Reduce Image Size by 90% with WebP Conversion - The Vivoldi Practical Guide

Do you ever get warnings about slow loading speeds caused by images while managing your website? If you've seen the message "Optimize images" in Google PageSpeed Insights, this article offers the perfect solution for you.

Today, we introduce a method to drastically reduce image file sizes using WebP, a next-generation image format developed by Google.

This article covers a practical method to convert images to WebP in just 10 seconds using a tool called Vivoldi, detailing the process of reducing an 11.5MB image to 741KB in an actual test. Let's explore image optimization know-how that bloggers, marketers, and website operators must know.

Why is WebP Getting Attention Now?

WebP is a next-generation image format developed by Google that boasts superior compression rates compared to traditional JPG or PNG formats. Its biggest advantage is the ability to significantly reduce file size while maintaining high quality. This goes beyond saving storage space; it directly impacts website loading speeds and improves SEO performance.

Google, in particular, evaluates page loading speed as a crucial factor in determining search rankings. Heavy images harm user experience and are even more detrimental in mobile environments. Using WebP effectively solves these problems.

Key Advantages of WebP

• Size Reduction: 25-35% smaller than JPG and up to 50% smaller than PNG for the same quality
• Quality Maintenance: Supports both lossy and lossless compression, allowing choices based on usage
• Transparency Support: Supports alpha channel (transparent background) like PNG but with smaller file sizes
• SEO Improvement: Faster loading speeds lead to higher Google search rankings
• Broad Browser Support: Supported by over 95% of major browsers as of 2023

Converting to WebP with Vivoldi - A Step-by-Step Practical Guide

Now, let's look at the process of converting images to WebP using Vivoldi. The biggest advantage is that you can work directly in your web browser without installing any separate software.

Step 1: Upload Images

When you access the Vivoldi site, you are greeted by an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Simply drag the images you want to convert into the designated area. You can upload multiple images at once, making it very efficient for bulk tasks.

Step 2: Adjust Quality Settings

After uploading images, you can check the quality adjustment options. The key point here is the balance between quality and file size. Setting the quality too high reduces the compression effect, while setting it too low may cause visible quality degradation.

In practice, we recommend using the default quality settings. This provides sufficient quality for most web images while demonstrating optimal compression rates. Unless it's a portfolio or product detail image requiring exceptionally high definition, you can get satisfactory results with the default settings.

Step 3: Resize Image (Optional)

Vivoldi also offers a resizing function that allows you to adjust image dimensions simultaneously with WebP conversion. For example, if the original is 4000×3000 pixels but your blog only needs 1200×900 pixels, you can handle it in this step.

However, note one thing. If the original image is smaller than the set size, the resize option will not apply. Enlarging images causes quality degradation, so it is automatically restricted.

Step 4: Execute Conversion and Download

Once all settings are complete, click the convert button. Processing speed depends on the image size and count, but for typical blog images, it completes within 10 seconds. After conversion, you can download the optimized WebP files.

Actual Test Results: 11.5MB → 741KB, 90% Size Reduction

Results are more important than theory. We prepared a high-quality JPG image for the experiment. The original size was 11.5MB, which was burdensome for use on general blogs or websites.

The amazing part is that despite such dramatic size reduction, there is almost no visible difference in quality. Even comparing the two images side by side, it was difficult to distinguish them except for minute color differences. It maintains sufficient quality for the web while dramatically improving loading speed.

How is This Compression Possible?

WebP is developed based on the VP8 video codec, efficiently combining predictive coding and transform coding. It allows selective use of lossy compression for complex images like photos and lossless compression for images where clarity is crucial, like logos or graphics.

Reverting WebP to Standard Images

After converting to WebP, situations like "Actually, I need a JPG..." might arise. This typically happens when specific platforms or tools do not support WebP, or when a client requests a JPG file.

Vivoldi also provides a function to re-convert WebP back to standard image formats like JPG or PNG. Interestingly, optimization applies even during reverse conversion. Files reverted from WebP to JPG are often smaller than the original JPG.

This is an effect caused by the removal of unnecessary metadata during the WebP conversion process and the re-compression of the image. Consequently, the final file ends up being more optimized than the original, regardless of the format.

Practical Tips: When and How to Use WebP?

Highly Recommended Use Cases

• Blog Posts: Converting supporting images to WebP significantly improves page loading speed.
• E-commerce Sites: WebP usage is essential for online stores with many product images.
• News/Magazine Sites: Great bandwidth saving effects for content with many images.
• Mobile Optimization: Sites with many mobile users should reduce data usage with WebP.

Cases Requiring Caution

WebP is not a silver bullet. You should be aware of a few limitations:

• Older Browsers: Browsers from before 2015 may not support WebP (requires providing fallback images).
• Print Images: TIFF or high-quality PNGs are more suitable for printed materials where high resolution is mandatory.
• Professional Photo Editing: Some programs like Photoshop may have limited WebP support.

Server Cost Reduction Effect

For developers, another advantage of WebP is server cost reduction. A 90% reduction in image size means a corresponding decrease in bandwidth usage. For high-traffic sites, this can make a significant difference in monthly server costs.

For example, assume a site with 10,000 daily visitors viewing an average of 5 images per page. If the average size per image drops from 2MB to 200KB, you save about 90GB of bandwidth daily. In a month, that's 2.7TB, translating to significant cost savings in cloud service fees.

How is Vivoldi Different from Other Tools?

There are many WebP conversion tools on the market, ranging from open-source libraries to paid SaaS. In this landscape, Vivoldi has several distinct features.

Advantages

• Browser-Based: Use immediately without installing software.
• Intuitive UI: Easy for anyone to use with drag-and-drop.
• Batch Processing: Convert multiple images at once.
• Bidirectional Conversion: Supports both WebP ↔ JPG/PNG.
• Additional Optimization: Resizing available simultaneously with conversion.

Considerations

Vivoldi provides basic image conversion and resizing functions, with some advanced features offered as paid options. Therefore, it is sufficient for simple WebP conversion, but if you need to handle large volumes of images in an automated workflow or require API integration, it is better to review your project requirements first.

SEO and Image Optimization: The Image Strategy Google Loves

Finally, let's touch upon the impact of WebP usage on SEO. Google quantifies user experience through Core Web Vitals and reflects this in search rankings. Among them, LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) measures the time it takes for the main content of a page to load, and image size has a direct impact on this.

It is common to see PageSpeed Insights scores increase by 10-20 points just by using WebP. The improvement is even more dramatic for blogs or online stores with many images.

Conclusion: Overwhelming Results with a 10-Second Investment

WebP is no longer an option; it's a necessity. Website speed directly affects user experience, SEO, and conversion rates, and image optimization is the starting point. Using Vivoldi, anyone can perform expert-level image optimization in just 10 seconds without complex technical knowledge.

We have personally verified that it is possible to reduce size from 11.5MB to 741KB—about 90%—while maintaining quality. Now, create the same results for your website.

Start Today: Choose your 5 largest images and convert them to WebP. Compare the before and after on PageSpeed Insights, and you will experience a surprising change. A fast website means more visitors and better search rankings.

Image optimization—don't put it off any longer. 10 seconds is all you need.