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VirtueMart 2 + 3 + 4 => Security (https) / Performance / SEO, SEF, URLs => Topic started by: atrus on February 20, 2014, 10:56:03 AM

Title: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: atrus on February 20, 2014, 10:56:03 AM
Hi to all,

You may already know this, but Google Pagespeed is punishing some of the VM2 images, because they are not loselessly optimized. I have optimized the images (png and jpeg only for now) used by VM2.027 so you can use it in your site to increase your Pagespeed score.

Suggest the next version of VM2 to come with already optimized images.

Rgrds,
Chris



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Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: e-trader on February 20, 2014, 11:34:42 AM
I like your thinking!
Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: jjk on February 21, 2014, 11:58:50 AM
Google does NOT punish your images or website for the size of those images. Their 'Pagespeed insight' tool almost always suggests compressing already compressed images further. In case of jpg files, every time you change a compressed image and save it, you loose image data, so it's always lossy. Looks like Google's definition of 'losslessly' is "most viewer's won't notice the difference". In case of png files (usually used for graphics and icons) you can often reduce them significantly by changing them from 'true color' to '256 color' images, if you care about every single kilobyte.
Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: atrus on February 21, 2014, 12:39:41 PM
It's supposed to be loseless compression, i.e. you cannot see any difference when comparing on the two pixelated images. This is done using mathematical algorithms (e.g. Huffman method) and removing comment data.

Compressing a jpeg with Photoshop is one thing. Further loseless compression to remove obsolete comments etc. is not offered and it is advisable.

In any case, it's easy to do it and Google likes it so why not to make it standard?

We have done this in our website, and Google credits us this rule:

www.quality-tuning.eu

http://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

Rgrds
Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: AH on February 21, 2014, 13:29:09 PM
These tiny sprites hardly make for a slow site? I agree that we should do our best to reduce size where possible and your comments should make users think of the impact of the images they utilise.

Many e-comm sites kill their image speed by using large transparent png images when they could use non-tranparent jpegs



Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: atrus on February 21, 2014, 13:41:24 PM
Agree with Hutson. E-comm site owners should concentrate more on speed and rethink about the images in the site and in general the load of their sites. We have reduced the loading times of our VM2 website and we have seen about 20% increase in our visitors the last days.

Rgrds,
Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: AH on February 21, 2014, 15:22:46 PM
Atrus

It might be useful to post some of your speed improvement suggestions for others to determine if they can be applied to their own sites
Title: Re: Optimized Images for Google Pagespeed - SOLVED
Post by: atrus on February 22, 2014, 12:16:01 PM
Yes, will prepare a post when the fine tuning is complete. I'm also in contact with the developers of JCH Optimize and Jotcache for further optimizations, results so far are very promising.

Rgrds,
Chris