What dimensions should my social media video be?

For a long time, the only way to experience video was in the standard horizontal format used by television and cinemas. However, the rise of smartphones means we are now seeing the introduction of vertical video because most of us hold and use our phones vertically. But does that necessarily mean that vertical is better for YOUR video?

According to eMarketer, 75% of worldwide video viewing is done on mobile devices. With that in mind, it would make sense for us to optimise our videos to suit this relatively new format to reach the widest possible audience. This has been supported by research carried out by Facebook, which showed that vertical video drove up to 9% more ad recall and brand lift than horizontal ads.

Another benefit to using vertical videos is that they take up more space on social media feeds, giving your video the best chance of grabbing the consumers’ attention. This is doubly true for full screen ads used by Instagram Stories and Snapchat.

So, vertical video is a great option if you plan to launch your video across social media, but what if you also need to showcase it at events, on television or other online platforms?

You can always repurpose a horizontal video into a vertical format for social media later on, but be careful! What works horizontally does not always work vertically. For example, important details may be cropped out of the video or your product may not be wholly visible. This is why it is important to make these considerations at the start of the creative process.

But if you are looking to repurpose a horizontal video, then Facebook recommends these formats across its platforms:

So, just uploading your video in one format across multiple social media channels may not be optimising its effectiveness on each platform.

Be sure to ask that your video is delivered in multiple formats based on the platforms you plan to launch on and, if necessary, it’s useful to shoot additional content specifically for a vertical version of your video.

Vertical and other formats give you another way to tailor your video content to better present your product or service, and connect with your target audience.

If you think vertical video may suit your campaign, get in touch to find out how we can help.