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Asking only for pixel dimensions can leave a social design brief incomplete. A file may appear differently in a feed, profile preview or advertising placement. The publication tool and content type also belong in the technical review. Rather than giving one permanent size list for every platform, this guide separates aspect ratio, pixel dimensions and visible area. It helps a design team prepare suitable versions and a publisher understand where to check them. The numerical examples describe working canvases, not universal promises that every platform accepts them.
Quick answer
Image dimensions specify width and height; aspect ratio expresses their relationship. For example, 1080 × 1080 is square, 1080 × 1350 is 4:5 and 1080 × 1920 is 9:16. These are planning examples. Before publishing, verify the current conditions for the chosen platform, content type and advertising placement. Do not treat a familiar canvas size as a complete delivery specification.
Name the actual publishing placement
An image for Instagram could mean a feed post, story, video cover or advertisement. State whether the content is organic or paid. If a scheduling tool is involved, identify whether publication happens through that service or directly in the application. Have the relevant technical owner check the actual workflow. Do not prepare the delivery package on the assumption that every surface sharing a platform name processes an uploaded file in exactly the same way.
Read ratio and dimensions as different information
A ratio such as 4:5 describes a relationship; 1080 × 1350 specifies a particular pixel canvas. Several dimensions can share a ratio. Asking only for a vertical image does not explain the required version. A hypothetical announcement could have square and tall compositions, but these should not be produced by stretching objects. Revisit type hierarchy, photograph framing and spacing when the canvas changes. Changing shape does not automatically adapt the message.
Check current conditions at the primary source
Instagram’s official help page addresses photo resolution, while Meta’s advertising guide provides conditions for selected ad placements. Do not approve an organic post and a paid placement through an undifferentiated checklist. Record the review date. Removing an old year from an online size table does not make its information current. Verify the placement that will actually be used, then update the source artwork and delivery record together if the requirement changes.
Preview cropping and interface overlays
A logo or headline near the edge may become problematic in another view. Check whether important information is cropped or conflicts with interface elements. Do not assume one fixed safe area applies to every platform and placement. Use the current preview and reposition essential content where necessary. The complete frame in a design document is not sufficient evidence of the published appearance. Review the final presentation rather than approving only the editing canvas.
Create a version table for the campaign
For a hypothetical launch, record channel, content type, dimensions, ratio and file name for each output. Approved wording can remain consistent while the composition adapts. A profile or video cover should not be treated as an arbitrary crop of the main graphic. Distinguish versions in the names. The publisher should understand which file belongs to which placement without having to invent missing variants or reinterpret an informal folder of similarly named exports.
Complete the BOCW handover with a publication check
Share intended channels, the publishing tool and required content types. After design approval, review the selected export in the relevant preview. Correct cropped wording, blurred images and mistaken versions before release. Record which appearance was inspected. The social design guide addresses continuity of the visual system; this check addresses suitability of the technical output. They support each other, but neither substitutes for the other or removes the need to verify actual publication conditions.
Key takeaways
- Record width, height and ratio together in the delivery list.
- Verify organic content and advertising placements separately.
- Approve the publication preview as well as the source design.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1080 × 1920 suitable for every social image?
No. It describes a 9:16 canvas, not universal compliance with every channel or placement.
Can a square image simply be stretched into portrait?
Avoid distorting objects. Recompose the crop, layout and text hierarchy for the intended ratio.
Why retain a requirement review date?
Platform conditions and publishing methods can change. The date explains which information informed the delivered version and helps future editors identify when another check is needed.
