With platforms constantly tweaking their layouts and features, it’s time to get your posts in shape. Let’s dive into the latest social media post size updates and best practices for Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
Instagram: Portrait Posts and New Trends
Instagram has always been at the forefront of visual trends, and it’s not slowing down. The latest buzz? Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head honcho, has announced that Instagram is testing a new profile grid view. Unlike the classic square format, this new view will showcase posts in portrait mode. This move aligns with the rising trend of portrait content and reels dominating the platform.
As of writing this blog, the switch hasn’t officially been rolled out on all accounts, but it’s a good possibility that this will happen in the near future. To stay updated on the latest news, follow us on Instagram.
What This Means for You:
1. Go Portrait or Go Home: In case it hasn’t been clear, Instagram is pushing hard for full-screen experiences. Start embracing portrait (4:5) formats for your regular posts. Even if Instagram doesn’t permanently change profile grid views, this format is quickly becoming the standard.
2. Reel-In Your Audience: Reels continue to reign supreme. Ensure your content is optimized for vertical viewing to capture those precious engagement metrics.
3. Consistency is Key: While you adapt to these changes, keep your branding consistent. Portrait posts should align with your overall aesthetic and messaging. Even when sizes change, authenticity should still live at the center of your Instagram strategy.
Best Practices:
Feed Posts: 1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait).
Stories: 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Reels: 1080 x 1920 pixels.
LinkedIn: Navigating New Link Post Sizes
LinkedIn is continually refining its user experience, especially with how link posts are displayed. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy:
Link Posts:
Link Preview Images: Previously, these images were full-sized and more prominent. Now, they appear quite small - unless it’s a promoted post. We actually wrote a whole blog post about the changing of link posts on various platforms, including LinkedIn. Check that out here.
New Strategy: One way around this inconvenient change from LinkedIn is to share your link in an image or video post instead. Use an image or video as the main content with the link in the caption. This way, your visuals stand out and drive more engagement.
Image Posts:
Feed Image: 1200 x 627 pixels (landscape).
Document: This “carousel” PDF style format is one of our favorite features on LinkedIn. We’ve even discovered this to be a top post format across many of our clients’ content! It provides a more elevated version of Instagram carousel’s to drive more clicks and engagement while allowing you to post the PDF in both square or portrait format.
1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait PDF).
1080 x 1080 pixels (square PDF).
Video Posts:
Feed Video: Following the success of Instagram Reels and TikTok, LinkedIn has started to push for (shocker) more vertical videos. They’ve tested a new tab in the mobile app that shows an endless scroll of vertical videos. As the platform pushes for more vertical video, it’s worth testing on your profile.
1080 x 1920 pixels
Best Practices:
Embrace the Caption: Use the caption area effectively to include your link and a compelling call-to-action.
Visual Appeal: Stand out with high-quality visuals since the link preview is now quite small and a wider variety of visual content is being posted.
TikTok: The Evolution of Video and Carousel Posts
TikTok initially locked us into 9:16 video formats, but things have evolved. Here’s what’s happening:
Video Formats:
Full-Screen Vertical: 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Horizontal/ Landscape: Have you come across a horizontal video on LinkedIn and wanted to scroll right on past simply because of the orientation? Well, you can actually hit the “Full Screen” button below the video to watch in landscape mode!
1920 x 1080 pixels
For now, vertical videos are probably still best practice and preferred by many TikTok users. But this option is available for long-form videos that may be necessary to post.
Image Carousel: Other platforms are notorious for taking after TikTok’s new features - but for once, did TikTok copy Instagram? In September 2022, TikTok allowed users to upload multiple photos in a carousel post. Many users and brands have used this feature to create viral memes, share tips and infographics, or tell stories through a series of photos. You can add between 2 and 35 photos.
Size: To create the best viewer experience, try uploading photos that are 1080 x 1350 pixels (portrait) or 1080 x 1920 pixels (full vertical).
Best Practices:
Experiment with Formats: Utilize both vertical and horizontal videos based on your content goals.
Leverage Carousel: Engage users with carousel posts, allowing them to swipe through multiple images or videos.
Embrace these changes and keep your content fresh and captivating! Need help taking your social media to the next level? Reach out to the RANDOM team today.
