According to a video production company, social media is a great place to share videos, however, not all social media sites have the same requirements when it comes to uploading videos. You should be aware of which format is suited for each site to give your viewers the best experience when watching your content.
In this article, we’re going to examine the best video formats for the 4 most significant social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Best Video Format for Facebook
Since Facebook is the largest social media platform, with the most options, it’s not uncommon for people to make it their ‘go-to’ place for sharing content.
To place your video in the regular Facebook feed, it’s recommended you size it 1280×720 with the minimum width being 600 pixels. If you’re using portrait mode, you should strive for 9:16 aspect ratio.
When it comes to formats, Facebook prefers for you to upload in .MP4 or .MOV format with a maximum frame rate of 30fps.
Facebook 360 recommends uploading at a maximum size of 4096×2048 for a 2:1 aspect ratio. As with the regular Facebook feed, you should upload in .MP4 format and keep the file size to 1.75GB at 60 fps.
Videos streamed in ads, use the best resolution you can without letterboxing. This translates to 1280×720 for 16:9, or 600×600 pixels for square video. Also, like the other videos, the file types accepted are .MP4 and .MOV. at a maximum frame rate of 30fps.
Lastly, Facebook Messenger video ads are recommended to be 1280x720p without letterboxing.
Best Video for Instagram
While photos in Instagram are mostly square, you can upload video content in both square and horizontal formats. If you’re unsure, choose square for the best results because this is how most people view photos and videos.
Instagram recommends using the highest quality video resolution that matches the square (or horizontal) format you choose.
If you’re using their carousel ads, opt for the 1080x1080p, but the minimum size should be 600×600. File format is similar to Facebook — .MP4 or .MOV.
Best Video Format for YouTube
Next to Facebook, YouTube is an one of the biggest platforms for getting videos out to your customers, and it’s perhaps the most generous when it comes to file types, length and aspect ratios.
YouTube allows you to upload videos as close to the original quality in their native aspect ratios. Also, for best results, avoid letterboxing or pillarboxing since YouTube frames your videos for proper presentation.
File formats recommended are .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, or WebM with the max file size being 12GB and 12 hours long.
Best Video Format Twitter
Most people who view Twitter do so on a mobile device so videos should be created with that in mind. If you’re uploading horizontal videos, the size should be 1280×1024 at the max and 32×32 at the minimum.
Vertical videos should be 1200×1900 at the maximum and 32×32 at the minimum. .MOV and .MP4 are the preferred formats. All these tips are from Think Branded Media.
