With the number of social media and internet users continuing to grow at a rapid rate, a company website is now the most affordable and accessible way for your business to reach a large variety and number of people. Technology is continually advancing, improving user experience – in addition to faster internet speeds and increased processing power for our computers, laptops and devices, which have made surfing the web a far smoother ride, refinements in monitor and screen technology mean that there has been a recent push towards creating and using high resolution and high definition images for the newest monitors and screens in the market.
What is high resolution and high definition?
Images are considered high-resolution (high-res) or high-definition (also known as HD) if they have a measurement of 300 dpi (dots per inch). Since dpi measures the density of an image, it is like imagining a printed image divided into one inch-square boxes, with the dpi as the number of dots in each box. Standard images on the web are only 72 dpi, and these will look pixelated when their size is increased, or they are printed.
However, even if most images on the web are measured by dpi, this does not necessarily affect your design unless you intend for these images to be printed. What we look at in web design is the ppi, or pixels per inch. If you’re confused, don’t worry, because you’re not alone – there is much confusion between the two.
What is ppi and how does it affect your web design?
Screen resolution of our devices is measured by ppi or pixels per inch. Similar to dpi, ppi refers to the number of pixels displayed in a one inch-square of your screen or monitor. This is one important component that must be considered when deciding whether you want a high resolution and high definition web design as this dictates the clarity of the images and design elements that your viewers will see on their screens.
HD web images and videos are mostly either 720p or 1080p. This is the number of horizontal lines in an image or video. The sharpness of these images will be partially dependent upon the ppi of the user’s screen.
Points to consider for high resolution and high definition web designs
With all these complexities, you might be wondering whether high resolution and high definition web designs are for you. If you’re still undecided, let’s have a closer look at some of the points to consider when designing your website and explore some of the very good reasons for choosing a web design that embraces the benefits of using high definition and high resolution images.
Are your target website visitors using gadgets with high resolution and high definition screens?
Think about who your audience will be and whether they will appreciate an intricate web design in their online surfing experience. Since most phones and computers nowadays are able to view enhanced images in high definition, it will be best to optimise this feature in your design.
Common trends of web design
Creating your web design now means that you are preparing it for the future. HD images and videos are now common in websites, and there are many ways to use these to your advantage in order to create a web design that will capture viewers’ attentions and entice them to spend more time on your site.
Website content and design for the Minimalist
Too many images or too much text in your website can result in visual clutter and strain viewers’ eyes as they attempt to focus on the many different things going on in your site. This is where the beauty of high definition images comes in, since a single photo can speak a thousand words. Also, since there are fewer things to focus on, people will be able to better appreciate a design if it is of a higher quality.
Videos in your website design
Videos are not only used to provide informative content in your site. In high-quality web design, videos are sometimes used as backgrounds, which is a perfect way to include action in your site or provide multiple screens’ worth of information without your viewers having to click anything. Since the background covers a large part of the screen, high resolution images are ideal for this.
The use of modern effects in your website
With a high resolution and high definition image, a lot of new effects are possible, such as blurred or colour overlays. It adds emphasis on the photo without compromising its visibility since it can still be easily discerned due to its high quality.
Providing a clearer view of your products and services
In a literal sense, viewers will really be able to see a clearer image of what your website seeks to advertise or inform them about. This definitely comes in handy if your site contains images of food, products, or examples of services you provide, because your audience will see something close to the real thing, thanks to your high definition content.
Web design encompasses many different areas from visuals to content. Choosing the resolution and quality of what you put in your web design is an integral part of determining the over-all aesthetics and responsiveness of your site and is quite an important step towards attracting more viewers and disseminating content to many people. If you’re still not sure whether high resolution and high definition web design is right for you, why not talk to a web design expert? Jezweb can answer all your questions, give you the advice you need and help you put together a website that you and your viewers will love, with eye-catching visuals and engaging content. Contact Jezweb for all your website design and development needs – from WordPress websites, graphic and web design, website hosting, website upgrades or updates, search marketing, search engine optimisation and content writing.