Images Play an Important Role on Websites as they’re a means of expressing brand, purpose and content. There are certain requirements to consider when looking to size images for optimum usability:
- Sites Should Always Use Smaller Images
One of the biggest usability mistakes is including large images on webpages. This has a negative impact on download time and can detract from the content. Images should be re-sized to avoid these problems, however, a balance should be struck as images should not be so small that they are difficult to see and interpret. - Image Resizing
One of the best ways to use images is via fluid layouts as this allows images to increase or decrease to fit the portions of the user’s screen and is a great way to cater to different visitors. This will ensure that content remains the sole focus of the page. - Link Smaller Images to Larger Ones
Where possible, small images should link to larger versions of the same image. This gives users the option of seeing the image in more detail, if they desire. - Make Smaller Images Large Enough to See the Details
Sites often scale images down to smaller versions without taking into consideration the detail. If the original photo was intricate, the detail is lost in the conversion and can be difficult for users to interpret in thumbnail versions. If smaller images are used they should be less complicated with a focus on maintaining the message of the original size.