Words matter. Theyโre the backbone of your story. But when your audience spans academics, potential investors, study participants, and members of the public, you need your content to pop and engage your audience.
Doing a little preparatory work on the images and videos you’re sending to be published on the website will help – plus, it will keep your web designer happy!
Why are high-quality visuals so important?
Different people absorb information in different ways, and visuals often make the difference between a message that lands and one thatโs quickly forgotten. Around 65% of people are thought to be visual learners, meaning they find it easier to understand and remember information when itโs presented in a visual โ rather than text-based โ format. This means that a well-placed image or short video on your project website can cut through the jargon and help your message reach the people who really matter.
The flip side is that poor-quality visuals can have the opposite effect. Blurry photos, pixelated charts, or videos with muffled sound distract from your message and make it harder for people to understand what youโre trying to say. When images and videos arenโt clear, communication suffers.
…ultimately, communication is about more than just what you say or show; itโs about how effectively your message travels.
And remember that visuals arenโt just about clarity. Theyโre also about credibility.
Bad photos and poorly produced videos can make your project look unprofessional, no matter how groundbreaking the work behind them. Thatโs why itโs worth spending a little time โ and a little of your budget โ to make sure your website gives the right first impression, for every type of visitor.
Here are our top tips for providing your web designer with the best possible images and videos:
1. Opt for high resolution
Modern screens are sharper than ever, so images need to be large enough to display cleanly. A standard HD screen is 1920 pixels wide, while many laptops and monitors are 4K. On Retina displays, resolutions are doubled, so a 1000px image should be 2000px to avoid looking blurry.
Low-res files may look fine on your device but appear pixelated elsewhere, so always send the highest-res images.
AI can help with these things but it’s best for your web designer to have the sharpest, best quality image to begin with.
2. Send the original
Copying an image into Word, PowerPoint or downloading it from another website compresses it and damages the quality. What looks acceptable at a glance often becomes fuzzy when scaled for the web. To avoid this, always try to provide the original file straight from your camera, phone, or photographer.
A simple question helps: have you got the original? If yes, thatโs the one your web designer needs.
3. Do a test run for a video
Video adds impact, but only if the quality is good. If youโre recording on Zoom, make sure participants are centred in the video and well-lit, and enable HD video in the Video settings if possible.
Audio is just as important, with a separate microphone or headset usually sounding far clearer than a built-in laptop mic.
Doing a short test run lets you check both picture and sound before recording the final version.
4. Upgrade your headshots
A headshot is often the first visual impression someone has of you, so make sure it looks professional.
Avoid using a cropped photo from a busy gathering such as a party or wedding, as distracting details often remain in the background.
Ask someone else to take the picture rather than relying on a selfie, choose a plain backdrop, and leave space around the edge so it can be adapted for different formats.
5. Careful where you get your images
Grabbing an image from Google Images may seem like a quick and easy way to source a great picture, but copyright claims are becoming more and more common, and they can be costly, too.
Be sure to stick to licensed stock photography or use reputable free resources such as Unsplash (use the License filter to choose Free images). If you work a large institution, check if it has its own image library or if a subscription is available.
Taking a little care to ensure your images are properly licensed can help to protect both your project and your reputation.
Why the right web designer matters
As you can see, quality really is key. But thereโs an important balance to strike. High-resolution images and videos look great, but they also increase file size, which can slow down your site and increase its carbon footprint. This is where the right web designer can make all the difference.
A lazy approach is to upload everything at full size, while a thoughtful one compresses files intelligently, uses efficient formats, and suggests alternatives like icons where they work just as well.
Website sustainability vs image quality
At Pixelshrink, we take that thoughtful approach. The result is a website that looks professional, loads quickly, and stays as sustainable as possible. Because ultimately, communication is about more than just what you say or show; itโs about how effectively your message travels. With the right visuals, prepared in the right way, your work can go further, achieve a wider reach, and make a longer-lasting impact.
