We get it – trying to get the correct sized photos for social media can be a giant pain. Between Facebook, Instagram and Twitter there are enough issues, then add in all the other popular platforms like Pinterest and LinkedIn and it becomes an overwhelming task that many can’t be bothered tackling.
So, what are the correct social media sizing requirements for photos? Bear in mind that these parameters change quite regularly, so always check before completing any major changes to your work. And, currently, it is impossible to just cut and paste all your content across platforms (unless you have a specific program).
That is why we have put together a little go-to guide for content sizing for various platforms, starting with Facebook – feel free to contact us if you need a little more social media help!
With almost 1.2 billion users every month, Facebook is currently the world’s largest social network. With this in mind, making sure your content is right can make a big difference – both to those already following you and those who are interested in what you have to say. On the flipside, one bad image decision and it can really dampen your engagement chances in a variety of ways.
One of the big factors to remember is that when you are deciding on photos and images, what you see on your personal timeline is not how they appear on another user’s timeline. This is why you need to base your content dimensions on what you want the majority of other people to see – not what is visible to you!
Your profile picture is the image that is representing you and/or your brand. It is the circular photo that is layered over your cover photo, as well as popping up when you are searched for or when you post on other peoples walls, posts or comments. It’s location is dependent on whether you have the older or newer version of Facebook – the older version shows it to the left, and the newer version places it in the middle of the page.
Your Facebook profile picture should be 180 x 180 pixels in size, however it will appear differently depending on the device you are using:
Also, your profile picture will be 32 x 32 pixels when it appears throughout Facebook itself as a thumbnail.
With Facebook recently changing the location of your profile image for Business Pages to the left, it definitely helps you to filter out the Business Pages from the Personal Pages. The picture itself is the same size on both profile types, however it appears differently.
Your Business Page profile picture should be 180 x 180 pixels in size, however it will appear differently depending on the device you are using:
Also, your profile picture will be 32 x 32 pixels when it appears throughout Facebook itself as a thumbnail. Images on Business Pages are also cropped to fit a square.
Your cover photo on Facebook will only show on your Facebook timeline, however it is much bigger in size than your profile picture. It is a great space to show who you are as a brand or an individual, so be creative!
Your Facebook cover photo appears on the page at 820 x 312 pixels, and the minimum size of your cover photo should be 400 x 150 pixels. It will appear differently depending on the device you are using:
The type of file your cover photo is saved as can also affect the end result:
It is also worthwhile noting that Business Pages and Personal Accounts have exactly the same dimensions!
You have likely shared a photo on Facebook if you have an account, and images are one of the most commonly shared things across the platform. Shared images appear on your timeline and, ideally, they will also show on your follower’s news feeds as well. With the decrease in organic reach it is highly unlikely that every one of your followers will actually see your post, but, the more people that are actively engaging in your posts, the higher the likelihood that the rest of your followers (and their followers and their followers) will see the activity.
A shared image is recommended to be uploaded at a size of 1,200 x 630 pixels. This image will show up in a feed at a maximum width of 470 pixels (which will scale to a maximum size of 1:1) and on a page at a maximum width of 504 pixels (which will scale to a maximum size of 1:1).
Another option in Facebook is to share a link – it has similar aspects to sharing an image, however there are more fields available to you when link sharing. There are two options when sharing a link:
Overall, the suggested upload size for a shared link in 1,200 x 628 pixels, however whether you choose option 1 or option 2 above will affect the size that the photo will show up:
It is also worth noting that Facebook will scale down photos to under the minimum dimensions. With this in mind, increase the resolution of your images at the same scale as the minimum size for the best results!
Highlighted images are generally used to celebrate something e.g. your company doing something great or hitting a milestone. This image is found on your personal timeline, however it takes up a larger amount of space than a shared image or a shared link. A highlighted image appears on your page at 843 x 504 pixels, and it is always recommended that your image be as higher resolution as possible – this will ensure a better quality result.
Finally, if you have a Facebook Event then it will have an event image attached to it. Facebook will scale down the image to a minimum of 470 x 174 pixels, and it shows in your feed at the same size.Make sure you have the correct cover image size for an event too – see above for cover image sizing.
If you are a little overwhelmed by what is listed above, or would like some further assistance or information, give WebPress a call today!