When creating content for LinkedIn, one of the first things to consider is which image orientation – square or landscape – will work best. Both square and landscape images have their advantages and disadvantages on the platform, so it’s important to understand how each format performs in order to optimize your content. In this article, we’ll examine the pros and cons of square vs landscape images on LinkedIn to help you determine which is better for your needs.
Square Images
Square images on LinkedIn take up less visual space since they don’t stretch the full width of the feed. Here are some of the main benefits of using square images:
Stand out in the feed
Square images help your visual content stand out as people scroll through their feeds. The contained square shape is more likely to catch the eye than longer landscape visuals that blend in.
Allow more text
With a square image, you can include more text above and below it without taking up too much space in the feed. Landscape images force the text to wrap around them awkwardly or get cut off.
Create visual impact
Squares lend themselves to bold graphics, logos, portraits and other images that create strong visual impact. There’s no awkward cropping or distortion.
Are mobile-friendly
Squares take up less screen real estate on mobile compared to horizontal landscape images. This improves the viewing experience on smartphones and tablets.
Drive click-throughs
Well-designed square images can entice viewers to click through to your full post or profile to see the rest of the content. The contained image acts like a preview.
Allow creative flexibility
Squares aren’t bound to any particular orientation, so you can get more creative with visuals and layouts. Portraits, graphics, collages and more all work well.
Examples of effective square images on LinkedIn:
Image | Description |
---|---|
Simple yet striking portrait visual to personalize a profile and make it memorable. The bold colors also stand out. | |
Eye-catching infographic visual that concisely communicates data and entices viewers to click through. | |
Combination graphic with concise text overlay to deliver an engaging social message. |
Landscape Images
In contrast to squares, landscape images take up the full width of the LinkedIn feed. Here are some potential benefits of landscape images:
Create visual impact
Like squares, landscape orientation also allows for bold, visually striking images. The wider canvas can display images that tell a story or convey emotions.
Showcase products/services
Landscape images nicely showcase products, services, office environments and other visuals where the wide view is preferable.
Highlight team members
Group or team photos fit well in a landscape framing without needing to crop out people on the edges.
Feel more natural
Many photos are taken in landscape mode, so minimal cropping or reformatting is needed to repurpose them for LinkedIn.
Examples of effective landscape images on LinkedIn:
Image | Description |
---|---|
Vibrant event image showing attendees and presentations. Landscape view fits naturally. | |
Warm, inviting office environment photo showcasing company culture. | |
Product images like this headset showcase features in an engaging full-width visual. |
Key Differences Between Square and Landscape
Let’s recap the key differences between square and landscape image formats on LinkedIn:
Square | Landscape |
---|---|
More condensed, takes up less feed space | Expansive, full-width image |
Stand out in feed | Blend in more with other content |
Allow more text around image | Force text to wrap awkwardly |
Bold graphics and portraits | Wide group shots, environments, products |
Creative flexibility | Natural for many landscape photos |
When to Use Each Image Type
Now that we’ve compared the two formats, when should you use each one for LinkedIn? Here are some best practices:
Use squares when you want to:
- Stand out in the feed
- Highlight a specific visual like a logo, graphic or portrait
- Allow ample text space
- Create collages and modular designs
- Optimize for mobile
Use landscape when you want to:
- Showcase a product, office or event
- Enable natural, uncropped images
- Tell a visual story
- Highlight team member groups
- Blend in with the feed aesthetic
Neither format is inherently better or worse than the other—it comes down to matching the right visual style and composition to your goals and audience on LinkedIn.
Tips for Optimizing Square and Landscape Images
To ensure your LinkedIn images are as effective as possible, keep these tips in mind:
For square images:
- Use high resolution images at least 1080×1080 pixels
- Add text overlays for extra engagement
- Crop portraits closely to highlight faces
- Break up text-heavy posts with visuals
- Experiment with bold colors that stand out
For landscape images:
- Optimal resolution is 1200×628 pixels
- Position key subjects centrally
- Use horizontal frames to showcase environments
- Add text overlays to direct focus
- Get close up to highlight products/details
Regardless of which shape you choose, ensure your images are high-quality, relevant to your content, and visually engaging.
Examples and Studies
Let’s look at some real-world examples and data that illustrate how squares and landscapes perform on LinkedIn:
HubSpot
Global marketing software firm HubSpot tested square and landscape images in its LinkedIn posts and found that square images drove 18% more clicks and 94% more reactions.
Metric | Square | Landscape |
---|---|---|
Clicks | 18% more | — |
Reactions | 94% more | — |
This data shows the power of compact square images to generate engagement on LinkedIn.
Moz
SEO software company Moz analyzed over 200,000 social media images and discovered that square images on LinkedIn have a 19% higher click-through rate compared to landscape images.
Image Format | Click-Through Rate |
---|---|
Square | 19% higher |
Landscape | — |
Again, this points to an advantage for square shapes when aiming to drive traffic from LinkedIn posts.
Union Metrics
Social media analytics firm Union Metrics looked at over 1 million LinkedIn posts and found higher engagement for square images compared to landscape:
Image Format | Engagement Rate |
---|---|
Square | 2.3% |
Landscape | 1.8% |
Squares edged out landscape images for generating likes, comments, and shares on LinkedIn according to this large-scale analysis.
Conclusion
Based on the unique benefits and data around both image formats, here are some final best practices on squares vs. landscapes for LinkedIn:
- Use square images when your goal is clicks, engagement and visibility in the feed.
- Leverage landscape images to showcase products, environments and groups.
- Mix up image shapes and sizes to add visual variety.
- Test different images to see what resonates most with your audience.
- Use high-quality, relevant images no matter what the shape.
Neither squares nor landscapes are universally better for LinkedIn. The ideal shape depends on your specific branding, messaging and content goals. By understanding the strengths of both formats, you can develop an impactful and well-rounded visual strategy on LinkedIn.