Last Updated on July 16, 2024 by Asfa Rasheed
Did you know that half the world’s population has an email address? What’s even more staggering is that the number of Internet users clocks in at an eye-popping 4.6 billion people?
That’s a lot of eyeballs. And those email and Internet users see a gazillion amount of photos.
Studies show the use of targeted imagery affects people’s emotions. Not only does the perfect picture draw the audience in, but it also makes readers more likely to click, buy, take a survey, scroll down, and so forth.
But which image format is the best for each medium? What’s the right extension choice for the highest quality images or wall pics?
Here is a short rundown on the best practices to follow when adding photos to emails and websites.
Table of Contents
Image Format 101
A photo file can come in a variety of formats. There is an alphabet soup of extensions.
The most common image file formats are JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, PSD, BMP. There are a few more formats, but graphic designers use them.
The file format has a direct impact on the quality of the photo. To get the highest quality image, you will want to pick the right one for your needs.
Go With Jpegs in Emails
Generally speaking, using photos formatted as JPEGs in emails is the best route.
Using the JPEG extension to email photos is the best practice because they are shareable.
If you send vacation photos to friends and family through email, they’ll most likely view and save them to their phone. Many won’t need a high-resolution image to get the photo printed for a fancy frame.
Other benefits include:
- Smaller file sizes mean emails open up faster.
- Images may not be as crisp, but they are decent for personal use.
Weighing JPEG vs. PNG for Websites
Regarding websites, the question of which file image format to use isn’t as cut and dry. The right answer lies in what you need or are willing to do without.
Is image quality more important? Or do you put more value in a faster-loading website?
If the end game is for a quick-loading website, go with the JPEG.
But PNG files offer websites an image that is higher quality and crisper. Also, their backgrounds are more easily manipulated.
PNGs are great for website graphics because they are transparent images, and designers can pair the image with text in fewer steps.
Once you’ve decided which is your preferred image file format, there are easy-to-use software tools to change a photo from jpg to png or vice-versa.
Choose the Extension That’s Right for You
Picking the right image format for your email or website comes down to knowing your needs and what kind of image quality you’re willing to sacrifice.
Now that you know the pros and cons of both, there are many conversion tools ready to help with whichever extension path you choose. And with that, you can’t go wrong.
A Quick Overview
When it comes to sharing images online, choosing the right image format is crucial for ensuring that your images look their best while also being optimized for fast loading times. In this quick guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best image formats for email and websites and how to choose the right one for your needs.
- JPEG: Best for Photographs JPEG, or Joint Photographic Experts Group, is the most common image format for photographs. This format uses lossy compression, which means the image is compressed to reduce its file size. JPEG is an excellent choice for large, high-quality photographs but may not be the best choice for images with text or graphics.
- PNG: Best for Graphics and Text PNG, or Portable Network Graphics, is a lossless image format that is best for images with text or graphics. Unlike JPEG, PNG images can support transparent backgrounds, making them ideal for logos, icons, and other graphics that must be displayed on various backgrounds.
- GIF: Best for Animations GIF, or Graphics Interchange Format, is an image format supporting animation. GIFs are typically low-resolution and have limited color palettes, but they are ideal for small animations and social media memes.
In conclusion, choosing the right image format for your needs depends on the type of image you are sharing and the platform you are sharing it on. Whether you are sharing photographs, graphics, or animations, there is an image format that is perfect for your needs.
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