How to Optimize Images for a Faster Squarespace Website
When it comes to building a beautiful Squarespace website, stunning images play a huge role, but if those images aren't optimized, they can slow down your site, frustrate visitors, and even hurt your SEO.
As a Squarespace developer, one of the first things I do before building any website is compress all the images my client provides. Image optimization is more than just a technical task, it's a key part of building a user-friendly website.
In this guide, I go through why image optimization matters, the best formats to use, ideal image sizes, and tips to make sure every image on your site pulls its weight.
Why Image Optimization Matters
Optimizing your images means reducing their file size without sacrificing visual quality or performance. It’s a small step that makes a big impact:
Faster load times: Lightweight images load quickly, which is crucial for keeping visitors engaged.
Improved SEO: Google considers page speed in search rankings. A faster site = better visibility.
Better performance on all devices: Mobile users benefit the most from compressed images.
Squarespace Supported Image Formats
Squarespace accepts these image types:
JPEG: Best for photographs. Great compression with high quality.
PNG: Best for graphics or images needing transparent backgrounds, such as logos or icons.
WebP: A modern, lightweight format that maintains quality at lower sizes. Squarespace supports WebP, and it works great for both photos and graphics.
Recommended Image Sizes for Squarespace
While Squarespace automatically scales images, uploading the right size gives you better results:
Banner images: 2500px wide
Content images (Image Blocks): 1500–2000px wide
Thumbnails: 1000px wide
Tip: Squarespace scales by width so image height doesn’t matter as much.
Best Tools to Compress Images Without Quality Loss
These are the tools that I use to compress images:
Tip: Aim to keep your images under 500KB for optimal performance. Always check the file size before and after compression to see your savings, and keep backup copies of your original high-resolution files in case you need them later.
Image SEO
Optimizing your images doesn’t end with compression, make them search-engine friendly too!
Rename the image file before uploading. Use clear, keyword-rich names like
handmade-ceramic-mug.jpginstead ofIMG_4820.jpg.Add alt text in Squarespace. This helps screen readers describe your image and gives Google context. Good alt text is short, descriptive, and accurate (e.g., "Blue ceramic mug on white shelf").
If an image is purely decorative, leave the alt text empty so screen readers skip it.
Quick Recap
Use JPEG or WebP formats when possible
Keep images under 500KB
Stick to recommended width sizes
Rename files and write good alt text for SEO
Final Thoughts
Optimizing your images before uploading to Squarespace is one of the simplest ways to boost your site’s speed, performance, and search visibility. With the right file formats, sizes, and a few compression tools, you can create a beautiful and fast site your visitors (and Google!) will love.
