If you are looking to build a quality website that will generate valuable traffic, the visual assets that you choose will be crucial for your success. You have probably already thought about your colors, theme, layout, and all of the basic design principles. One thing you might not have thought of is your file format.
When using images on your site, deciding on PNG vs JPG for web will be of crucial importance. You might not think that PNG vs JPG photography matters, but it does. Here’s how you can make a decision on which file format to stick with when building a winning website.
1. What is PNG?
Before getting into PNG or JPG for print or web, it’s worth breaking down what each one actually is. Let’s start with PNG or Portable Graphics Format. PNG was created back in the late 1990s as an alternative to the GIF format, which itself was and continues to be plagued with compatibility issues.
PNG was designed specifically for the transfer of images across the internet, rather than for use on printed material. As such, PNG images can often look worse when they are printed out. One of the main assets concerns PNG vs JPG transparency. Unlike JPG, PNG files support full transparency and scale edits, allowing you to adopt a transparency-focused visual style on your website, should you wish to do so.
2. What is JPG?
Now let’s cover JPG files. JPGs are smaller digital photos that are ideal for web use without overly compromised quality. When comparing PNG vs JPG size, it’s important to keep in mind that JPG files typically offer a 10:1 compression. While this means that the quality of the image can sometimes suffer, it also means that JPGs typically take up much fewer data than PNGs.
This can be ideal if you are concerned with overloading your website with too many data-rich visual assets. JPGs are compact, easy to transfer, and can easily be stored and displayed on even the most basic WordPress CMS. This is probably the main appeal of the JPG file.
3. PNG vs JPG for Web
Before deciding on PNG or JPG, it’s worth keeping in mind that each is transferable and convertible to the other. Whether you want to convert JPG to PNG or PNG to JPG you can easily do so with a free online converter, meaning that you can always change your mind if you decide that you are not a fan of the file format you have chosen.
For your website, it really depends on what you want from your visual assets. If you are planning to host a large number of images on your site, JPG might be best as these take up considerably fewer data. However, PNG files typically display more detail and also support transparency and color editing. Once you decide which attributes are better for your site, the choice is simple.
More Tips for Better Web Design
Understand the merits of PNG vs JPG for web can help you build a smarter, better, and more future-proof website. For more tips on web design that will always attract high-quality leads, we have got you covered. Make sure to consult our dedicated Tech guides to learn more.
