Please optimize background images & videos too!
T
Tim Geschke
we would like to request an improvement to the current website media compression feature.
At the moment, image compression and optimized delivery seem to work only for images embedded as standard <img> elements. This is helpful, but it does not appear to apply to background images that are loaded through CSS properties such as background-image. As a result, those assets are still delivered unoptimized, even though they can have a significant impact on page speed.
The same issue also applies to videos. It would be very useful if video assets could also be included in the platform’s optimization pipeline.
Requested improvements:
Apply image compression and optimized delivery not only to <img> elements, but also to CSS background images
Extend media optimization to uploaded video assets where possible
Add an option for automatic WebP/AVIF output to achieve even better compression and loading performance
Why this matters:
Background images are often heavily used in hero sections, banners, and content blocks
Unoptimized background images can noticeably hurt Core Web Vitals and overall page speed
Video optimization would further improve load times and bandwidth usage
Automatic WebP/AVIF generation would provide a modern and much more efficient delivery option for many visual assets
This would significantly improve real-world performance optimization for websites built in HighLevel.
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Nathaniel Abomide
Great point, Tim.
You’re absolutely right — background images and videos often end up being the largest unoptimized assets on many websites, especially in hero sections and banners. When they’re loaded through CSS instead of standard
<img>
elements, they usually bypass optimization pipelines, which can negatively impact page speed and Core Web VitalsExtending optimization to CSS background images and adding video compression would definitely improve real-world performance. Automatic WebP/AVIF conversion would also be a strong upgrade since those formats significantly reduce file size while maintaining visual quality.
I actually work a lot on website performance optimization and media delivery improvements, so I completely understand the impact this has on load time and user experience.
If you ever need help optimizing or rebuilding a faster-performing website, I’d be happy to connect.
Nathaniel