WebP, PNG and JPEG: Choosing the Best Image Format for Your WordPress Website

Images can add life to the content and make the WordPress website more attractive and look less monotonous. However, choosing the right file format is important for performance. If images take a long time to load, then the website will not provide a good user experience. Next, we will compare WebP, PNG and JPEG to help you choose the best image format for WordPress.

I. WebP, PNG and JPEG - Introduction

Let's start by looking at all three image formats to understand what makes each of them tick and how they work.

1. What is WebP?

WebP is a relatively new image format compared to PNG and JPEG.WebP was created by Google to provide lossless and lossy compression for images on the Internet. This allows you to create smaller images, which can help improve website performance.

• compression lossless: This means that all data is retained after the image is decompressed.
• compression loss (in digital technology): Reduces file size by permanently deleting information from image files.

A notable feature of WebP is its support for motion-based images, which is not possible with PNG or JPEG. This also makes WebP a great alternative format to GIF.

WordPress introduced support for the WebP image format in version 5.8. Previously, a WordPress plugin had to be installed to use WebP images in WordPress. All modern web browsers (including Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.) support the WebP image format. Many image editing tools also support WebP and can export images in this format.WebP also has similar features to PNG, allowing the same transparency in WebP images as PNG.

vantage::

• Smaller file size
• Supports major web browsers
• Provides the same image transparency as PNG
• Lossy and lossless compression support
• Ability to create motion-based images

drawbacks::

• Requires third-party tools and plug-ins to convert images to WebP format
• Limited support for photo editing software

2. What is PNG?

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is one of the most popular image formats on the Internet. It supports millions of colors, so pictures are clearer and more realistic.

The main advantage of using PNG is its lossless compression algorithm. No data or quality is lost when an image is compressed. PNG is a great format for WordPress websites if a smaller image file size is required and you want to preserve the details in the image.

Another benefit of using PNG is that it supports transparent backgrounds. This is why you will find many website logos and other elements in PNG format.

vantage::

• Lossless compression with no loss of image quality
• Smaller file size
• Provides high quality image transparency
• Supported by all major browsers and image editing tools
• Ideal for low-color logos and graphics
• Lossless compression support

drawbacks::

• Lossy compression is not supported
• Limited color depth, not suitable for complex colorful images

3. What is JPEG?

JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group and is an image format created in 1986. It is the standard image format for many devices, including digital cameras and smartphones. Many WordPress website builders and gallery plugins also support JPEG images.

One of the advantages of using JPEG is that it provides images that are vivid and contain millions of colors. All web browsers support this format and the image size is relatively small.

If there are complex images containing multiple colors, JPEG is usually the best format. However, after optimization, a slight decrease in image quality may be noticed, especially if the image has less color data.JPEG images are easily converted to any other format, including PNG and WebP.

vantage::

• Supports millions of colors
• Suitable for complex and colorful images
• Highly convertible to other image formats
• Supported by all major browsers and image editing tools

drawbacks::

• Compression loses image detail
• Layered images are not supported
• Image transparency is not supported

II. WebP, PNG and JPEG - Image File Size

When comparing image file sizes for WebP, PNG and JPEG, much depends on the compression level chosen when optimizing the image.

WebP lossless images are typically 261 TP3T smaller than PNGs. similarly, when comparing WebP to JPEG lossy images, WebP images are 25-341 TP3T smaller than JPEGs. this suggests that WebP images have much smaller file sizes when compared to PNGs and JPEGs. Using smaller image file sizes improves WordPress speed and ensures faster page loads. As a result, an improvement in WordPress SEO will also be seen.Google considers page loading speed as a ranking factor. If the site loads fast, then it will have an advantage over a site that loads slowly.

WebP, PNG and JPEG - image quality

Choosing the best image format for WordPress based on image quality will depend on the type of website.

• If one is a photographer posting colorful images on a WordPress website, then JPEG is the best image format.JPEG images have a high compression rate which helps in retaining the color data.
• If posting screenshots or single images with minimal color, it is best to use the PNG format.PNG provides high quality images and works seamlessly with both complex and simple images.
• The WebP format is useful if you want to compress the images on your website to maintain high performance.WebP's compression rate is on average 30% higher than JPEG.However, we do not recommend using WebP if you have a photography or graphic design portfolio website.

Fourth, what is the best image format for WordPress?

After comparing WebP, PNG and JPEG, the best image format really depends on your needs.

• WebP Considered to be the format of the future and soon to be used by all websites, WebP offers the smallest image file sizes, thus saving storage space and shortening website loading times. However, you need to make sure that your website builder or image editing tool supports the WebP format.
• JPEG Perfect for professional photographers and website owners who need color-accurate images. It is suitable for complex images containing multiple colors.
• PNG It is the best format for sharing screenshots and other less colorful images. It provides high quality images with relatively small file size.

V. Additional Tips for Using Images in WordPress

Images play a key role in content, but many website owners are reluctant to take the time to add high-quality images to their blog posts and pages. In addition to choosing the right image format for WordPress, here are some tips to help create beautiful images and optimize their performance:

1. Using image compression plug-ins: Large images can slow down a website. Image compression plugins should be used to optimize WebP, JPEG and PNG images for fast performance.
2. Adding images to replace text: Alternative text or alternative text is an HTML image tag that describes an image. It allows search engine robots and users with screen readers to understand the image. When optimizing a website for SEO, adding alternative text to photos can help them appear in image search results.
3. Choosing the right image size for your website: Beginners are often unsure of which image size they should use for their website. Choosing the right size provides consistency and a smooth user experience.
4. Use watermarks or disable right-click: If you don't want others to use your image without permission, you can add a watermark and disable right-clicking on the image.

I hope this article has helped you understand WebP, PNG and JPEG in order to find the best image format for WordPress. Choosing the right image format and optimizing its performance can improve your website's loading speed and user experience, thus improving SEO performance.