It’s no secret that an online presence is a “must have” for ventures of all sizes. One of the best ways to improve your positioning across all social networks is through consistency of voice and branding — this includes finding the right social media image sizes for your campaign.
Your top priority should be making sure your voice matches the target audience for each social channel. However, providing a consistent appearance for your brand is vital, which makes determining the right size graphics necessary at the start of your project.
One of the best ways to accomplish both of these branding goals is through visual design.
As you visit the major social media platforms, you might initially see little consistency in social media image sizes. However, as these websites evolve and update their offerings, it becomes easier and easier to use your design skills to create a recognizable brand across the spectrum of sites.
This “cheat sheet” offers you a brief guide to the best image sizes for multiple sites (including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok), sorted by social site. This will help you develop the best strategy for each of your campaigns.
We also provide you with basic demographic information for each social platform so you can be best informed when selecting where to post your ads and reach your ultimate goal of greater sales. You might even find some hidden gems.
With this information at your fingertips, you can develop a consistent branding presence while meeting the required dimensions of the website.
Social media image sizes and requirements
The requirements for brand social media images change regularly. Our cheat sheet assures that you are prepared to stay ahead of the learning curve in 2021.
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Medium
Pinterest
TikTok
Tumblr
Twitter
YouTube
Facebook image sizes
Facebook offers a wide variety of opportunities for sharing images. Although personal accounts are generally limited to profile photos and cover photos, running advertisements and using business pages creates even more opportunities for sharing visual content.
Facebook is the most popular of all social media platforms, according to a study from Statista.com (which will be referenced throughout the remainder of this cheat sheet). Facebook is primarily used by people ages 25 to 50, making it the perfect platform for advertising to a wider audience. Since the site is used rather casually (unlike workplace-centered social media platforms like LinkedIn), Facebook ads are ideal for selling home goods, clothing and gift items.
Image style
Image size
Facebook profile picture
170 x 170 pixels on desktop
128 x 128 on mobile
Facebook cover image
820px x 312px
Facebook content image
1200px x 630px
Facebook shared link graphic
1200px x 630px
Instagram image sizes
Instagram is famous for its visuals, so the platform has very specific guidelines for what works and what doesn’t in terms of social media image sizes. While it’s easy to edit your photos directly on the app, if you’re running sponsored posts or advertisements for Instagram’s global audience, it’s smart to have them already scaled and planned before posting.
Instagram is the fourth most popular platform, making it another great contender for advertising.
Since its inception, Instagram has become a massive platform for advertisements and sponsored partner posts. Instagram is mainly used by people ages 26 to 35, making it ideal for sellers marketing to millennials .
Image style
Image size
Instagram profile picture
110px x 110px (min)
Instagram content image
1080 x 1080px
Instagram shared link graphic
1080px x 1920px
110px x 110px (thumbnail)
LinkedIn image sizes
Having a distinct image on LinkedIn gives the impression of a cohesive brand, even if you’re a new small business. Ensure that you have all your bases covered on LinkedIn, including a profile photo, cover image and shareable assets for your business LinkedIn page.
LinkedIn is unique because of its angle. Where social media platforms like Facebook and Pinterest are generally geared toward casual posts, LinkedIn is all business, all the time, making it perfect for small shops looking to sell business-related supplies and/or services. Note that LinkedIn users are primarily in the 36 to 50-plus crowd.
Image style
Image size
LinkedIn profile picture
400px x 400px
300px x 300px (company logo)
60px x 60px (square logo)
LinkedIn background/cover image
1584px x 396px
1536px x 768px (business cover image)
646px x 220px (banner image for company pages)
1128px x 376px (hero image)
LinkedIn personal profile/company image
1104px x 736px
LinkedIn shared link graphic
1104px x 736px
Medium image sizes
Those of us who run articles on Medium should understand the basics of image sizing on the platform. Have your profile picture, background image, content visuals and shared link graphics all set up before posting to give your pieces a cohesive and professional look.
Medium allows its users to post long-form articles on the subject matter of their choice, providing a unique alternative to traditional blogging. Medium primarily hosts an audience of men ages 26 to 50, making it the ideal platform for marketing to guys who enjoy opinion articles.
Image style
Image size
Medium profile picture
1000px x 500px (max)
60px x 60px (publication avatar)
Medium background image
820px x 312px
Medium content image
1200px x 630px
Medium shared link graphic
1200px x 630px
Pinterest image sizes
Pinterest is a visual-centered platform that emphasizes photos and shareability.
If you plan on using Pinterest as a platform for sharing your work, focus on getting the board cover photos and expanded pins right.
These are the visuals that draw the eye most effectively on this platform.
Pinterest is a unique site when compared to Facebook and Twitter because it relies less on individual posting and more on sharing pins and adding them to boards. This platform is also unique in its audience, which consists mostly of women over the age of 35.
Image style
Image size
Pinterest profile picture
165px x 165px
Pinterest board cover image
222px x 150px
Pinterest expanded pin
236px x scaled height
Pinterest shared link graphic
735px x 1102px (pin preview)
600px x 600px (board display)
TikTok image sizes
TikTok is an excellent platform for displaying products briefly to a younger audience. Seemingly random products like lash lift kits and reversible octopus plushies have seen astronomical growth due to virality on TikTok. Make sure your photos and videos on TikTok are spot-on and study the algorithm, and you’ll be set up for viral success.
Coming in as the seventh most popular social media platform, TikTok is a HUGE platform for people in their teens and early 20s. Advertisers often sponsor posts on TikTok from famous influencers, but it’s also possible to create a business account to feature your own products.
Image style
Image size
TikTok profile picture
200px x 200px
TikTok image size
900px x 300px
TikTok content image
1080px x 1920px
1:1 or 4:5 aspect ratio (video)
Tumblr
Tumblr can be likened to a blend of Twitter, Pinterest and Medium. Users can share their thoughts in short micro-blogs, curate pages with aesthetically pleasing visuals or even craft long-form posts for their audience.
Tumblr hosts a range of ages across its user base, from 18 to 50 years old. This is likely because the site caters to a wide array of interests and fanbases. Keep this in mind when researching your promotion options.
Image style
Image size
Tumblr profile picture
128px x 128px
Tumblr header size
3000px x 1055px
Tumblr content image
500px x 750px
Twitter image sizes
Twitter is a majorly text-based platform, but photos often help seal the deal for likes, comments and retweets on the platform. Profile pictures and headers should especially be spot-on: Make sure everything lines up the way you want before racking up the followers.
Twitter, which once hosted a very young age group, is now mostly used by men ages 26 to 50, with a not-insignificant portion of men over the age of 50. Twitter would be an effective platform for small businesses looking to amplify their products/services to this audience.
Image style
Image size
Twitter profile picture
400px x 400px
Twitter header size
1500px x 500px
Twitter shared link graphic size
800px x 418px
1:9:1 aspect ratio (video)
YouTube image sizes
YouTube is all about visuals, and designing your thumbnails is especially essential for a successful video.
YouTube caters to a younger audience, with a large portion of their viewership (17%) under age 25, and 41% between the ages of 26 and 35. YouTube runs a massive advertising operation, with businesses either purchasing ads to be played before or during videos, or directly sponsoring influencers. Much like TikTok, consider the potential virality of videos and products when planning to advertise on YouTube.
Image style
Image size
YouTube profile picture (channel icons)
800px x 800px
YouTube cover photo
2560px x 1440px (desktop)
1546px x 423px (web + mobile)
YouTube content images
16:9 aspect ratio (video)
3840px x 2160px (HD)
YouTube shared link graphic
1280px x 720px (custom video thumbnail)
But wait — there’s more!
The visual side of social media is always evolving. Here are some additional resources that dig deeper into all of these areas:
LinkedIn profile picture dimensions
LinkedIn Company Page image dimensions
Customizing Your Twitter Profile
Creating Channel Art for YouTube
This article includes content originally published on the GoDaddy blog by Chris Carfi.
The post The ultimate guide to social media image sizes appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.
