Hi @paddy-landau,
Great post. Thank you for your suggestion. We agree with you 100%.
We did some digging and — for those interested in this topic — found the following great articles on the AVIF format:
Using The New High Performance AVIF Image Format
WebP vs AVIF Comparison
Lets hope SiteGround will support and launch the AVIF format very soon. It will help so many, so much — including SG since it will help their servers save tons of bandwidth.
Noteworthy: Cloudflare — a SiteGround partner — already supports the AVIF format.
Again, thank you for your suggestion!
It will take quite some time before it gets close to the adoption rate of the WEBP files 🙂 Once that happens, we will consider adding it.
@jetxpert, @hristo-sg
Nice resources, AeroStar, thank you.
Hristo, I’m not quite sure what holds you back. What I had in mind was this:
- SG Optimizer creates not only WebP but also AVIF files.
- To allow fallback, it uses the HTML
<picture> element in the generated HTML code.
This way, there is support for browsers that support AVIF, support for browsers that support WebP but not AVIF, and support for browsers that support neither.
It would not only help SiteGround’s clients directly, but also it would help SiteGround itself as it would reduce bandwidth — as well as create happier customers! Not to mention that it’s another feather in SiteGround’s hat.
Everyone wins with this.
Syntax for <picture>
Example:
<picture>
<source srcset="flowers.av1">
<source srcset="flowers.webp">
<img src="flowers.jpg" \>
</picture>
@hristo-sg,
We are counting on you!
SiteGround has the talent, the funds, and the time to make it happen. If you put this feature request for a vote, I bet you’d get an overwhelming “thumbs up.”
Once the .avif image format is offered via SG Optimizer, your customers will start using it and drive the adoption rate you mentioned. With over one million customers using SG Optimizer, if only 25% switch to .avif, you’ll already have 250,000 websites taking advantage of it.
As more and more customers start using the .avif format, MS Edge, Safari, and other non-supporting browsers will take notice and start supporting it. No different than the way WebP became popular.
Imagine if Steve Jobs had given up on Apple simply because the adoption rate at the time could not justify his efforts?
Doesn’t SiteGround want to hit a 100% satisfaction rate? Implementing the .avif image format will help make it happen.
Thanks for all you do.
Peace 🙂
