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FluentCRM

WEBP problems

How do you deal with image optimization for emails?

I typically use image optimizer plugins on websites (or the host provides them), and they turn images into WEBP files. But WEBP is not usable in emails.

I can't keep turning optimization on and off each time I make an email. And I most certainly can't expect my site-owner clients to do that. Nor can I expect them to manually FTP images to a unique folder, to bypass image optimizers.

Are there any workarounds, that allow for best-practice image compression on a site, as well as allow for correct image formats for emails?

  • 4 comments

Jose Luis Duron

Every email I send, has WebP images. Every image on my emails is shown. Your issue is not related to FCRM.

Mat ‎

You cannot reliably use WebP images directly in an email body because Microsoft Outlook for Windows does not support the format, and some other clients like Gmail convert them to JPEG, potentially breaking transparency. To ensure your image appears correctly for all recipients, you should use widely supported formats like JPEG or PNG instead, or provide fallback images for WebP to ensure the content displays correctly. 

Why WebP is problematic for email:

  • Lack of universal support:

    While modern web browsers support WebP, email clients, especially older ones, do not. 

  • Outlook issues:

    The biggest problem is Outlook for Windows, which will simply show a broken image when it encounters a WebP file. 

  • Gmail's partial support:

    Gmail, a Google product, doesn't fully support WebP and may convert it to a JPEG, which can cause issues with transparent backgrounds. 

  • Potential for broken transparency:

    Transparent backgrounds, a feature supported by WebP and PNG, can be lost when Gmail converts WebP to JPEG, leading to a poor visual experience. 

Recommended Alternatives: 

  1. Use PNG for transparency: If your image requires a transparent background, use a PNG file.
  2. Use JPEG for photographic images: For images without transparency, a JPEG is a good choice because it has wide support across all email clients.
  3. Provide a fallback image: You can use HTML code to include a fallback image, so if a recipient's email client doesn't support WebP, they will see a different, supported image format instead.

In summary, stick to widely supported image formats like JPEG and PNG for your email content to guarantee that your images display correctly for all recipients, regardless of their email client. 

1 min article to read:

https://james.cridland.net/blog/2024/webp-images-email-support/

+link: https://www.caniemail.com/features/image-webp/

Jose Luis Duron

Mat ‎ In my case, those WebP images are illustrative and not transparency needed.

In my case, I prioritize weight.
My audience read my emails, so that's the important for me.

If Gmail convert my WebPs to JPGs, no problem.
If outlook doesn't show my images, no problem (anybody uses outlook, yet?)

I agree with you: If images are something vital on your emails, better rely on JPGs or PNGs (and if you're using transparency on your emails, except for "the pixel", maybe you don't understand email marketing) 😅

Lee Busch

Jose Luis Duron  the issue is, emails with webp look suspicious to filters, so it hurts your inboxing, and it's something I simply cannot allow as a professional. See the webp —> jpeg gmail converted image example here, which is unacceptably