Navigating the dynamic landscape of social media requires more than just creativity; it demands a keen understanding of the ever-changing realm of image sizes. 

Each platform presents its unique set of challenges, making it essential to stay updated on the latest dimensions of social media image sizes. Whether you’re striving for a seamless online brand reputation, maintaining image quality, or ensuring optimal engagement, mastering these dimensions is the key to success. 

With this guide, resizing images becomes a breeze, allowing you to convey your brand communication effectively across all social networks.

2024 Rundown of Social Media Image Sizes

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Business Profile have become indispensable tools for businesses to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive engagement. From Instagram’s visually captivating posts to LinkedIn’s professional networking opportunities, each platform offers unique advantages for businesses aiming to make their mark in the online world.

Amidst the creative social media content strategies and compelling captions, one very crucial aspect is the importance of image size and resolution. In a landscape where visuals reign supreme, understanding the nuances of image dimensions is important for maintaining a polished and professional online presence.

Before we delve into all the details of social media image sizes, this quick rundown will help you get the gist. 

Don’t forget to take a screenshot!

Instagram

Instagram accommodates both horizontally and vertically oriented images, in addition to still supporting square images, which was its hallmark upon inception. As a visual-centric platform, Instagram thrives on high-quality images that captivate users’ attention.

Various devices, be it mobile or desktop, display images differently. Ensure you select dimensions based on where you intend the majority of viewers to see your image.

Additionally, Instagram provides users the option of interspersing videos with images in a single post. This feature allows for a dynamic and engaging experience, as users can swipe through a combination of images and videos within the same post. It’s an excellent way to showcase different aspects of a product, event, or story in a cohesive manner. Using a mix of media can help maintain audience interest and provide a richer, more immersive experience.

Here’s a breakdown of the optimal image sizes:

Profile Picture: 320 x 320 pixels

Instagram Posts

Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels

Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels

Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels

Instagram Story: 1080 x 1920 pixels

IGTV Cover Photo: 420 x 654 pixels

Best Practices to Post on Instagram

1. Instagram profile pictures are presented in a display size of 110 x 100 pixels, while the image files are stored at a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels. Therefore, it’s important to upload a profile picture with dimensions equal to or greater than 320 x 320 pixels to ensure optimal quality.

2. Instagram posts can be formatted in any aspect ratio between 1.91:1 and 4:5. The recommended file types are JPG and PNG, with a maximum file size of 8MB.

3. The minimum Insta reel size is 150×150, and the Instagram reel(s) ratio is 9:16.

4. The best time to upload to Instagram is:

• Mondays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• Fridays at 11 a.m.

5. Best days to post on Instagram: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

6. Use an online converter like Clideo to adjust your videos for the right aspect ratio.

Facebook

With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook offers unparalleled reach for businesses. To ensure your visuals stand out on this platform, adhere to the following image size guidelines:

Profile Picture:180 x 180 pixels (displays at 170 x 170 pixels on desktop)

Cover Photo: 851 x 315 pixels

Post Image:

Landscape: 1200 x 630 pixels

Portrait: 630 x 1200 pixels

Square: 1200 x 1200 pixels 

Event Cover Photo: 1920 x 1005 pixels

Facebook Story: 1080 x 1920 pixels

Best Practices to Post on Facebook

1. The ideal cover image should be less than 100 KB for faster loading. Additionally, upload the image as an sRGB JPG file to avoid compression.

2. Recommended aspect ratio for the cover image is close to 1.91:1, and that of Facebook stories is 9:16

3. Best times to post on Facebook are between 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

4.  Best days to post on Facebook are the mid-week days, specifically Wednesday and Thursday.

LinkedIn

As the go-to platform for professional networking, LinkedIn demands a polished and professional appearance. Here’s what you need to know about image sizes:

Profile Picture: 400 x 400 pixels (minimum)

Cover Photo: 1128 x 191 pixels

Post Image: 

Landscape: 1200 x 627 pixels

Portrait: 627 x 1200 pixels

Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels

LinkedIn Story: 1080 x 1920 pixels

Best Practices to Post on LinkedIn

1) Your LinkedIn profile picture should be 400 x 400 pixels at minimum. However, the maximum size can be up to 7680 x 4320 pixels. So try to upload your photo at the maximum possible resolution.

2) The maximum file size for LinkedIn posts is 8MB, while that of profile and cover images is 3 MB.

3) The best time to post on LinkedIn is usually between 9 AM- 5 PM on weekdays. The best days though are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. 

X (Twitter)

Twitter, now known as X, remains a hub for real-time conversations, news updates, and engagement with a global audience. Understanding X’s image size requirements ensures that your visuals appear crisp and impactful within the platform’s fast-paced environment. Here’s the breakdown:

Profile Picture: 400 x 400 pixels

Banner Photo: 1500 x 500 pixels

Story: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Post Image: 

Single & multi-use tweets: 600 x 335 pixels

App Card Image: 800 x 800 pixels

Website Card Image & Direct Message Card: 800 x 418 pixels

Best Practices to Post on X (Twitter)

1. For Twitter in-stream or post image size, maximum file size is up to 5MB for photos and GIFs on mobile, and up to 15MB on the web. 

2. The aspect ratio for both Website Card Image & Direct Message Card at 800 x 418 pixels is 1.9:1. However, the maximum file size for website Card image is 20 MB but direct message card is 3 MB.

3. The best days to post on X (Twitter) are Tuesdays through Thursdays.
   
4. The best times to post on X (Twitter) are:

• Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon
• Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Fridays 10 a.m. to noon

YouTube

YouTube continues to dominate as the world’s leading video-sharing platform, offering unparalleled reach and engagement opportunities for content creators and marketers alike. With billions of users consuming video content daily, ensuring that your YouTube channel’s visuals, including profile pictures, channel art, and video thumbnails, meet the platform’s image size requirements is essential for maintaining a professional and cohesive brand presence. Save these optimal image sizes for later- 

Profile Picture: 800 x 800 pixels

Banner Image: 2048 x1152 pixels

Video Thumbnail: 1280 x 720 pixels

Video Upload: 1920 x 1080. 

Best Practices to Post on Youtube

• YouTube offers support for various video resolutions, encompassing 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels), 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels), and even 8K (7680 x 4320 pixels) for exceptionally high-definition content.

• The safe area for text and logos in banners is 1235 x 338 pixels.

• The ideal YouTube Video Size is 1280 x 720 pixels to meet HD standards. Refrain from posting animated GIFs.

• The best time to post on YouTube in India is 11:30 PM- 3:30 AM on weekdays, with peak hours being 3-6 PM.

Google Business Profile

With millions of searches conducted on Google daily, ensuring that your Google Business Profile’s images, such as profile pictures, cover photos, and Google posts, meet the platform’s size requirements is crucial for making a positive first impression. Here are the recommended image sizes:

Profile Picture: 720 x 720 pixels

Cover Photo: 1080 x 608 pixels (minimum)

Shared Image: 1200 x 900 pixels

Best Practices to Post on Your Google Business Profile

• The cover photo should be in focus, have appropriate lighting, and not contain excessive edits or filters. Learn how to optimize your Google Business Profile with our GBP beginners guide.

• The post must adhere to a 4:3 aspect ratio; otherwise, it won’t show up in search results and will undergo review by Google. Video posts should be 100 MB in size and last for 30 seconds.

• Depending on your business industry, here is the best time to post on Google Business Profile (Google My Business)

Role of Social Listening in Optimizing Social Media Presence Through Image Sizes

Social listening plays a crucial role in understanding audience preferences and trends. By actively monitoring conversations, mentions, and feedback related to visual social media content across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Google Business Profile, marketers can gain valuable insights into how their audience perceives and engages with their visuals. 

Additionally, a majority of social media marketers use social data for marketing-focused use cases: 36% mainly work on projects around detecting trends and 25% are focused on brand monitoring and tracking. This real-time feedback enables marketers to refine their visual content strategy, tailor image sizes to better resonate with their audience, and ultimately enhance brand perception and engagement across social media platforms.

How Can Zceppa Elevate Your Digital Presence on Social Media?

Zceppa Social is an invaluable asset, a comprehensive platform designed to revolutionize how businesses engage with their local customer base through social media. With an extensive feature-en-suite, Zceppa empowers brands to connect with customers at a grassroots level while maintaining brand integrity. Let’s see how-

Localized Content Creation

Zceppa Social lets businesses enhance their digital presence and drive traffic by delivering authentic, locally relevant content that resonates with customers where they live and work. By using Zceppa, your local teams can produce and share engaging content tailored to their specific locations while maintaining brand consistency. 

One-Click Post Sharing

Easily distribute content across various platforms and locations with a single click, saving time and effort.

Automation and Scheduling

Utilize a social calendar with scheduling capabilities to plan content distribution in advance, ensuring timely and consistent posting.

Social Engagement

Manage social interactions effectively by handling comments, replies, and reactions. Engaging with your audience through timely and thoughtful responses can build stronger relationships and enhance customer loyalty.

Collaborative Workflow

Facilitate seamless collaboration between teams with approval workflows, streamlining the content creation and publishing process.

Follower Invitation

Attract customers to stores by inviting them with appealing offers and events, leveraging follower engagement.

Call-to-Action Integration

Incorporate high-converting call-to-action buttons to prompt immediate responses and increase conversions.

Event Buzz Creation

Generate excitement and foot traffic by promoting events through dynamic event posts, encouraging community participation. Utilize offers and coupon codes to create urgency and boost store visits, driving sales and foot traffic.

Dynamic Content with Configurable Templates

Customize content with configurable templates, ensuring flexibility and adaptability to various marketing strategies and campaigns.

Results Delivered: 

250% boost in engagement

8X increase in customer actions

Conclusion

Remember, the key is in the details, and optimizing image dimensions can make all the difference in how your brand is perceived online. So, the next time you’re crafting that perfect social media post, keep these image size requirements in mind to make the most out of your online presence. 

By adhering to these image size guidelines, businesses can ensure that their content appears polished, professional, and visually appealing across various social media platforms. Additionally, by leveraging Zceppa’s capabilities, businesses can drive engagement, amplify their digital footprint, and ultimately, achieve their marketing objectives effectively.

Sign up for a free trial to watch Zceppa Social in action.