Jump to:
Have you recently started a blog or business website? Images can enhance the customer experience when they visit your site. Selecting the best image format for your website will provide speedier response times. Following is a beginner’s guide detailing the different image formats, such as PNG, JPEG, and WebP Image, and essential considerations before making the choice of the best format.
What is a JPEG?
JPEG is an acronym for Joint Photographic Experts Group, coined in 1986. JPEG is a lossy image compression method common for online images.
As a result of compression, the output image is a trade-off between image quality and storage size. JPEG format has been the main choice for storing and sending photographic images on the internet.
What is a PNG?
PNG is an acronym for Portable Network Graphics, launched in 1995. It is a popular graphic file format, often considered second to a JPEG file. PNG is common with web designers since it can handle graphics with transparent/ semi-transparent backgrounds.
What is a WebP Image?
WebP is a modern image format developed by Google, providing superior lossless and lossy compression for images on the internet. According to a study between JPEG and WebP, Google developers discovered that the average WebP file size is 25%-34% smaller than JPEG file size at an equivalent structural similarity index measure (SSIM) index. Such compression type utilizes less space on a website/ blog.
Why Smaller and Better?
Webmasters and developers can use WebP to create smaller, richer images that make the website faster and more responsive. WebP lossless images tend to be 26% smaller than PNGs.
Which Best Image Format for Websites Should You Choose?
Images give a website or blog more visual appeal and attract readers to further browse your website/ blog. Properly-optimized website images can help with your on-page SEO efforts.
Are you stuck on choosing the best image format for websites and blogs? Below are practical tips to help you choose the best image format for your website or blog.
1. Make sure the images you pick are high quality
High-quality images have large pixels and high resolutions. Consider how the image is going to appear on mobile and desktop devices. Additionally, high-quality websites should be aesthetically pleasing to attract more readers and site traffic.
2. Make them relevant to your brand
Regardless of the product or service, you’re selling, ensure you pick images relevant to your brand and its goals. Product images on your website should inspire the intended feelings and reactions from potential customers.
3. Choose images with a call-to-action.
An image that doubles as a CTA can inspire your target audience to perform the desired action, for example, to purchase a product or sign up.
4. Make the image do the talking
An engaging website image can hook your target audience right from initial contact. The alternative to filling your website with text is to place on an image on your website that passes across your message directly. Readers and viewers are less likely to concentrate on the text, provided your images speak well to them as you intend.
5. Showcase real people
While stock photos are the easier choice, choosing real images with real people has a higher conversion rate. Ideally, by showcasing real people privy to you and your brand, you avoid having duplicate photos on numerous websites and blogs.
6. Choose the Proper Image File Type
JPEGs and PNGs differ in features and functionalities. Each of these can offer a competitive advantage when compared side by side. However, for most people, PNG images are high-quality, whereas JPEGs are smaller than PNGs of similar sizes.
Are you looking to leverage business growth by optimizing your website? Check the Business Guide page of our blog.