Guide to 2024 Instagram Advertising Image Sizes: Optimize Your Visual Content

When advertising on Instagram, we must ensure our images are the correct size and quality to be visually appealing and effective.

Adherence to Instagram’s guidelines bolsters image clarity and audience engagement.

Instagram supports various aspect ratios for images on its platform.

The term “aspect ratio” refers to the width and height of an image in relation to each other.

For feed posts, we can use square (1:1), landscape (1.91:1), or vertical (4:5) aspect ratios.

Ensuring that we use the correct aspect ratio prevents our images from being cropped unexpectedly, allowing the full message to be displayed.

Image resolution, measured in pixels, is critical for maintaining the quality of our posts on Instagram.

The ideal resolution for Instagram images is at least 1080 pixels in width.

Posting images with a higher resolution can lead to automatic compression by Instagram, which may degrade the image quality.

We should strive for a crisp resolution that meets the platform’s requirements without exceeding limits.

For different types of posts, Instagram recommends specific image sizes:

• Square Posts: We should aim for an image size of 1080 x 1080 pixels, which adheres to the 1:1 aspect ratio.
• Landscape Posts: The optimal size for landscape images is 1080 x 608 pixels, following a 1.91:1 aspect ratio.
• Vertical Posts: When creating vertical or portrait posts, a size of 1080 x 1350 pixels is best, maintaining a 4:5 aspect ratio.

By adhering to these dimensions, we ensure our images are displayed as intended without any undesirable cropping or quality loss.

In our guide, we’re focusing on the exact image dimension requirements for different types of content on Instagram to ensure your ads look their best and are displayed properly across the platform.

For Instagram Stories and Reels, our images or videos should be in vertical format with a recommended resolution of 1080×1920 pixels, which adheres to an aspect ratio of 9:16.

This size maximizes screen real estate and captures your audience’s full attention without any need for cropping.

Vertical videos should also maintain this aspect ratio to provide a seamless viewing experience.

When posting a Carousel or Video, we stick to a square or landscape format.

Carousels can have up to 10 images or videos, and for ideal display without cropping, we use a square 1:1 aspect ratio, precisely 1080×1080 pixels.

For landscape video posts, an aspect ratio of 1.91:1 up to 16:9 is ideal, with 1080 pixels as the width.

Apply filters and advanced settings to enhance the visuals before finalizing a carousel or video post.

The Instagram profile picture should be uploaded at 110×110 pixels but displayed as a circle, so it’s crucial to keep key elements centralized.

For the cover photo, also known as the thumbnail for videos like reels or IGTV, aim for an aspect ratio of 1:1 with a 420×654 pixel size to ensure it’s properly displayed on your profile feed without unwanted cropping.

Our images are often displayed at smaller sizes on mobile devices, so high-resolution uploads are necessary for clarity.

In the landscape of Instagram advertising, it’s crucial to understand the right ad formats to captivate our target audience.

We’ll delve into the specifics of creating Story Ads and designing Carousel and Video Ads that resonate with viewers and encourage engagement.

Instagram Story Ads offer a full-screen, immersive experience, commanding the viewer’s attention.

We ensure our image ads retain high-quality with a preferred resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, keeping in mind that the aspect ratio should be 9:16.

For file format, JPG or PNG options avoid quality loss and are best suited for quick loading times.

The maximum file size for Story Ads is kept under 30MB.

It’s essential for our story ads to be as striking and interactive as possible to enhance engagement rates.

When crafting Carousel Ads, we leverage the power of multiple images or videos to showcase a range of products or services.

These ads appear in a user’s feed and offer an engaging way to tell our brand’s story.

Instagram Carousel Ads should maintain an aspect ratio of 1:1 for square images or 4:5 for vertical images, with dimensions up to 1080 x 1080 pixels.

For Video Ads, which can be up to 60 seconds long, we prioritize an aspect ratio of either 1:1, 4:5, or 16:9, depending on whether we want square, portrait, or landscape orientation.

We also make sure the videos have high-quality playback without exceeding a file size of 4GB.

As we deep dive into the realm of Instagram advertising in 2024, it’s crucial to understand the technicalities of image sizes and how they can impact the performance of ads.

Proper image dimensions and file formats can significantly influence both visuals on-screen and loading times.

Instagram supports a range of file formats for images, including .jpg, .png, .bmp, and for videos, .mp4 and .mov.

.png files are ideal for images with transparent backgrounds. However, keep in mind that .bmp files, while supported, can be quite large and may affect loading times.

• Image Dimensions: For Instagram feed posts, the recommended image size is 1080 x 1080 pixels for square, 1080 x 1350 pixels for portrait, and 1080 x 566 pixels for landscape orientation.
• Carousel Posts: When creating carousel posts, it’s important to maintain a square (1:1) aspect ratio with image sizes of 1080 x 1080 pixels.
• IGTV Videos: For IGTV, videos should be 1080 x 1920 pixels with an aspect ratio of 9:16.
• Instagram Reels: Similar to IGTV, reels should adhere to the dimensions of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

To balance high-quality visuals and load time, follow these guidelines:

• Compress Files: Use tools like Buffer to compress images and videos without losing quality.
• File Size: Keep image file sizes under 100 KB and video files under 30 MB where possible.

Load times are essential to user experience, especially when considering mobile users on various network speeds.

Faster load times also help with budget efficiency by reducing bounce rates and keeping potential customers engaged.

Always optimize your content for both impact and performance to get the best return on investment in your Instagram marketing endeavors.