Optimize images for web

I need the image folder optimized so pages load faster on mobile. Reduce all JPEGs and PNGs in Uploads from their current sizes to sizes appropriate for a 1200px content column, keep visible quality, and replace files without changing URLs. Do this first for last month’s 200 images, then for the rest in batches of 500 — check pages like the homepage and three high-traffic posts after each batch to confirm no visible degradation.

Before I publish the next site update, make images lighter to avoid slowing down bounce rates. Surface the largest contributors to load time at the top, suggest exact target widths and compression levels per image type, and flag any hero images where cropping or WebP conversion would risk detail loss. Call out images that will need manual retouching or client sign-off.

We ran PageSpeed and the site is slow because many uploaded images are full-resolution camera files. I maintain the blog theme and am accountable to marketing and the owner. I’m afraid compressing everything at once will break retina displays or upset the client’s photo-heavy brand. I can’t tell which images are used where without pulling every page. Is this a permission issue, a tooling choice, or a sequencing mistake? Recommend the quickest safe next step and how to communicate it to the owner.

Across projects we keep uploading full-resolution photos and then wasting time resizing them later. It costs hours in emergency fixes and hurts page speed metrics. I manage three client blogs and want a habit that prevents this recurring rework. Which two changes to workflows or tooling will stop full-res uploads at source and be simple enough to enforce with photographers and clients? Give implementation steps and a short notice I can send them.