Whether it’s a brand promotion, video, news update or even a meme, visual content rules the social media. What has become so important is effectively conveying your profile and content on social media through images and video. This “cheat sheet” offers a brief guide to image size recommendations for many of the top social media sites which are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube. The sizing requirements for these sites change regularly. This cheat sheet assures that you are prepared to stay ahead of the learning curve in 2020.
1) FACEBOOK
Profile Picture: 180 x 180 (Displays 170 x 170 on Desktop)
Say cheese: this is going to be the photo representing you or your brand on Facebook. This is the square photo that appears on your timeline layered over your cover photo. Your profile picture will also appear when you post to other walls, comment on posts or when you’re searched Facebook Open Graph.
Cover Photo: 820 x 312
Your Facebook cover photo will only appear on your Facebook timeline, but it is a lot bigger than the profile picture, which gives you more freedom to choose something creative. Where your profile picture might be a good choice for a picture of you, or a brand logo, use this space to post something that speaks more toward you as an individual or as a brand.
Shared Image: 1,200 x 630
A shared image is one of the most common forms of sharing on Facebook. These images will always appear on your timeline, and ideally, they will show up in most of your followers’ News Feeds though with the decrease in organic reach, it’s unlikely that everyone will see your post. The more people engage with your post, the more likely it is that the rest of your followers and their followers will see that activity.
2) TWITTER
Header Photo: 1,500 x 500
Your header photo is the image that spans the top of your Twitter profile page. It’s quite a bit larger than your profile photo so make sure to save it at the highest resolution possible. Because you have more room to be creative with this picture and it will likely be the first thing your visitors see, make it something captivating.
Profile Photo: 400 x 400 (Displays 200 x 200)
Your Twitter profile photo is the main image that represents you or your brand across the network. It’s going to be seen across the site in several places by several people so make sure it’s of the highest quality. Here’s the places your profile photo will be visible on the site.
3) INSTAGRAM
Profile Picture: 110 x 110
Instagram is based on visuals, which should be an indication of how important it is to follow these image size guidelines. Ensure your profile image is recognizable so users can find you even easier through search or explore.
Photo Thumbnails: 161 x 161
When someone goes to your page, they’ll be presented with all your content arranged in rows of thumbnails. These smaller renditions of your images and videos will expand when clicked and include a place for people to comment.
Photo Size: 1080 x 1080
Instagram is all about the images and videos presented in your followers’ feed. In fact, Instagram higher resolution photos when taken from the native application. If you decided to upload a photo or video from any other device, the resolution will be much lower.
Instagram Stories: 1080 x 1920
With more than 300 million daily users, Instagram Stories are a popular source of visuals on the app. There are both video and image options available to publish. And while this feature is meant to be ephemeral, it’s possible to upload your own content.
4) LINKEDIN
Personal Profile Image: 400 x 400
LinkedIn started using a new layout for personal profiles and kept the box logo with company pages (more on that below). However, the personal profile dimensions for LinkedIn is very straightforward. This is the main image that represents you on your personal profile. So anytime someone looks at your profile for some quick info, this is the prominent image that represents you. It’s important to get the size right.
Personal Background Image: 1584 x 396
LinkedIn started using a new layout for personal profiles and kept the box logo with company pages. However, the personal profile dimensions for LinkedIn is very straightforward. This is the main image that represents you on your personal profile. So anytime someone looks at your profile for some quick info, this is the prominent image that represents you. It’s important to get the size right.
Company Logo Image: 300 x 300
One of the two brand logos that you should be uploading to LinkedIn is the standard company logo. This is the bigger of the two and is going to show up right next to your brand name on your LinkedIn homepage. This image also appears in the “Companies you may want to follow” section. The more enticing the photo, the more likely you’ll gain followers.
Life Main Image: 1128 x 376
Finding great people to work for your company is one of the most important aspects of LinkedIn. You can have a separate tab solely based on career opportunities at your company. At the top of this page sits a banner that is bigger than any of the other images on LinkedIn. You can use this space to choose a picture that speaks to your company in order to attract some great potential employees.
5) PINTEREST
Profile Picture: 165 x 165
When setting up your Pinterest account you have the option to do so using Facebook, Twitter or email. If you choose Facebook or Twitter, Pinterest will pull in the profile image that you have set there. If you’re using email, or would prefer to use a different photo, you can do that too and Pinterest will resize it to fit. Like other social sites your profile picture on Pinterest should be something closely tied to you or your brand.
Pin Sizes: 236px width
When adding a pin to your board, it’s important to remember that Pinterest puts a limit on the width of the image but not the length. This gives you the opportunity to add a photo that’s square or one that will scale to be even taller. Just remember to make sure you’re creating large images because they add more value, not just because you can.
Board Display: 222 x 150
Creating boards is one of the most important things that you can do on Pinterest. It’s important to make sure you’re using an image that fits the size criteria perfectly. Not only is it important to choose a photo that is enticing to your audience, it’s important to choose one that’s relevant to that board.
6) YOUTUBE
Channel Profile Image: 800 x 800
YouTube allows you to select different profile image borders, but the dimensions stay the same. Ensure your YouTube has a profile image set up before you select your border.
Channel Cover Photo: 2,560 x 1,440
Spice up your YouTube channel with some “channel art.” When users click through your YouTube videos to your channel, some appealing images could entice them to stay on your page longer and watch more of your videos.
Video Uploads: 1280 x 720 (Minimum HD)
Uploading your content to YouTube is the one of the most important parts of establishing your presence on the site. Videos can tell viewers something about you as a person, or it could show off something that your business might offer.