Struggling to keep on top of all the changes to social media video specs?
Video is increasingly crucial to a successful social media marketing strategy. According to a recent survey, nearly half of all digital ad dollars are spent on video.
But as platforms release new video ad formats and update old ones, it can be hard to keep up. Tailoring your video to each platform’s specifications and making sure that your content is looking its best can be a real challenge.
But not if you use our guide to social media video specs.
Read on to find the most up-to-date video specifications for each of the most popular social platforms.
Facebook video specs
Optimizing video content for Facebook is tricky, mainly because of the many different ways it delivers video to its users.
When you buy a video ad on Facebook today, it could appear in dozens of different formats (in someone’s mobile news feed, in the sidebar on the desktop version of Facebook, or even in someone’s inbox on Facebook Messenger). It pays to become familiar with the varieties of
Facebook video and to find a delivery format that matches your campaign goals.
Regular Facebook feed video:
Recommended size: Upload the highest-resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
Minimum width: 120 pixels
Supported aspect ratios: 16:9 (horizontal) to 9:16 (full portrait)
Tips: For best results, Facebook recommends uploading videos in .MP4 and .MOV format (see a full list of supported file formats here), with H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+. Videos can be up to 240 minutes long, up to 4GB large, and have a maximum frame rate of 30fps.
Resource: How to Use Facebook Live Video: A Guide for Marketers
Facebook 360 video:
Maximum size: 5120 by 2560 pixels (monoscopic) or 5120 by 5120 pixels (stereoscopic)
Supported aspect ratios: 1:1 or 2:1
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, up to 10GB, up to 30 min, recommended frame rate 30fps. Longer durations and larger file sizes may experience longer processing times.
Tips: If the camera you recorded your video on automatically includes 360 video metadata with the video file, you can upload the video like you would any other video. If it doesn’t, click on the ‘Advanced’ tab when uploading to bring up Facebook’s ‘360 controls’ tab, which will let you convert unformatted footage into a 360 video.
Facebook in-stream video ads:
Recommended size: 16:9 ratio recommended. Upload the highest-resolution video that meets file size and ratio limits.
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum file size 4GB, maximum length 15 seconds, maximum frame rate 30fps
Tips: For in-stream ads, Facebook recommends uploading the “highest resolution source video available without letter or pillar boxing.” Facebook provides an exhaustive list of aspect ratios and features available for each ad type.
Facebook Messenger video ads:
Recommended size: Upload the highest-resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
Minimum size: 500 pixels wide
Supported aspect ratios: 16:9 to 1.91:1
Tips: Videos can be up to 15 seconds long, up to 4GB large, and have a maximum frame rate of 30fps.
Facebook carousel video ads:
Recommended size: At least 1080 by 1080 pixels (1:1 aspect ratio)
Minimum size: none listed
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum length 240 minutes, maximum frame rate 30fps, maximum file size 4GB
Tips: Carousels let you showcase up to 10 images or videos in one ad, without having the user navigate to a new page. For best results, use a pixel square (1:1) video. Include no more than 20% text in images, otherwise you may experience reduced delivery.
Facebook Collection cover video:
Recommended size: 1200 by 675 pixels
Supported aspect ratios: 1:1 or 16:9
Minimum size: none listed
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum file size 4GB, maximum frame rate 30fps, no maximum length listed
Tips: Collections make it easier for users to browse and purchase products directly in the Facebook feed. You can choose to have your video autoplay when a user scrolls over your collection, and clicking the video will open Canvas, a full-screen experience designed to drive traffic directly to your product pages.
Facebook Instant Experience (IX) video:
Recommended size: 1200 by 628 pixels
Minimum size, landscape video: 720 by 379 pixels (1.9:1 aspect ratio)
Minimum size, square video: 720 by 720 pixels (1:1 aspect ratio)
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum file size 4GB, maximum length 120 seconds, maximum frame rate 30fps
Tips: Similar to Facebook’s instant articles, clicking on an IXad immediately triggers a full-screen experience, to which you can add buttons, carousels, photos, text and video. Video and audio will automatically play when you scroll past it.
Facebook slideshow ads:
Recommended size: Minimum 1280 by 720 pixels.
Tips: Designed for audiences with slower internet access, slideshow ads let you transform a series of 3-10 images and a sound file (supported formats: WAV, MP3, M4A, FLAC and OGG) into a video ad. For best results, Facebook suggests using the highest quality images possible, all the same dimensions (ideally 1280 x 720 pixels or an image ratio of 16:9, 1:1 or 2:3). If you use different sizes, the slideshow will be cropped to be square.
Instagram video specs
Instagram supports three kinds of video: square (1:1), vertical (9:16 or 4:5) and horizontal (16:9).
If you’re not sure which way to go, you’re probably better off choosing the square format, which is becoming increasingly popular with marketers. Square videos are more suitable for viewing on both desktop and mobile, they take up more room in user’s feeds than horizontal videos, but don’t crowd the entire screen like vertical videos do.
Instagram in-feed video:
Recommended size: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
Minimum width: 500 pixels.
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum file size 30MB, maximum length 120 seconds, maximum frame rate 30fps
Tips: Instagram has the same recommendations for video as Facebook—upload the highest resolution video possible that fits file size and ratio limits, H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+.
Instagram in-feed video ads:
Same as above.
Instagram carousel video ads:
Recommended size: At least 1080 by 1080 pixels
Minimum size: 600 by 600 pixels
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum length 60 seconds, maximum size 4GB, maximum frame rate 30fps
Tips: Like Facebook carousels, Instagram carousels let you showcase between two and 10 images or videos in one side-scrolling ad.
Instagram Stories video ads:
Recommended size: Upload the highest-resolution video available that meets file size and ratio limits.
Minimum size: 500 by 889 pixels
Supported aspect ratios: 16:9 to 4:5 and 9:16
Recommended specs: .MP4 or .MOV format, maximum length 120 seconds, maximum file size 30MB
Tips: These videos appear between Instagram user stories for up to two minutes (or until dismissed) and take up the whole screen. Because stories are tailored to the size of the device, exact dimensions are hard to predict. Upload the highest resolution video possible, and consider leaving the top and bottom 14% (roughly 250 pixels) empty of any important information, so that it isn’t obscured by the profile icon or call to action.
Resource: How to use Instagram Stories like a pro
Twitter video specs
Twitter is optimized to handle video captured on mobile devices. If you’re uploading video that was recorded a different way, be sure to consult Twitter’s detailed guidelines for uploading video at each bitrate.
For best results, upload the highest resolution video you can under the file size limit (1GB).
Twitter videos:
Recommended size: 1:1 ratio (1200 x 1200 pixels) is recommended.
Minimum width: 600 pixels for square video, 640 pixels for other ratios.
Supported aspect ratios: between 1:1 and 2:1, but if the height exceeds the width, the video will be cropped to 1:1 in the feed.
Recommended specs: .MP4 for web, .MOV format for mobile, maximum length 140 seconds, maximum file size 1GB, frame rate 29.97 or 30 fps, must use progressive scan, must have 1:1 pixel ratio, audio should be mono or stereo, not 5.1 or greater
Resource: How to make a blockbuster Twitter video
Snapchat video specs
Snapchat single video ads:
Recommended size: 1080 by 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio)
Recommended specs: .MP4 or MOV, H.264 encoded, between 3 and 180 seconds long, maximum file size 1GB
Audio specs: 2 channels, PCM or AAC codec, 192 minimum kbps, 16 or 24 bit only, 48 KHz sample rate
Tips: These ads appear in discovery, in live stories or after a user’s own story, and can link to an app installation page, article or long-form video. Make sure to avoid placing logos or any other important elements in the top and bottom 15% of the video, to prevent them from getting cut off.
Snapchat also restricts videos with letterboxing, and text/graphics that encourage the user to “swipe up” (click here for a complete list of restrictions on video).
Snapchat long-form video ads:
Recommended size: 1080 by 1920 pixels
Supported aspect ratios: 9:16 or 16:9
Recommended specs: .MP4 or MOV, minimum 15 seconds long (no maximum length), maximum file size 1GB
Audio specs: 2 channels, PCM or AAC codec, 192 minimum kbps, 16 or 24 bit only, 48 KHz sample rate
Tips: Longform videos must contain “live and/or motion graphic video” (no “silent or still videos”). Although horizontal videos are permitted, Snapchat strongly suggests using vertical videos only.
Snapchat sponsored geofilter:
Recommended size: 1080 by 2340 pixel image
Format: .PNG with transparent background, maximum 300kb
Resource: How to create a custom Snapchat geofilter
YouTube video specs
YouTube video player specs:
Recommended sizes: Minimum of 1280 x 720 pixels (16:9) or 640 x 480 pixels pixels (4:3) is recommended.
Minimum size: 426 by 240 pixels
Maximum size: 3840 by 2160 pixels
Supported aspect ratios: 16:9 and 4:3
Recommended specs: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, or WebM, maximum file size 128GB, maximum 12 hours long
Tips: YouTube encourages its users to upload videos that are “as close to the original, high quality source format as possible.” Videos should be uploaded in their native aspect ratios, and should never include letterboxing or pillarboxing bars, since YouTube “automatically frames videos to ensure that they are displayed correctly, without cropping or stretching, regardless of the size of the video or player.”
YouTube provides a full list of recommended bitrates for YouTube uploads here, and a full list of supported file formats here.
Youtube video ads:
Skippable video ads: maximum length of 12 hours, skippable after 5 seconds
Unskippable video ads: max length of 15 or 20 seconds (depending on region)
Bumper video ads: maximum length of 6 seconds
Resource: How to advertise on YouTube
LinkedIn video specs
Linkedin shared videos:
Maximum size: 1920 x 1920 (square), 1920 x 1080 (landscape), 1080 x 1920 (vertical)
Minimum size: 360 x 360 (square), 640 x 360 (landscape), 360 x 640 (vertical)
Supported aspect ratios: 16:9, 1:1, and 9:16
Recommended specs: .MP4, maximum file size 200MB, maximum 30 minutes long, recommended frame rate 30fps
Pinterest video specs
Pinterest video ads:
Minimum size: 240 pixels wide
Supported aspect ratios: Between 1:2 and 1.91:1.
Recommended aspect ratios: 1:1 (square), 2:3 or 9:16 (vertical at standard width), 16:9 (maximum width).
Recommended specs: .MP4, M4V, or .MOV, maximum file size 2GB, maximum length 15 minutes, maximum frame rate 25fps
Tips: Promoted videos will autoplay without sound on loop in the Pinterest feed when they are 50% in view. Tapping the video will cause a larger version to play with sound (no looping).
Videos are currently only available for mobile devices.
More advice about social videos
Beyond sizes and specs, here are some other important things to know about creating videos for social media:
Put these up-to-date social video specs to use with Hootsuite. Easily upload, schedule, and promote your videos across multiple social networks from one dashboard. Try it free today.
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