Influencer Marketing in Asia: An Interview with Aaron Brooks
Aaron Brooks
April 21, 2017
It would be great if you could take a photo, edit it to perfection and upload it to social media without a second thought, but image size matters. If you get it wrong, the shot could end up looking less than professional.
To make matters worse, social media platforms change image size requirements regularly. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with this up-to-date guide to every social media image size you need to know.
The bad news is, each social platform has its own set of image size requirements. Some are best in a square ratio, others are best in portrait, and others require landscape.
But on the plus side, with our simple guide, you’ll always have the right size at your fingertips. And with a bit of practice, resizing your images will become second nature.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all resolution for social media as each platform has unique guidelines. Social media platforms will automatically resize images when you post, but this can compromise content and quality. So it’s always best to edit your shots to the right resolution before you upload. (Scroll down for how to resize shots using free or paid apps.)
The resolution of a photo refers to the quality of the image. All digital images consist of pixels. The more there are, the higher the resolution. If a picture is very low on pixels, then it will become ‘pixelated’ – i.e. it won’t be sharp.
As SmartFrame explains, the resolution of an image is expressed as a horizontal x vertical measurement. The higher the numbers, the higher the resolution.
Image sizes for social media platforms
Below is a run down of all the image sizes required for the best-known social media platforms:
Your Facebook photos speak volumes about your brand and it’s worth taking time to get them right. There are several variations when it comes to Facebook image size, so make sure you’re looking at the right category, i.e. banner image, profile picture, or post update. Complications arise because people view the platform using different devices, e.g. a PC with a wide horizontal screen or a mobile phone with a smaller vertical screen.
As you can see, the sizes are slightly different for desktop and mobile. You’ll want to make sure the main focus of your image sits within the smaller mobile size, otherwise it’ll be cropped out when the platform automatically resizes the image.
To ensure that users on all platforms can view your content with ease, Social Pilot suggests using a cover size 820 x 360 with any important elements within a 640 x 312 zone.
To maximise your Facebook marketing, take a look at our customer journey map.
As Instagram is a purely visual channel, getting your picture sizing spot on is vital.
According to Hootsuite, Instagram Reels should be:
Photographs posted onto your Instagram feed should be at least 1080 x 1080 pixels.
If you want to ace this social media platform, check out our comprehensive Instagram marketing guide.
On this busy platform, you need to make sure your tweets and page stand out, so picture quality is paramount. Use separate photos for your profile and the cover shot.
As LinkedIn is a professional network, you need to strike the right tone and sum up your brand in the banner and cover image. It goes without saying that you need to look your best in the profile shot, so it’s worth paying for a professional photographer.
For YouTube success, you’ll need to make sure your photos and your videos are perfectly sized.
With the fixed ratio, you can upload video in a number of resolutions:
Use an up-to-date version of your browser to make it easier to upload files greater than 20 GB. The maximum file size for YouTube is 128 GB.
It’s vital that you use the right size images for boards and pins, and your profile image needs to be something linked with your brand.
Social Pilot recommend the following sizes for Pinterest:
Pinterest supports JPEG and PNG for profile pictures.
It’s all about getting the video right with TikTok. According to Hootsuite, it needs to be 1080 x 1920 and your profile picture should be at least 20 x 20 pixels (we recommend going larger but keeping the 1:1 aspect ratio).
The ideal aspect ratio for TikTok videos is 1:1 or 9:16.
As this platform is for mobile devices, your profile picture is important as it will enable users to identify you or your brand in an instant. According to Designs.ai, picture size recommendations are as follows:
This customisable social media platform allows you to share anything, and while your profile picture doesn’t feature heavily, it’s still worth getting it right.
Social Pilot recommends the following social media photos sizes for Tumblr:
Hootsuite recommends the following social media sizes for Snapchat:
Sprout Social recommends the following sizes of logo, cover photo, and business photo for your Google My Business profile:
Short of time? Social Pilot has summarised the main platforms’ required image sizes as follows. (While this is a quick and handy guide, we do recommend checking the exact sizes above if you’re posting on a channel regularly).
Make life easier and save time with social media management tools, many of which will do all your picture resizing for you.
You can check the number of pixels in the image metadata. Right click on the image and select ‘Get Info’ on a Mac or right-click on the picture and select ‘Properties’ on a PC.
You can use either a JPEG or a PNG for social media, but according to Idea Marketing, a PNG gives you a sharper image. You can also use a transparent background and other effects with a PNG, but it might take up more storage space on your device and download times can be longer.
According to Wastedtalentinc, Instagram prefers JPEGs but also supports PNGs, BMPs and non-animated GIFs.
If your photo doesn’t fit the required dimensions for a social media platform, you can resize it quickly and painlessly with the right software or app. The following are easy to use and will cover all your image resizing needs:
Social media platforms frequently update their image size requirements to accommodate new features, design changes, and technological advancements. These updates can occur several times a year, depending on the platform.
Major updates often align with platform redesigns or the introduction of new content types. To stay current, it’s essential to regularly check the official guidelines of each platform or subscribe to updates from reputable sources that track these changes.
Yes, there are several tools and software designed to help create and edit social media images to fit specific dimensions. Popular options include Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator for advanced editing, Canva for user-friendly, template-based design, and GIMP as a free alternative to Photoshop.
Additionally, tools like Fotor, Snappa, and PicMonkey offer easy-to-use interfaces with preset social media dimensions. These tools help ensure your images meet platform specifications and maintain high quality.
To maintain image quality and resolution across various devices and screen sizes, use high-resolution images and follow these best practices:
Mastered image sizing and ready to roll? Make sure your social media strategy is on point and that you know how to use analytics.
Get started on your social media campaign with Vamp. It’s ideal for personal or business brands , and there’s a subscription to suit every budget. We’re also official Meta partners.
