There are over 1 billion Instagram users, more than the population of the continents of North and South America combined. Marketers can’t afford to miss out on this massive potential customer base by not joining the platform.
Another thing that no business should fail to do is to learn the tricks of the trade of how to make the best possible content for their audience. Learning about Instagram photo size is one of the most critical rules to start with.
Instagram compresses photos that are too large or contain too much data to ensure they don’t affect user experience. The problem is this can decrease the quality of your photos or crop out important areas.
Read our guide to learn about why getting the right sizes for all your photos matters and how to ensure all your content is high-quality.
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Instagram Photo Size
73.5% of the content Instagram users enjoy every day is an image. 53% said they would follow a brand based on its content alone.
Making sure that your content stands out is one of the most important things you can do as a marketer using Instagram. You must make sure that every post is of the highest quality, and choosing the best size helps with this.
Choosing the right size ensures that everything you want in your pictures stays there. It helps you convey the message you need to without part of it getting cropped off or becoming blurry.
A high-quality photo is also more likely to get a response. Users will pass by a poorly-shot image and move on to something better.
To ensure your Instagram marketing works for your business and not against it, keep photo size in mind. Remember the correct aspect ratio, dimensions, and sizes for each piece of content you upload.
Aspect Ratio, Dimensions, and Sizes
Instagram photo size isn’t determined by a single aspect. It’s not something you can change with a single click of a button. It requires knowing as much about the technical side of your photos as possible.
There are some important terms you’ll need to know to get the best possible size and highest quality photos. They include aspect ratio, size, and dimensions.
Aspect ratio is the size and width of a photo in digits. The best aspect ratio depends on the type of photo you’re uploading. Square photos work best with a straight 1:1 aspect ratio, but vertical photos look better with a 4:5 aspect ratio.
Size isn’t the same as aspect ratio, so keep this in mind when deciding on how to size photos for Instagram. Size, also known as resolution, refers to how many pixels are stored in your image.
A photo’s dimensions are a combination of these two factors. This is the most important number to determine before posting your content. It lets you know the best length and width to upload your full image without sacrificing quality.
Ideal Sizes For Different Types of Content
Instagram is not a one-size-fits-all platform. You have to know the right size for each type of content you upload.
Instagram’s stories feature has 250 million daily users, about 1/4 of everyone on the platform. The best photo size for Instagram stories is dimensions of 1080×1920 pixels and an aspect ratio of 9:16.
Instagram already compresses photos in posts to 600×600 regardless of their size or format. In this case, focus on uploading at the recommended resolution to prevent a loss of quality.
Stay within the recommended Instagram photo size ratio when uploading square photos. Don’t go above the recommended dimensions of 1080×1080. Maintain the recommended 1:1 aspect ratio so your image isn’t cropped.
Horizontal photos offer more wiggle-room when it comes to aspect ratio. Anything from 1.91:1 to 16:9 won’t reduce quality or crop your image.
Vertical photos can be a bit trickier and are often used for temporary campaigns, but if you use the right size and aspect ratio, they can still look great. Aim for dimensions of 1080×1350 pixels. An aspect ratio of 4:5 will prevent unnecessary cropping.
Instagram profile photo size is also an important consideration, especially for a business page where your profile is the first impression customers will get of your brand. The minimum is 110×110 pixels, but 180×180 pixels is a more optimal size.
Full-size Instagram photos are possible but not recommended as they can lead to a serious drop in quality. Anything over 1080 pixels in width leads to an extreme conversion process that could leave your image distorted and unrecognizable.
Check here for more on how to get the perfect Instagram photo size.
Instagram Photo Quality
Maintaining the right Instagram photo size, dimension, and aspect ratios for everything you upload is one important way to maintain the quality of your content. There are several other tips to keep in mind as well.
Try using a photo editing software on your image before uploading it. This has two primary advantages to you as a marketer.
A photo editor can help you get the image exactly the way you want it before you place it on the platform. You can combine it with text, correct any colors that don’t look their best, and more.
Photo editors can also ensure you have the right Instagram photo size and aspect ratio. Instagram only accepts two aspect ratios on its phone app; 1.91:1 and 4:5. If your image doesn’t match them, it’ll get cropped, but this is easy to fix with editors.
Instagram also has its own editing features which you can use if you need to. The most important thing is to ensure that you use the best dimensions before you upload your image.
There are also other apps that can help make the process easier and more efficient. Look for ones that improve the quality of your photos, make it easier to store your files, and perform any other functions you need.
Where Can I Learn More?
Instagram photo size and quality are a critical consideration for any marketer using the platform. Users flock to it every day, but they’ll pass over your content if it doesn’t meet their standards of quality.
There’s a difference between dimension, size, and aspect ratio. You should keep all of these factors in mind while choosing the best possible size for each type of image you upload and do your best to maintain the highest level of quality possible.
Read the rest of our content and keep checking back for more information.