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Home / Insights / The Importance of Image Aspect Ratio in Web Design
Home / Insights / The Importance of Image Aspect Ratio in Web Design
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The Importance of Image Aspect Ratio in Web Design

Published 05.07.22
5th July 2022
Last Updated 06.07.22
6th July 2022
Newer
4 Min Read
James Coates
James Coates
Web Design
Older
4 Min Read
 
James Coates
James Coates
 
Web Design

Learn about the importance of aspect ratios in web design for increasing consistency, improving user experience, and saving time.

illustration of a website shown on various devices

Visuals play a major part in the success of a website, and how those visuals are organised can make a major difference.

One concept that can be difficult to understand for non-designers is your image aspect ratio. Yet it plays a significant role in the success or failure of your website.

You’ve likely heard about the concept, and may even have a basic understanding of what it means. But how does that understanding play into web design? How can you build visuals that are optimised for your audience?

That’s what this post will explain in more detail.

What are Image Aspect Ratios?

Put simply, aspect ratios define how the height of an image compares to its width. It’s usually expressed by two integers, width and height, in their smallest possible ratio and separated by a colon.

That might sound complicated, so here are a few examples of what an aspect ratio looks like in real life:

  • A square always has a 1:1 aspect ratio. Both height and width are the same, so the smallest possible ratio is always 1:1.
  • Most landscape photographs are in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Meaning that every four pixels of width is equal to three pixels of height. Even a 1280×720 HD image can be broken down into a 4:3 aspect ratio.

This aspect ratio, in turn, applies to every part of your website. Logos, images, and even the graphics around those images are all fixed to aspect ratios, that make them fit into the template in which you design your website.

Why Aspect Ratios Matter in Web Design

The basic reason why image aspect ratios matter is simple. Changing the aspect ratio in any way distorts the image.

If you take a 4:3 image and try to fit it into a 1:1 space, it will look vertically stretched and diminish the visual quality. If your website structure demands specific aspect ratios, any graphic created or picture cropped has to align with those specs.

The importance of aspect ratios goes further than this basic reason though. Choosing the right aspect ratio can also have a significant positive effect on your user experience. Especially given how modern audiences browse the web.

Desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets are all used to access and browse the web. Recent stats suggest that mobile devices account for over 60% of traffic worldwide.

Each of these devices comes with a different screen size and shape. Most obvious in the vertical smartphone experience, compared to the traditional horizontal website. That’s exactly why the vast majority of modern websites are responsive. Meaning their layout adjusts dynamically based on a given user’s device.

But that adjustment can only be successful with coding that maintains and adjust aspects ratios of images and graphics dynamically. An understanding of the most common and beneficial ratios for web design is crucial to building your visual presence with UX in mind. 

Finally, ensuring that images use consistent aspect ratios means that the same image can be used in different places throughout a website. Without the need to create multiple versions of the same image in different sizes.

For example, Impact Media recommends a 3:2 aspect ratio for any logos within a website. Ensuring that different logo orientations can have the best possible visibility. The same logos might appear smaller or larger, but a consistent aspect ratio ensures that it will always look consistent and great.

If you plan your website with aspect ratio in mind, you’ll need fewer images while increasing consistency across the site.

The Most Common Aspect Ratios (As of 2022)

While the possibilities are nearly endless, these are the most common aspect ratios in web design today:

  • 1:1 square: most used for company logos, in-text images, and product images or thumbnails.
  • 3:2 rectangle: used for some photography and also aligns with the screen size of older (pre-2010) smartphones. This is among the most common aspect ratios we utilise at Impact Media.
  •  4:3 rectangle: the most common photography size today. Can be used for smaller applications that need more vertical or horizontal space than a square.
  • 16:9 rectangle: the size of modern TV screens and most laptops. It also works for large website hero images.
  • 21:9 rectangle: which we refer to as super-wide; an ideal format for hero image and content areas.

It’s important to keep in mind though, that these are far from the only options for aspect ratios on your website.

Smartphone and other device screens continue to change and evolve, requiring web and graphic designers to adjust almost constantly to adapt to what’s in common use.

We regularly use this website to calculate image sizes for the most common aspect ratios at a given time. 

How to Optimize Your Website and Save Time With Aspect Ratios

Image aspect ratios sound complex at first. But following some basic rules turns it into a benefit for anyone managing a website and looking to increase consistency while saving time.

If you begin to plan your web development with defined aspect ratios in mind, you can set a few basic rules for sizes that every image across the site can follow.

Even better, with the right setup, you’ll be able to simply upload an image in the right ratio and the website can create the various sizes for speed and performance needed, without any distortion or inconvenient cropping.

Adding and modifying content within this system becomes significantly simpler. Even more recent concepts, like retina displays on Apple devices, can be considered. Implementing a rule in WordPress can ensure the correct ratio image is displayed in a 2x higher resolution on retina devices, for increased clarity. 

Early consideration of aspect ratios becomes a significant timesaver later in the process, whilst also enhancing the user experience at the same time. 

Summary

Aspect ratios can seem like a complex issue to tackle. Especially as they can make a huge difference to how your audience experiences your website. However, they don’t have to be a major roadblock, especially if you have a reliable partner by your side.

Are you planning a website redesign, and looking for the right WordPress agency? Get in touch with us to discuss your project, and see if we could be a good fit.

On topics from aspect ratios to any other nuances of design, we’ll be by your side to help make your new website a success.

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James Coates
James Coates
UX & Web Strategist, Coffee Lover & Ex-Flower Arranging Champ
James is a UX specialist and is passionate about delivering better digital experiences. He provides insights on improving conversions, increasing sales and delivering more engaging content.
View Team Profile
See More Articles
James Coates
James Coates
UX & Web Strategist, Coffee Lover & Ex-Flower Arranging Champ
James is a UX specialist and is passionate about delivering better digital experiences. He provides insights on improving conversions, increasing sales and delivering more engaging content.
See More Articles
View Team Profile
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