This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to enhance your website with graphics without the stress and confusion often associated with the process. It offers practical tips on sourcing and using graphics, as well as advice on maintaining website speed and relevance.
It's a well-known fact that incorporating graphics into your website can significantly enhance its appeal. Graphics can effectively illustrate points or products, and provide creative icons for users to interact with. However, the process of adding graphics to a website can seem daunting, especially for beginners.
You might think that you need to invest in expensive graphics programs or sign up for costly courses to learn how to add graphics to your website. However, this is not the case. Adding graphics to your website can be both easy and enjoyable. Here are two simple ways to do it:
You can start by searching for 'royalty-free graphics' on your preferred search engine. Many websites that provide these graphics also include instructions or coding to add them directly to your site, making the process even easier.
When adding graphics to your website, there are a few important points to keep in mind:
Prioritize Speed Over Quality
Your main webpage should be under 40 KB in size for graphic-intensive pages. Graphics usually load slower than text files, so it's crucial to ensure that your graphics are small, quick to load, and visually appealing.
Ensure Graphics Are Relevant
Avoid the common mistake of adding graphics to your website just because they look good. Graphics should be relevant to your content. Irrelevant graphics only slow down your page loading time.
Use Text Instead of Graphics When Possible
Even a small logo can take up to 5 seconds to load on a website. If your logos or graphics are based on simple fonts, consider using a line of HTML code to produce the same text effect. This will load much faster than a graphic.
You can also learn how to enhance your own photos or images to add them to your site. For instance, you can prepare your GIF or JPG images for the web by compressing them so that they load faster. Check out the free, ready-to-use "image cruncher" utilities at Computer Newbies. This software is user-friendly and requires no prior knowledge of computers.
With the wealth of free and inexpensive online resources available, there's no reason not to have a website that's enhanced with graphics just the way you want it - without needing a university degree or spending a fortune.
