The 2025 Social Media Formatting Cheat Sheet
Let’s Talk About Formatting—Because Your Content Deserves to Be Seen
Alright, let’s have a real moment, entrepreneur to entrepreneur. You’re out here pouring your time, energy, creativity (and probably caffeine) into your content… but are you formatting it correctly?
I know, it sounds like a “boring techy detail,” but hear me out—if your posts are getting awkwardly cropped, your graphics are getting cut off, or your captions are playing peek-a-boo behind platform overlays… we’ve got a problem. Because formatting isn’t just about how your content looks—it’s about how it performs.
Let’s break down the current formatting rules for 2025 across the major platforms you’re probably posting on (or at least should be). Then I’ll explain why ignoring them is like showing up to a networking event in your pajamas.
The 2025 Social Media Formatting Cheat Sheet
Feed Posts: 1080 x 1350 px (4:5 – tall portrait)
Reels + Stories: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16 – vertical video)
Watch Out: Instagram just updated the grid preview for Reels. That means if your text or logo is too close to the top or bottom, it might get cut off on your profile. Center your content like your engagement depends on it. Because, well... it does.
TikTok
Videos: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
Keep your key visuals/text in the middle zone—TikTok’s buttons and captions love to cover up the corners.
Choose your cover frame intentionally. TikTok’s now showing covers larger in search, so this is your new first impression.
Standard Pins: 1000 x 1500 px (2:3 ratio)
Idea Pins: 1080 x 1920 px
Add keywords to your graphics. Pinterest is part search engine, part inspiration board—so treat it like Google with better lighting.
YouTube Shorts
Videos: 1080 x 1920 px (9:16)
You don’t get much control over thumbnails, so make sure the first few seconds visually hook your viewer and communicate what they’re about to see.
Image Posts: 1200 x 1350 px
Videos: 1080 x 1350 px or landscape 1920 x 1080 px
Carousels (PDF Posts): 1080 x 1350 px per slide
Clean, professional design wins here. Leave the glittery GIFs for Stories.
Why Formatting Actually Matters
You might be thinking, “Okay, cool, but can’t people still see what I meant?”
Sure. Kind of. But messy formatting screams “I didn’t plan this.” And in the world of online marketing, perception is everything. Your profile is your storefront. If your visuals are getting cropped off weirdly or your quote is missing the punchline because it’s half-hidden under a play button, people won’t stop to figure it out—they’ll just scroll past.
When content is formatted properly, it’s easier to engage with. It catches attention. It looks like you care. And when you care, your audience cares. That’s how trust builds. That’s how clients convert.
Your Feed Is Your First Impression
Let’s be honest—most people are checking out your profile before they ever DM you, visit your website, or book your services. What they see in those first 3 seconds matters.
Does your grid look cohesive and thought-out? Or does it feel like a game of digital Jenga with some text floating offscreen and half a logo peeking in from the corner?
When your grid is clean, when your video hooks are in the right spot, when your graphics are sharp and clear… people stick around. They click. They follow. They trust. That’s the power of presentation.
Especially with Instagram’s latest visual update—where Reels now display slightly differently on the grid—getting your graphics and text into safe zones is a non-negotiable. A messy feed doesn’t say “I’m busy running a business.” It says “I didn’t bother.” Big difference.
You’re Not Just Posting—You’re Selling
Here’s the truth: content is no longer a “bonus” to your business. It is your business. Your next client might find you from a Reel. Your best launch yet might start with a carousel. Your highest-selling product? Could go viral on Pinterest with the right pin format.
When you create content that’s formatted correctly, you’re setting it up to be seen, saved, shared, and sold. And when you sell, you get to keep doing what you love. You get to make the impact you’re here to make. You get to grow a brand that funds your life.
So don’t waste all that creative energy and strategy on posts that never reach their potential just because they weren’t sized right.
Final Thoughts? Format Like a Pro.
You don’t need to be a graphic designer. You don’t need to be a tech expert. But you do need to care.
Your content deserves the best chance at doing its job—educating, engaging, and yes, converting. Formatting isn’t a chore—it’s part of the magic.
So before you hit publish, double-check those specs. Center that text. Watch your safe zones. Because every time you format your content properly, you’re saying: “I take my business seriously. And you should too.”
Now go give your feed the facelift it deserves—because those views, clicks, and conversions? They’re waiting.
