks (like Next.js) have plugins or built-in modules to automatically convert and serve images in next-gen formats.

3. Use Responsive Image Techniques

  • Serve different image sizes for various screen resolutions.
  • Combine responsive <img> tags with the srcset attribute to ensure devices receive the optimal resolution.
  • Example snippet: <picture> <source srcset="image.avif" type="image/avif"> <source srcset="image.webp" type="image/webp"> <img src="image.jpg" alt="Description of image"> </picture> This code attempts to load the AVIF version first, then WebP if AVIF isn’t supported, and finally falls back to JPEG.

4. Implement Fallbacks for Older Browsers

  • Picture Element: As shown above, <picture> with multiple <source> tags ensures that if a browser doesn’t support next-gen formats, the user still sees a JPEG or PNG.
  • Server-Side Solutions: If you prefer to handle things server-side, you can detect browser capabilities and serve different image versions based on the Accept headers.

5. Optimize Delivery

  • Lazy Loading: Defer off-screen images until a user scrolls to them. Most modern frameworks and CMS platforms support loading="lazy" in <img> tags.
  • Content Delivery Network (CDN): Use a CDN that can dynamically convert and serve images in next-gen formats. Popular CDN services (e.g., Cloudflare, Imgix, Cloudinary) can detect a browser’s capabilities and automatically deliver the best format.

Ensuring Great UX/UI While Optimizing

  1. Balance Speed and Aesthetics
    Don’t aggressively compress images to the point of noticeable distortion. Remember, design matters—your users should still see crisp, high-quality visuals.
  2. Test Across Devices and Browsers
    After converting images to next-gen formats, always test your site on various devices and browsers. Make sure fallbacks work properly, especially on older or less common browsers.
  3. Use Design Tools Wisely
    Tools like Adobe XD, Figma, or Sketch can help you mock up user journeys. Integrate next-gen image formats into your design process early, so you know how they’ll appear in the final product.
  4. Track Performance Metrics
    Use free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, or GTmetrix to measure your site’s performance. Track load times and watch how scores change when you switch to next-gen images.

Final Thoughts

As digital creatives, blending fast performance with inspiring design is our ultimate goal. Serving images in next-gen formats is a powerful way to ensure you’re at the forefront of web performance standards. By understanding the nuances of formats like WebP, AVIF, and others—and implementing best practices around responsive images and fallback strategies—you’ll be well on your way to delivering not just stunning visuals but lightning-fast experiences that keep users coming back.

Explore. Experiment. Evolve. Stay ahead of the curve by adopting these next-gen strategies into your workflow. And if you want to stay up to date on the latest in digital design and performance techniques, keep exploring weimaginemore.com for insights, tutorials, and inspiration to level up your creative projects.

We Imagine More is your go-to hub for the latest UX/UI design trends, in-depth tutorials, and innovative strategies. Join our community of forward-thinking creators and elevate your digital design skills.