Your site : Visual Distractions

Problem: Unless the graphic is truly relevant it often distracts the user from the goal of the page. Additionally, at peak browsing times, large images can pose challenges and frustrate users that have low bandwidth, often sending them to your competitor's site.

Solution: Avoid unnecessary graphics. Graphics should be very relevant to the content and used sparingly. An example of a relevant graphic would be a picture of a map on a Directions page, whereas the same picture would be less relevant on an About Us page, and not at all relevant on a Products & Services page. Also acceptable are graphics that solidify trust, such as a "secure site" or VeriSign graphic, partner logos, and graphics that stand as the call to action.

Graphics should be "web-friendly". In other words, re-size and optimize images as appropriate (generally 72dpi is suggested for web images). Avoid uploading a large image and allowing the browser to do the resizing to a smaller image. Allowing the browser to resize the image means that the browser loads the full size image, then resizes it for the user. Instead, resize the image to the correct size first, and then upload it. If an image needs to be large due to details, consider providing the user with a thumbnail version on the page with the option to "Click to enlarge". Finally, if the image is detailed and needs to be large, provide that option to your user. It is very frustrating for a user to strain to see an image that is too small and/or too blurry. Make sure your images are clear, large enough to read, and/or provide "Click to enlarge".