Optimising Product Images for Every Sales Channel
Creating great product photography is only half the job. Your images also need to be optimised for websites, eCommerce platforms, marketplaces and social media without compromising quality.
Professional image optimisation helps your products load faster, look sharper and stay consistent across every digital sales channel.
Image Resolution
For most eCommerce websites, we recommend working with high-resolution files that allow room for cropping, zooming and future marketing use.
Minimum size: 2,000 × 2,000 pixels
Recommended size: 2,500–4,000 pixels on the longest edge
Capturing larger original files gives your brand more flexibility for product pages, banners, advertising, social media and future campaign production.
Image File Format
Choosing the right file format helps balance quality, speed and usability.
JPEG (.jpg) is best for most eCommerce product photography and website images.
PNG (.png) is useful when transparency is required.
WebP (.webp) is ideal for modern websites because it keeps file sizes smaller while maintaining strong image quality.
TIFF (.tif) is best for print production, archiving and master retouched files.
DPI vs Pixels
For websites and online stores, pixel dimensions matter more than DPI.
DPI, or dots per inch, has very little effect on how an image appears on a screen. For digital use, focus on image dimensions, file size and compression quality.
For website images, optimise the pixel size and file weight.
For printed catalogues, brochures or packaging, supply images at 300 DPI at the final print size.
Colour Profile
For websites, eCommerce platforms and social media, we recommend using sRGB.
sRGB is the safest colour profile for digital use and helps keep colours consistent across different screens, browsers and online platforms.
Adobe RGB or CMYK should only be used when specifically requested for professional print production.
Using the wrong colour profile can make product colours appear dull, flat or inaccurate online.
File Size
Large image files can slow down your website and affect the customer experience.
As a general guide, product images should usually be around 200 KB to 1 MB.
Hero banners and large campaign images can usually sit between 300 KB and 2 MB, depending on the design and usage.
The goal is to compress images without visible quality loss. Fast-loading images improve the shopping experience and can also support better SEO performance.
Aspect Ratio
Consistent aspect ratios help create a clean and professional-looking online store.
Common eCommerce image ratios include:
1:1 Square for general product images and marketplaces.
4:5 for fashion, apparel and social media content.
3:4 for lifestyle products and catalogue-style imagery.
16:9 for website banners, campaign headers and hero images.
Keeping your product catalogue consistent makes your website feel more premium and easier to shop.
File Naming
Use clear, descriptive filenames instead of generic camera names.
Instead of:
IMG_4287.jpg
Use:
black-leather-wallet-front.jpg
Descriptive filenames help with file organisation and can provide small SEO benefits by giving search engines more context.
Alt Text
Every product image should include descriptive alt text.
For example:
Women’s black leather crossbody handbag with gold hardware.
Alt text improves accessibility and helps search engines better understand your product imagery.
Our Recommended Product Photography Deliverables
When we complete a product photography production at Design Identity, we typically prepare your images for multiple uses across eCommerce, retail, advertising and marketing.
This can include high-resolution master images, web-optimised images, JPEG and PNG formats where required, sRGB colour profiles, professional retouching, cropped eCommerce versions, social media-ready exports and marketing-ready hero images.
This ensures your content is ready for your website, online store, retail partners, advertising campaigns, email marketing and social media without requiring extra editing.
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Like what you see?
Please get in touch with us to transform your brand!
We can complete high end ecommerce photography for your business to improve sales and generate awareness in your industry.
Bookings@designidentity.com.au | 02 8339 0130
