What is this? #
As of ShortPixel Image Optimizer (SPIO) version 6, you can serve all your images via the ShortPixel CDN in any format you want: WebP, AVIF or the original JPG/PNG/GIF.
This new feature replaces image URLs with CDN URLs while keeping the canonical URLs pointing to your own website. This ensures no impact on your website’s SEO or the indexing of your images. Additionally, WebP and AVIF formats are delivered seamlessly from the same CDN URL without requiring any manual intervention, provided these options are enabled in SPIO.
This delivery method is an excellent alternative to others because it works on any hosting environment without needing further configuration. The URL replacement occurs dynamically as the page loads.
Initially, only images embedded in your website’s source code will be delivered via the CDN. In future plugin versions, images in CSS and JS files will also be replaced.
Frequently asked questions #
What happens if I disable the “Create WebP/AVIF Images” settings?
If you disable those, and enable the “Deliver the next-gen images using the ShortPixel CDN” setting, your images will still be served from the ShortPixel CDN, but in its original uploaded format.
Will this help me save disk space?
No, it will not. This setting simply replaces your image URLs with different ones pointing to https://spcdn.shortpixel.ai/spio. Additionally, your physical .webp and .avif files will still be created, assuming you have enabled the “Create WebP/AVIF Images” settings.
Does this new setting edit my original URLs in the database?
No, the URL replacement is done on-the-fly, while the page loads. Your database and original URLs will remain intact.