With the rise of social media, video has become an extremely important format for brands and influencers to connect with their audience. However, with so many social platforms out there, each with their own specifications, it can be tricky to determine the best video dimensions to use.
In this article, we’ll break down the ideal video ratios to use for the top social platforms in 2023. We’ll provide recommendations on video dimensions, orientations, and other technical considerations to optimize your video content across social.
Key Takeaways
- Square 1:1 is the most versatile video ratio for social media, working across multiple platforms.
- Vertical video (16:9 or 9:16) is ideal for mobile-focused platforms like Instagram Stories, TikTok, and Snapchat.
- Horizontal landscape video (16:9) works best for Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
- Ensure videos are HD quality with resolutions of at least 720p or 1080p.
- Optimize video file sizes for each platform – smaller files for Instagram and Twitter, larger for YouTube and Facebook.
- Add captions and subtitles to enhance accessibility and visibility.
Why Video Ratio Matters
The video ratio or aspect ratio you use can make a big difference in how your content appears across social platforms. The aspect ratio defines the proportional relationship between the width and height of your video.
Selecting the right ratio allows your video to display properly on each platform without black bars, cropping, or other issues. It also optimizes how much space your video occupies on-screen so it grabs viewer attention.
For example, a horizontal 16:9 video will look great on YouTube but may have awkward black bars when uploaded to Instagram Stories. Or a vertical 9:16 video will stand out on TikTok but appear very thin on Facebook.
That’s why considering video ratios is an important part of any social media video strategy. In the next sections we’ll dive into the ideal options for top platforms.
Square Video 1:1
Square video has a 1:1 aspect ratio, meaning the width and height are equal. A 1080 x 1080 or 720 x 720 video are examples of square dimensions.
Square is one of the most versatile ratios for social media. It displays well across multiple platforms including:
- Instagram Feed
Square videos take up a nice big chunk of the screen on these platforms. And unlike landscape or vertical videos, they won’t get cropped or have black bars.
The downside is that square videos may not feel as immersive for platforms like YouTube or TikTok where landscape or vertical are better optimized. But overall, it’s a solid “one size fits many” ratio for social.
Key Takeaways for Square Video
- Use for Instagram feed, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter
- Square sizes like 1080×1080 or 720×720
- Creative tip: Shoot images head-on for most impact
Vertical Video 9:16
Vertical video has risen in popularity with the growth of mobile social media. Platforms like Snapchat, Instagram Stories, and TikTok work fantastically with the tall 9:16 video ratio.
Some ideal vertical resolutions include:
- 1080 x 1920
- 720 x 1280
When users watch social media on their phones, they rarely flip to landscape orientation. Vertical video takes advantage of the device’s native portrait position to deliver an immersive full-screen experience.
Vertical works especially well for Snapchat and Instagram Stories where it occupies the entire screen. TikTok also thrives on vertical video.
The limitation is that vertical video will have black bars on either side when viewed in landscape on platforms like YouTube or Facebook. But for mobile-first networks, it can be a great optimization.
Key Takeaways for Vertical Video
- Ideal for Snapchat, Instagram Stories, TikTok
- Vertical resolutions like 1080×1920 or 720×1280
- Creative tip: Position subject in the center and avoid cuts
Landscape Video 16:9
Horizontal landscape orientation is the most traditional video ratio. But it still has an important place, especially for platforms like YouTube, Facebook Watch, and LinkedIn.
Some popular landscape resolutions are:
- 1920 x 1080 (Full HD 1080p)
- 1280 x 720 (720p HD)
Landscape 16:9 is ideal for consuming video in desktop browsers or on television. It also works well for cinematic creative styles.
The one drawback with landscape video on social media is that it may not leverage the entire mobile screen vertically when people watch in portrait. Some cropping can occur on the top and bottom.
But overall, landscape is still a versatile ratio that works well across major platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Key Takeaways for Landscape Video
- Ideal for YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, podcasting
- Landscape resolutions like 1920×1080 or 1280×720
- Creative tip: Film wide establishing shots
Which Ratio is Best for Each Platform?
To summarize, here is an overview of the ideal video ratios for some major social platforms:
Platform | Best Video Ratio |
---|---|
YouTube | 16:9 Landscape |
TikTok | 9:16 Vertical |
Instagram Feed | 1:1 Square |
Instagram Stories | 9:16 Vertical |
Facebook / Facebook Watch | 16:9 Landscape |
16:9 Landscape or 1:1 Square | |
16:9 Landscape or 1:1 Square | |
Snapchat | 9:16 Vertical |
This table summarizes the main video ratios to use for each platform. However, you still may want to test different sizes and see what performs best for your brand based on content type and audience.
Other Video Specs to Consider
Beyond just aspect ratio, here are some other key technical specs to consider for optimizing social videos:
Resolution
Use HD resolution for crisp, high-quality video. 720p or 1080p are recommended minimums for social media.
File Size
Smaller file sizes are better for platforms like Instagram and Twitter where people scroll quickly. YouTube and Facebook can handle larger files.
Bitrate
Higher bitrate improves video quality but also increases file size. Recommended bitrate range for social media is 2500 – 5000 Kbps.
Frame Rate
Have a minimum frame rate of 24 fps. 30 or 60 fps provide smoother motion.
Audio
128 kbps audio bitrate is sufficient. Some platforms like Instagram and TikTok don’t autoplay audio.
Captions
Include closed captions and subtitles to increase accessibility.
Optimizing Video Content for Each Platform
Beyond technical specs, it’s also important to tailor your video content style and strategy for each platform:
YouTube
- Optimize titles, descriptions and tags for discovery
- Longer videos perform best, aim for over 2 minutes
- Extensive user base enjoys informative, instructional, or entertaining content
TikTok
- Use viral audio, effects and hashtags to increase distribution
- Short videos under 60 seconds
- Fun, entertaining content thrives
- Leverage hashtags and location tagging for discoverability
- Shorter videos under 60 seconds
- Creative editing and visual aesthetic appeal to the Instagram audience
- Native video optimized for News Feed
- Shorter videos can excel, but longer viral content still has traction
- Leverage captions, tagging people, choosing relevant audience and time of day to increase engagement
- Educational, thought leadership, and professional development content
- Concise videos under 3 minutes
- Newsworthy and timely content resonates
- Brief videos under 60 seconds
Optimizing your video strategy for each platform beyond just technical specs can help increase views, engagement, and sharing with their respective audiences.
Tools to Create Custom Video Ratios
To produce videos in the various aspect ratios, there are many editing tools both online and offline. Here are some top options:
Adobe Premiere Pro
Professional video editing software with complete control over output dimensions and resolution.
Final Cut Pro
Apple’s pro video editor with custom export settings for social media.
Davinci Resolve
Free video editing application with excellent social media presets.
Kapwing
Online tool to crop, resize, and reformat videos for any dimensions.
Animoto Social Video Maker
Quickly produce square and vertical videos with built-in social media templates.
InVideo
Online platform for making vertical videos with effects and templates.
Using specialized social media tools can streamline the process of outputting videos in the ideal formats. But most standard video editors also provide customization over video dimensions.
Key Takeaways
Selecting the right aspect ratio for social media is key to delivering an optimized viewing experience. Here are some top tips to recap:
- Use square 1:1 for versatility across multiple platforms like Instagram feed, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
- Vertical 9:16 is ideal for mobile feeds on Instagram Stories, Snapchat and TikTok.
- Horizontal 16:9 works well for YouTube, Facebook Watch and desktop viewing.
- Match video resolution, file size and bitrate to each platform’s specifications.
- Tailor video content style and strategy for each platform’s audience.
- Leverage specialized social media video editing tools to output the correct dimensions.
By following video best practices tailored to each platform, you can optimize engagement, views and sharing across social media.
What aspect ratio do you prefer creating social videos in? Let us know in the comments below!