JPG vs. PNG
What are JPG or JPEG Image File Types?
JPEG stands for Joint Photographics Export Group, the group that had developed this file format. JPG and JPEG is functionally the same thing. In the earlier days, computers couldn’t take more than 3 letters for file extensions so JPG was used.
JPG was developed for photos and it’s best for websites because of their small file size. JPG’s original format is RAW. It is the compressed version, which means that a certain amount of its unnecessary information is permanently deleted. This also means that you can create a lot smaller file size than you can with a PNG file.
Why is this important for your business website? Having smaller image size will increase the page load speed. It is better for user experience and google loves that too. There are plenty of free tools that will allow you to compress your JPG for your website. I love using compressjpeg.com to help me with this task. Here’s a super quick video showing you how easy it is to compress images.
What is PNG?
PNG stands for Portable Network Graphics. It is ideal for graphics that require sharp edges and large or flat areas of solid color. Examples would be infographics, text-heavy images and logos. It is also a great choice for saving screenshots as it can provide an almost perfect pixel-for-pixel representation of the screen. PNG is also great to display vector graphics on devices that cannot otherwise do so without specific apps. This file format also allows you to create transparent areas in an image. This is especially useful and important when you create logos and icons for apps and websites.
The biggest advantage of PNG over JPG is that there is no loss in quality each time it is opened and saved again. PNG also handles detailed and high-contrast images well.
Does it Matter Which Image File Type You Choose?
When you’re comparing JPG and PNG image side-by-side, given that they the same size and resolution, you won’t be able to see much of a difference in photos. So in terms of choosing which image file type for the photos on your business website, you should choose JPG for its small file size.
In cases where PNG photos would be used over JPG photos, would be product photography. They provide clean and crisp lines to your products for your ecommerce website. PNG also has the ability to have transparent backgrounds, which can be very useful for your online shop.
Hope you find this blog about the two most common image file types helpful for your website. Remember to give it a pin so you can refer back to it! If you need help with your website, I can certainly lend a hand. Simply reach out and we can have a quick chat!
