Low-quality or pixelated images with visible edges that harm user experience and SEO image rankings.
Why Jaggies Matter for SEO
Jaggies are a significant SEO problem because they directly harm a website’s user experience (UX). Google’s algorithms now prioritize sites that provide a high-quality, professional experience. Images with jaggies look unprofessional and can lead a user to believe that your website is low-quality or untrustworthy. This can result in a high bounce rate and a low time on site, which sends a negative signal to search engines. Furthermore, jaggies are a sign of improper image optimization, which can also hurt your site’s page speed, a major ranking factor. A website with high-quality, optimized images is more likely to rank higher and attract more organic traffic.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The prevention of jaggies is a common concern across all CMS platforms.
WordPress
WordPress users can prevent jaggies by ensuring they upload high-resolution images. While WordPress automatically resizes images, it’s crucial to start with a good-quality original. You can also use a plugin that automatically optimizes and compresses images without a noticeable loss in quality.
Shopify
For Shopify, high-quality product images are non-negotiable. To prevent, you must upload high-resolution images that are large enough for the platform to resize for different devices. A low-quality product image can lead to a significant drop in sales and a poor user experience.
Wix
Wix has a user-friendly editor that makes it easy to add and resize images. However, to prevent jaggies, you must upload a high-quality, high-resolution original image. Wix’s system will then handle the resizing and optimization.
Webflow
Webflow gives you a high degree of control over your website’s design. You can ensure that your images are perfectly sized for your website to prevent jaggies. The platform also has a native responsive images feature that helps prevent jaggies on different devices.
Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you have the most control but also the most responsibility. You can build a system that automatically checks for jaggies and other image quality issues before an image is published. This is the most effective way to ensure that your site’s images are high-quality.
Across Different Industries
The impact of jaggies can vary by industry, depending on how visual your website is.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites rely heavily on high-quality product images. A product image with jaggies can make a product look cheap or unprofessional, leading to a loss of sales and a poor user experience.
Local Businesses
A local business that uses images to showcase its products or services must ensure they are high-quality. A photo of a restaurant’s food or a plumber’s work with jaggies can harm their credibility.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies often use screenshots or diagrams to explain their software. A screenshot with jaggies can make their product look unprofessional and difficult to use, which can harm their credibility.
Blogs
A blog that uses images to illustrate its content must ensure they are high-quality. A blog post with a low-quality image can make the entire article look unprofessional.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do upload high-resolution original images. This is the most important step. A high-quality original is the foundation of a good image.
- Do use a tool to compress and optimize your images. A good tool can reduce the file size of your images without a noticeable loss in quality.
- Do use a CDN to serve your images. A CDN can help deliver your images from a server closest to the user, which can improve your site’s page speed.
Don’ts
- Don’t use a low-resolution image. This is the primary cause of jaggies.
- Don’t use a tool that over-compresses your images. Over-compression can lead to a grainy, low-quality result.
- Don’t use a random image from the web. Use a high-quality image that is relevant to your content.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Uploading a small thumbnail and resizing it. This is the most common mistake. You must start with a high-resolution original.
- Failing to check your images on different devices. An image that looks good on a desktop may not look good on a mobile device.
- Ignoring the importance of image quality. Image quality is a major part of your site’s user experience and a key factor in your SEO performance.
FAQs
How do jaggies affect a website’s user experience?
Jaggies can harm a website’s user experience because they make a website look unprofessional and low-quality. A user who sees a pixelated image may leave the page, which can lead to a higher bounce rate.
Is a pixelated image a direct SEO ranking factor?
No, a pixelated image is not a direct SEO ranking factor. However, it can harm your site’s user experience and professional appearance, which can indirectly lead to a drop in rankings.
How can I check if my images have jaggies?
The best way to check is to look at your images on different devices, especially on a high-resolution screen. You can also zoom in on your images to see if the lines are smooth or pixelated.
What is the difference between jaggies and pixelation?
Jaggies and pixelation are closely related. Jaggies refer to the stair-step lines in a digital image, while pixelation is the result of a low-resolution image being scaled up to a larger size, making the pixels visible.
How can I fix an image with jaggies?
The only way to fix an image with jaggies is to replace it with a high-quality, high-resolution original. You cannot “un-jag” an image that is already pixelated.
