I’ve recently started using the Modern Image Formats plugin for WordPress, which automatically converts any images you upload to the WordPress Media Library to the new WebP and AVIF image formats.
Both formats offer better image compression than GIF, JPEG or PNG, and AVIF is particularly good. Mozilla reckons it’s the ‘next big thing’ for images on web pages. All modern web browsers support it, and have done so for a couple of years; it was added to Firefox in version 93 in October 2021.
I’m old enough to remember when PNG images were the next big thing, and were expected to overtake the GIF format which was limited to 256 colours and encumbered by patents. Suffice to say that GIFs are still alive and well in their animated format.
If you have a WordPress blog, consider giving the Modern Image Formats a try. It works in the background, and should make your images smaller. That way, they’ll take up less disk space, and download quicker – especially for users on slower connections. It won’t convert every image – sometimes, the original JPEG or PNG may be smaller, and so it’ll leave these alone.
I’ve been using it for some time now and no-one seems to have complained that the images aren’t working yet.