Your 2020 Guide to Social Media Images – Sizes, Tips and Pics

Social media images are that one part that we love but ends up bugging us. It should be a quick and spontaneous decision but instead, we end up browsing hundreds of libraries to find the one image that matches our expectations. In our chats with social media managers, they confirmed that it’s not even about searching for the perfect social media image, it’s about it ticking a few checkboxes:

• Communicates the right message

• There’s no space for misinterpretation (and we saw how big of a risk that is in our article Social Media Year in Review 2017 – Part II: Worst Social Media Posts in 2017).

• Is visually appealing

• Respects the brand’s identity

Seems simple enough. So why isn’t it? We think we’ve figured out what you need to make your social media images work perfectly with your content plans.

We’re the first ones to point out: there’s a lot of content covering the best use of social media images out there. We definitely don’t want to add to the buzz, so we won’t bore you with the obvious.

So we thought we’d help by building an infographic to become your go-to guide when it comes to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram image sizes and 5 tips & tricks on keeping it beautiful. We first wrote this piece back in 2018 and the interest marketers have shown for it goes to prove that it has become the go-to-guide. So here we are in 2020 still updating this infographic helping you keep your social media presence tight and to the point. 

I have to mention though, you know in Planable you can always accurately preview how your images will look like and how they fit each social network format, right?

1. Facebook Image Sizes

2. Twitter Image Sizes

3. Instagram Image Sizes

4. LinkedIn Image Sizes

5. Pinterest Image Sizes

Facebook Image sizes: 

1. Facebook cover image size: 828 x 312 px

2. Facebook profile picture size: 170 x 170 px

3. Facebook link post image size: 1,200 x 630 px

4. Facebook Story image or video size: 1,080 x 1,920 px

5. Facebook Carousel post image size: 1,080 x 1,080 px

6. Facebook photo post size: 1,200 x 900 px

7. Facebook video post size: 1,280 x 720px

Twitter Image sizes: 

1. Twitter header photo size: 1,500 x 1,500 px

2. Twitter profile picture image size: 400 x 400 px

3. Twitter Summary Card size: 280 x 150 px

4. Twitter Cards image size: 1,200 x 628 px

5. Twitter in-stream photo size: 600 x 335 px

Instagram Image sizes: 

1. 1. Instagram profile picture size: 320 x 320 px

   2. Instagram portait image: 1,080 x 1,350 px

   3. Instagram square image size: 1,080 x 1,080 px

   4. Instagram landscape image: 1,080 x 608 px

   5. Instagram stories size: 1,080 by 1,920 px

   6. IGTV cover photo: 420 x 624 px

LinkedIn 2020 Image sizes: 

1. LinkedIn cover photo size: 1,536 x 768 px

2. LinkedIn profile picture size: 300 x 300 px

3. LinkedIn link image size: 1,200 x 628 px

4. LinkedIn images size: 1,200 x 628 px

5. LinkedIn Custom Modules size: 502 x 282 px

6. LinkedIn Company Photos size: 900 x 600 px

7. LinkedIn Hero Image size: 1,128 x 376 px

Pinterest 2020 Image sizes: 

1. Pinterest profile picture size: 280 x 280 px

2. Pinterest Pin size: 1,000 x 1,500 px

3. Pinterest Long Pin size: 600 x 1,260

4. Pinterest Board cover picture size: 200 x 200 px

5. Pinterest large Board display size: 222 x 150 px

1. Image + Copy?

Hell yes! A great copy with a cool, empowering image in the background always catches the eye is a great content promotion strategy. Keep in mind what your focus is (copy or photo) to not make the overall image too crowded – space is always highly appreciated.

2. Logo on image?

We’d suggest not to, or at least only on limited occasions. Since you plan on your users to see that image on your own social media pages – a logo is redundant and just makes it more crowded and “branded”. Understand the sentiment, context of your customers, and don’t be scared to pass on opportunities to show the logo.

3. Bold images?

We all love color and inspirational imagery but don’t try to be too bold unless that’s your brand on social media or unless you plan to make it so. Otherwise, it creates confusion in what your fans should expect from you. Be consistent.

4. Standardized stock photography?

Please no. Avoid that as much as possible. We all know that classic image of a man/woman in an office/factory, holding some piece of technology and casually looking at the camera with a huge unnatural grin. Keep the photography relevant but natural. There are amazing stock-image websites that will help you with infinite choices for all your social media images. Some of them are Unsplash, Pexels, Deposit Photos (for which you can get a great deal now on Appsumo – 100 photos for only $49)

5. And always the “Know your customer” eternal advice.

We say it because we care – social media is tough because brands are trying to fit in – that’s exactly why knowing your customer is so important in this context. What they like, what they don’t like, what they find offensive, what draws their attention. Just like any other part of your business, knowing your customer’s preferences and behaviours will do the trick.