How To Optimize Instagram Story Dimensions for Business Success
Instagram continues to dominate the photo and video-sharing sphere, particularly with its popular Instagram Stories feature.
Seventy percent of Instagram users watch Stories daily. Instagram Stories has 500 million daily users, twice the number of Snapchat Stories users. One in three Instagram users also said they became interested in a product after seeing it in a Story.
Instagram Stories is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging your audience. But to truly make the most of it, you need to nail the dimensions and size. This way, your Stories will display properly—no awkward cropping, distortion, or blurriness!
Scroll down to see the correct Instagram Story dimensions to help you create Stories that will look good no matter the screen size. Plus, we share some tips to make your Stories more beautiful and engaging–all made easy with the help of our customizable Instagram templates and our logo maker tool.
Let’s get started!
What are the dimensions of an Instagram Story?
The optimal dimensions are:
- 1080 width x 1920 height
- Aspect ratio 9:16
- .jpg or .png (image), .mp4 file type (video)
- Image file under 8MB, videos under 4GB
- Max video length is 60 secs
Let’s discuss these guidelines in depth.
First, the 1080×1920 resolution. While that is indeed the Instagram requirement, you only have around 1080×1420 of space to meet Instagram’s “Safe Zone.”
You see, Instagram’s interface will cover the top and bottom parts of your Stories once you post them. Therefore all your important content must be within the safe zone of 1080×1420 so that it won’t get covered.
Next is the aspect ratio 9:16. You can still upload other resolutions, such as 720×1080 or 450×800, since those still meet the required aspect ratio. But it’s best to stick to 1080×1920 since those smaller resolutions will have a significantly lower quality.
Next is the file type. Instagram also accepts .mov. But since .mov files are in Apple file format, not everyone will be able to play it. It’s better to use the universal .mp4 file format since every device supports it.
GIFs can also be uploaded in Stories. But you’ll need to convert it to .mp4 first.
Maximum video length is 60 seconds. You can upload videos shorter than that, but not longer since it will get cut off. Images will only show for a maximum of 7 seconds before it automatically moves to the next frame or Story.
Why is using the correct dimensions for Instagram Story important?
Imagine taking three days to shoot a video, only to have the bottom parts cut off once you upload it. Or worse, it becomes so blurry that your audience won’t be able to see anything properly.
Sounds like a nightmare? Indeed.
Incorrect dimensions will lead to Instagram cropping or zooming in on your videos, which can lead to quality issues. This is why some Stories look cut off, overly skewed to one side, or too pixelated.
The dimension guidelines ensure that your Stories will look the best they can be. Some other benefits of following the correct dimensions are:
- Increased engagement: Stories that look clean and high-quality have a better chance of getting attention and interaction from your audience.
- Better brand perception: If your Stories look blurry or wrongly cropped, it gives off the image that your brand is sloppy and not detail-oriented. The right Story dimensions will make your brand look more polished and professional.
- Visual consistency: Stories that follow a consistent size, layout, and visual branding can help make your brand look more recognizable to your audience.
How To Design Instagram Stories in the Right Dimensions
There are several ways to ensure your Instagram Stories will always meet the right dimensions.
Some of them are:
- Using Instagram templates: There are tons of premade Instagram templates available online. These templates come in the required Story sizes, so you won’t need to resize them. They also come in various designs or uses (for example, templates for Store Openings, Black Friday Sales, New Locations, etc.). If you are curious about these templates, scroll down a bit further as we share our step-by-step guide on using our Instagram Story maker.
- Filming on the Instagram App itself: Shooting an image or video on the Instagram app automatically sizes it to the correct dimensions. However, you will also have limited editing or design options since you can only use the ones available on Instagram.
- Following the required dimensions on your custom content: This option gives you the most freedom for editing or design since you won’t be restricted by the options in Instagram or the premade templates. But since you’re doing it from scratch, you need to adjust the settings on the software, editing tool, or phone camera you use to meet the requirements above.
Best Practices for Instagram Story Design
Getting the correct dimensions is only half the battle. To fully optimize your Instagram Stories, try the following tips:
Follow visual hierarchy rules
Visual hierarchy is when designers arrange elements accordingly to guide a person who sees your design.
For example, you can highlight important texts by making them the largest, using a bolder color, placing them top-center, or having more space around them.
People also read in either an F-shaped or Z-shape pattern. Therefore adding important elements in the areas where eyes mostly go is recommended. Following the patterns also makes it easier for people to understand your Story’s message.
Use your branding
People recognize a brand by their logo, color scheme, font, or imagery style.
You can probably associate Coca-Cola with its red and white colors. Imagine if they suddenly used green and yellow in their posts. It’s going to be confusing and jarring, right?
By consistently using your brand style in your Instagram Stories, you not only strengthen your brand identity but also make it easier for people to become familiar with your brand. Even if they are just casually scrolling through Stories, they should be able to recognize that the content is from you.
If you don’t have a set color palette for your brand yet, check out our article on eye-catching color combinations to try. You can also use our logo maker tool or AI logo generator if you don’t have a brand logo yet.
Shoot vertically
Stories are made to be viewed in the Instagram mobile app, so they will always appear vertically.
Keep that in mind when you shoot your images or videos. Avoid horizontal files, as they will either have white space above and below them or get zoomed in way too much to fit the screen.
Add Calls to Action (CTAs)
CTAs are there to guide your audience on what to do next after seeing your story. Add action words such as “Swipe Up,” “Shop Now,” or “Tap to learn more!”
Want to have your CTA link to your website or e-commerce store? You can click the Sticker icon > click “Link” > then enter the URL. You can then customize the look and size of your link sticker.
Be natural
Stories are popular for brands since they appear more casual and friendly than regular posts or ads.
Skip the heavy promotional content. Stories are better used for more lighthearted content, such as sharing behind the scenes, sharing your customer’s posts, doing an Ask Me Anything, or doing a fun casual poll.
Add interactive elements
Speaking of polls, interactive content such as quizzes or questions can boost engagement. This is because it entices your audience to actively participate instead of just passively viewing your Stories.
It can also help you get insights or feedback. For example, a YouTuber can ask their audience to choose between three video topics. Based on the results, they can create a video that fits the audience’s wants.
Consider your sounds
According to a survey, 56% of Instagram users say they “Sometimes” watch with the sound on, but only 29% say they always have sounds on.
“Sometimes” can be vague. Do you need sounds or not? 🤔
The answer will depend on your content. You probably won’t need sounds that much if you post a poll or image. But if you post a video or an interview, you’ll need it.
The solution is to either add subtitles, have a disclaimer such as “Sounds On,” or add text that gives enough context to your viewers even without sounds.
Study your analytics
Your Story insights will give you an idea of what’s working.
Common metrics to watch are Reach and Impression since they give you an idea of how many people view your Stories.
Next are Exit Story taps and Next Story taps. A large number of these can be problematic, as it means people are not engaged with your Story and would rather watch something else. Try changing the video length, the content type, or the visual style and see if this will improve.
Back taps, on the other hand, mean your Story is so good that people want to watch it again. Consider creating another Story with the same style or adding that Story to your Highlights.
Common Instagram Story Mistakes To Avoid
Here are some Instagram Story mistakes that you don’t want to make:
- Overloading with text: Text can add much-needed context or information. However, too much text on the screen can be difficult or overwhelming to read. You only have so much space, not to mention time before it automatically plays the next frame.
- Inconsistent posting: If you upload Stories at a set schedule and suddenly stop, your audience will be confused. Make sure to stick to your regular posting schedule as much as you can.
- Using the incorrect dimensions: We don’t want to sound like a broken record, but this really needs to be reiterated. Make sure you upload all your Stories in the right size, dimension, format, and layout to ensure that they will display properly.
- Not using your branding: Ever seen a Story where you don’t even recognize who posted it? We’ve seen a lot of those. Remember, your Stories are still a form of promotional content for your brand. People will need to recognize you for it to be effective. So don’t forget to add a piece of your branding.
How BrandCrowd Helps You Design Instagram Stories Easily
Ready to create your Instagram Story? BrandCrowd’s here to help. Our Instagram Story Maker can help you easily create beautiful and professional Story designs in seconds.
Some benefits of our templates are:
✅ The right size, every time: All BrandCrowd templates come in Instagram-approved sizes. You won’t need to worry about adjusting the dimensions!
✅ Time-saving: No need to spend that much time creating a Story from scratch as we already provide premade templates. You can also use the templates as is or easily customize them to better suit your tastes.
✅ Easy to use: Our templates are made for beginners and non-designers as they come with simple, intuitive controls. Just click the tabs to customize, or click and drag elements to move them. It’s that simple!
To use our templates:
- Go to https://www.brandcrowd.com/instagram-story-maker and enter a keyword related to your brand.
- Look through our available templates. Click the one you like the most.
- Click the tabs on the right to change the elements. You can change the color, background, text, or shape. You can also add images, videos, or animation to make your Stories more dynamic.
- Happy with the look? Click “Download” to use it.
Conclusion
A well-designed Instagram Story can boost engagement and brand visibility. But no matter how beautiful your Story is, it won’t matter if it gets cropped or blurry due to using the wrong dimensions.
Make sure you follow the Instagram dimension requirements that we listed above. You can also use our Instagram Story maker, so all your Stories will already be the correct size–no adjustment or resizing needed!
Need other Instagram templates? We have all of them for you. Check out our Instagram Reel maker, Instagram Post maker, and Instagram profile picture maker now.
Level up your Instagram game with BrandCrowd today!
