Use These Free Tools to Optimize Images For Your Website

The importance of images on a website cannot be understated. Even if you are writing a blog, it is the images that catch the eye and make visitors more likely to click through. As such, having the right tools to create and optimize images for your website is crucial.

In 2021, website builders do have a fair amount of useful tools for image editing. Wix has a free image resizer which allows you to resize images for any and every purpose. Images that are too big slow down a webpage and cannot be used as icons, and optimizing images without professional tools like these can lead to poor results.

But your image creation and optimization will require tools external to your website builder as well. The good news is that there are a lot of free tools that are easy to use. While many of the following tools have paid versions, the free options are more than enough for most users.

Pixlr and Canva

Pixlr and Canva are both free online photo editing suites. They provide free stock images and templates, as well as an array of tools to add text, filters, and effects, and even to animate your images. Both Pixlr and Canva are user friendly with comprehensive free options – the choice between them will depend on your personal preference.

Both of these suites have specific templates to create and edit images for your website and social media pages, as well as formats like posters and album covers. Their filters and effects can really make your images pop, and you can download your finished product in high quality .jpeg, .png, and PDF format.

Pixabay

Unless you want to create all of your images from scratch, you are going to need to dip into a stock photos library. However, that does not mean you need to splash out on a subscription. Rather, you can find plenty of free stock photos on Pixabay.

Pixabay is populated by photos provided for free from photographers. These are high quality images that span a huge range of environments and subjects. You can create a free account which allows you to download without having to prove you are not a robot every single time. You can also donate to photographers if you value their work and have the money, but there is no pressure to do so (and you can continue to access all available photos if you don’t).

VectorStock

If you want vector graphics to use in your website visuals, you can find hundreds of thousands of free images on VectorStock. This is a constantly growing library with professional-looking vector graphics that you can use for all purposes. Search through VectorStock’s free library of more than nine-hundred-thousand images for what you’re looking for, with cheap subscription plans to get access to their full library of over twenty-nine-million pictures.

Gravit Designer

If you want to create vector images from scratch, you don’t need expensive graphic design software. Gravit Designer is an incredible free platform that provides you with all the tools you need to design graphics like a pro. Of course, if you are going to use a platform like Designer, you do need to commit to working on the small details for polished images good enough for your website.

Gravit Designer is ideal for relative beginners but is also powerful enough to be used by pros. It is the perfect software for anyone who cannot find the right stock images or vectors to edit on Pixlr or Canva, and decide to try creating their own.

Depositphotos background remover

Depositphotos is a stock photo subscription service that costs US$10 a month. However, they have recently introduced a background remover that is totally free. A background remover is incredibly useful when trying to create visuals for your website. It is also a tool that is usually only included in the paid versions of photo editing apps.

This free background remover will continually come in handy as you customize photos for your own purposes.

GIMP

GIMP, which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a popular free alternative to PhotoShop. It provides extensive tools for graphic designers who have some idea of what they are doing. With its tools, you can create images from scratch, following wherever your imagination takes you. GIMP is excellent for people with some experience, but is likely to overwhelm anyone who is simply trying to source simple website images.

Images are crucial for your website. However, that does not mean you need to spend money on expensive stock photo sites and photo editing software. Use the above tools to do it all for free.