Lightweight and clear wins
Fast pages retain visitors and rank better. If you can cut image weight and sharpen text clarity without sacrificing meaning, your content will feel professional and modern. This guide shows practical ways to prep images and copy using our free tools so your pages load quickly and read cleanly on any device.
Core principles: quality, size, clarity
- Right-size images: Don’t ship a 2400px image for a 600px slot.
- Compress smartly: Visual simplicity beats heavy filters; fewer colors and flatter backgrounds compress better.
- Structure your text: Clear headings, short paragraphs, and scannable lists improve readability.
When to use ASCII-style visuals
ASCII renders can replace decorative images for headers, dividers, or stylized portraits. They’re often lighter, memorable, and accessible as text. Use Image to ASCII for images or Text ASCII Art for headings.
Workflow: optimize an image for the web
- Decide target size: Measure the container width on your page. Common hero images are 1200–1600px wide; content images 600–900px.
- Simplify the image: Crop out busy areas; favor high-contrast subjects.
- Export at 2x resolution: To look sharp on retina displays, export at about twice the CSS width you’ll use.
- Consider ASCII: For stylistic visuals, try Image to ASCII; select a character set and tune contrast for readability.
- Pick the right format: Photographs compress well as JPEG; flat graphics do well as PNG; for text-as-image, PNG preserves crisp edges.
Workflow: write clean, scannable text
- Outline first: In the Online Text Editor, draft H2/H3 headings for major points.
- Short paragraphs: Aim for 2–4 sentences each. Break up walls of text with lists and subheadings.
- Specific verbs: Replace vague phrases with concrete actions. Readers move faster with clarity.
- Pull-quotes or callouts: Use ASCII dividers or short emphasized lines to guide the eye.
- Proof and export: When the draft is tight, you can export to PDF with Text to PDF for reviews.
ASCII as a performance-friendly design language
ASCII headers and accents let you avoid large decorative images. They’re naturally responsive (as text) and quick to load. In sections like FAQs, you can place ASCII rules (====, ----) to separate topics without loading any assets.
Before/after example: article hero
- Before: 1800×1200 photograph with gradients and fine details; 500–900 KB.
- After: 1200×800 flat background with a crisp subject; 120–250 KB. Or: ASCII-style header + small icon; under 50 KB.
Accessibility and SEO considerations
- Add alt text that describes purpose, not just appearance.
- Use headings in logical order (H1 → H2 → H3). Avoid skipping levels.
- Prefer descriptive link text over “click here.”
Quality checklist before publishing
- Images render sharply at target sizes on mobile and desktop.
- No single image exceeds your performance budget (e.g., 250 KB for content images).
- Paragraphs average 2–4 lines on mobile; headings are clear.
- ASCII elements don’t wrap awkwardly on small screens.
Troubleshooting
- Images look blurry: Re-export at higher resolution or reduce on-page scaling.
- File sizes are too big: Crop tighter, simplify backgrounds, or reduce quality settings slightly.
- ASCII wraps badly: Limit width to ~60–80 characters and place inside code blocks on platforms that support it.
Frequently asked questions
Should I always replace images with ASCII?
No. Use ASCII strategically—for stylistic headers or dividers. Keep photos where they add meaning (products, people, places).
What about color?
ASCII is typically monochrome, but you can add color by placing it over colored blocks or exporting as an image and tinting in Drawing Board.
How do I keep text readable?
Use short sentences, clear headings, and avoid low-contrast color schemes. Test on an actual phone, not just your desktop.