fbpx

Guide to Image Sizes for Social Media Platforms

In the fast-paced world of social media, visuals play a crucial role in capturing attention and engaging audiences. Frustratingly, each platform has its specific requirements for image dimensions, which impacts how your content is displayed and consumed. Incorrect image sizes can result in poor resolution, cropping issues, or unwanted stretching, affecting your brand’s impression. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the ideal image sizes for various types of content across key social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Facebook 

Navigating Facebook’s various image dimensions can be daunting, but it’s key to making your posts and ads look their best.

  • Profile Picture: 170 x 170 pixels on desktop, 128 x 128 on smartphones.
  • Cover Photo: 820 x 312 pixels; visible at 640 x 360 pixels on smartphones.
  • Shared Image: 1200 x 630 pixels for optimal display on high-resolution devices.
  • Shared Link Preview: 1200 x 628 pixels.
  • Event Image: 1920 x 1080 pixels; this size keeps your images clear and crisp when attendees visit your event page.
  • Facebook Ads: Varies widely depending on the type of ad, but a standard image ad would be best at 1080 x 1080 pixels.

Instagram

Instagram is the realm of high-resolution, square photos, but it offers flexibility with a few aspect ratios.

  • Profile Picture: 110 x 110 pixels, displayed as a circle.
  • Square Photos: 1080 x 1080 pixels.
  • Landscape Photos: 1080 x 566 pixels.
  • Portrait Photos: 1080 x 1350 pixels.
  • Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels; a full-screen vertical image.
  • IGTV Cover Photo: 420 x 654 pixels.

LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, professional imagery takes the forefront, enhancing your company or personal brand.

  • Profile Picture: 400 x 400 pixels (minimum size recommendations).
  • Background Image: 1584 x 396 pixels.
  • Shared Image or Link: 1200 x 627 pixels.
  • Company Logo: 300 x 300 pixels (displays as square).
  • Company Cover Photo: 1128 x 191 pixels.
  • Company Page Banner Image: 646 x 220 pixels (minimum).

YouTube

On YouTube, visuals matter significantly since it’s a video platform, but static images like thumbnails and channel artwork are also crucial.

  • Channel Profile Picture: 800 x 800 pixels, displays as a circle.
  • Channel Cover Photo: Varies by viewing device; optimal sizing at 2560 x 1440 pixels, with safe area centered at 1546 x 423 pixels.
  • Video Thumbnails: 1280 x 720 pixels; this size ensures your thumbnails look good on all devices.

Adding Us as Admins for Enhanced Monitoring

Even if we are not managing your SEO or social media, it is beneficial for us to keep an eye on reporting to spot anomalies. Here’s how to add us as admins:

  1. Facebook: Go to your page settings, select “Page Roles,” and add us by email as an editor or administrator.
  2. Instagram: Currently, Instagram does not allow role management, but shared access can be managed through Facebook’s Business Manager.
  3. LinkedIn: Access your Company Page, click on “Admin tools” at the top right, and select “Page admins” to add us.
  4. YouTube: In the channel settings under “Permissions,” use the “Invite” option to add us by email as a manager or editor.

Keeping these image sizes in mind ensures that your content looks its best, portraying a professional and engaging online presence. As ever, keeping up with the continual updates and changes in platform specifications is key to effective social media management.  We can help you get them setup in Canva or similar tools, so they are easy for you to auto create your content.