Image Compression for Core Web Vitals

Images are often the largest assets on a page, and the hero image is frequently tied to perceived speed. Compression helps, but only when it is part of a larger image workflow.

Compression is not the first step

• Resize oversized images before compressing
• Choose the right format for the content
• Avoid uploading original camera-size files
• Keep critical hero images visually clean

Performance workflow

1. Identify the largest images on the page.
2. Resize them to realistic display dimensions.
3. Compress with a quality level that preserves important detail.
4. Test the page on a mobile connection.

The editorial tradeoff

A smaller image is not worth it if the product becomes harder to inspect or the article loses credibility. Performance work should support user trust, not undermine it.

Conclusion

The best image compression workflow balances speed, clarity, and context. Optimize aggressively where detail does not matter, and carefully where it does.