Do you know how to leverage each video format for Instagram? That’s right, there are several! Stories and reels are vertical, feed videos are generally square, and IGTVs are a different story. Believe it or not, there is a reason to differentiate each video format for Instagram so that it can have a high view and engagement rate.
According to data shared by Hootsuite, the impact of videos continues to increase exponentially, with Instagram’s video format having the highest overall engagement rate, 38% higher than photos. Therefore, if you have a brand and want to expand your market presence, you can’t stop producing videos for your profile.
The truth is that videos are the trend on Instagram and other social networks. This premise raises the question: is there an ideal video format for Instagram? What is the format for reels, IGTV and stories on Instagram?
If you still don’t know the answers, don’t worry, in this article, we will solve all your doubts on the subject. You will discover what is the ideal format for uploading videos to your feed, the format for Instagram TV, as well as for reels and stories.
We will also show you how you can adapt any content to the video format for Instagram and how you can improve its quality to surprise your followers. Finally, we will exceed your expectations with a list of free resources that you can use to boost your performance on Instagram and differentiate yourself from your competitors.
What is the best video format for Instagram?
As there is more than one video format for Instagram, there are certain general parameters, even for audio settings.
There are no big problems if you directly upload a video recorded from your smartphone; however, Instagram is a bit rigid if you use an editing program beforehand.
If you edit your video before uploading, make sure that it is in accordance with the basic video format for Instagram, that is, that it meets the specifications detailed on the Instagram support page:
1. Video format for Instagram
You cannot ignore these features if you want your video to have a professional look:
Video format: MP4
Compression: H.264
Quality or Bit rate: 5Mb/s
Codec: libx264
Ratio: between 4:5 and 1.91:1
2. Audio configuration
These characteristics guarantee a clean subject. Please read about them:
Audio Codec: AAC
Quality or Bit Rate: 64 – 128 kb/s
Sample rate: 44100
Bit rate: 64 – 128 kb/s
Besides that, after considering this video format for Instagram in your next posts, it is also important that the video quality is super good. For this, we recommend recording with a good camera.
For example, if you record with your smartphone, instead of using the camera of the application, you should use the camera of your cell phone directly, so that we can guarantee the maximum resolution of the image.
Once this stage is finished, the next step is to convert the video for Instagram to the correct dimensions according to the content you are going to publish. Let’s start with the video format for Instagram Feed, which still generates some confusion.
What is the video format for the Instagram Feed?
Initially, the video format for Instagram Feed was exclusively square. However, since 2015, the social network has allowed the community to upload vertical and horizontal videos.
A primeira coisa a dizer sobre isso é que o formato de vídeo para Instagram Feed parece bom em todas as suas variantes. While the posts in the feed are still displayed square, when uploading a video, it can be adapted.
To do this, just click on the icon located at the bottom left that appears as we upload the content to be published, just before going to the next step. By pressing it, the video will adopt the way it was originally recorded.
1. Square video
Ideal for an animated video promoting your brand.
Minimum dimensions: 600 x 600 pixels
Aspect ratio: 1:1
Recommended format: MP4
Duration: 60 seconds maximum
Video size: Maximum 30MB
2. Horizontal video
Excellent for showing a panoramic view
Minimum dimensions: 600 x 315 pixels
Aspect Ratio: 1:91:1
Recommended format: MP4
Duration: Maximum 60 seconds
Video size: Maximum 30MB
3. Vertical video
Perfect to surprise your followers
Minimum dimensions: 600 x 750 pixels
Aspect ratio: 4:5
Recommended format: MP4
Duration: Maximum 60 seconds
Video size: Maximum 30MB
On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that video ads on Instagram feed follow the same specifications as organic posts.Image: RG’s Instagram profile
What is the video format for Instagram stories?
Embora seja importante considerar o formato de vídeo para Instagram, não podemos esquecer que as histórias de Instagram também estão em plena expansão. Currently, more than 500 million accounts use Instagram Stories daily and a third of the most views belong to commercial accounts.
Therefore, the video format for Instagram Stories represents a great opportunity for any business, especially for entrepreneurs. This is because, in addition to allowing you to create diverse content, through Instagram Stories statistics you can monitor the performance of your videos.
Some specialists consider it to be the most successful video format for Instagram within the community. As you know, they disappear after 24 hours (unless you highlight them in your bio) and allow you to post images or videos in different dimensions.
However, contrary to the previous case, in which you can adapt your video to the video format for Instagram feed, in this case, it is recommended that the content is always vertical.
Video format for Instagram stories
To make an Instagram story and publish it instantly, all you need to do is record it vertically with your smartphone. Now, if you record with a camera (also vertically) and then edit the content, you should remember the following specifications:
Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels (maximum resolution), 750 x 1334 pixels (size recommended by Instagram), 450 x 800 pixels (lower quality, longer upload time).
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Format: MP4
Video length: 15 seconds
In case of video format for Instagram Stories, you will also need to follow the same specifications for non-organic posts.Image: RG’s Instagram profile
What is the video format for Instagram TV?
Instagram TV is one of the most recent video features that the social network incorporated. If you are ready to use this video format for Instagram, there are some important points to be taken into account.
Although until recently only some accounts could upload content for up to an hour, Instagram now allows all users to do so under one condition: upload the video from the web.
Note that if you upload the video from a smartphone, it can be only 15 minutes long, according to the latest specifications published by Instagram.
Video format for Instagram TV
So, what is the ideal format for IGTV? To suit it, in addition to the items above, you will also need to consider the following specifications:
Aspect ratio: 9:16 (vertical) or 16:9 (horizontal)
Minimum dimensions: 720 pixels
Maximum dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels
Recommended format: MP4
Video size: 650 MB for videos of 10 minutes or less and 3.6 GB for videos of up to 60 minutes
As you can see, the Instagram TV video format is ideal for diversifying your feed on this social network, as it allows you to upload different types of content to provide your followers with quality content in various presentations.
The IGTV video format is widely used to expand information about various aspects of your brand, for example, to explain the functionality of your products, delve into the history of the brand, etc.Image: RG’s Instagram profile
What is the format of the Instagram Reels video?
Embora Instagram Reels tenha nascido especificamente para competir com TikTok, poderíamos definir este formato de vídeo para Instagram como um conteúdo que se enquadra em algum lugar entre Stories e IGTV.
Initially, the reels were only 15 seconds long, but an update made by Instagram increased the length of the clips to 30 seconds. In addition, the reel format allows the community to record videos using a smartphone and then edit them to make them look engraved.
One of the great advantages of Reels over Instagram stories is that they can remain in the feed without the need for highlighting. Additionally, as it’s a more personalized feature, it doesn’t require any other specifications to post, even though it’s important that you gravitate in a vertical position.
Instagram reels video format
So, what is the format of the reels? If you want to upload a reel with the best video resolution, we share with you the specifications of this video format for Instagram that you should consider:
Dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels (maximum resolution)
Size: 9:16
Format: MP4
Video length: maximum 30 seconds
As the video format of Instagram reels is very similar to that of TikTok, basically, the interaction with users occurs in the same way as in the last platform we mentioned.
Therefore, to take advantage of this feature, you should use the reel format to create relevant content and connect with users in just a few seconds, thus gaining relevance in the social network and increasing your Instagram followers.
Image: Instagram
How to adapt your material to each video format for Instagram?
If you have recorded material for your profile from a professional camera or if you have downloaded a video from YouTube and want to upload a part of it to your Instagram profile, it is almost certain that you won’t be able to do it because you don’t agree with the video format for Instagram.
But, don’t be discouraged, for those cases, there are some free online video editors to achieve all the specifications we mentioned above, as well as to get the video size for Instagram that the platform asks for.
Here is a list of online editors that will help you change the format of a video for Instagram and other social networks:
kapwing: this editor was specially developed for what we are looking for. It gives the possibility to trim videos and adapt them to different social networks.
clipChamp: on this platform you can adjust the dimensions of a video for Instagram in a few simple steps.
rockketium: this is an editor with a free version that allows you to upload a video, change the format and make quick clips to share on your social networks. The bad news is that the result of the free version appears with a watermark.
kizoa: although it is an application with premium plans, it has a free version that will allow you to create and resize videos for Instagram. However, the videos edited for free include a watermark.
splice Video Editor: an excellent free application for video resizing for Instagram. It also allows you to add effects, alter transitions, add music or record your voice while commenting on the video.
vivaVideo: in this online editor you can adapt your video to any of the video formats for Instagram. In fact, it is one of the most popular applications to give life to your videos, since you can add filters, stickers, texts, etc.
videoshop: if you are looking to change the dimensions of a video on Instagram, this free app will help you do it. it is ideal if you want your video to be modified in a vertical format, either for IGTV or Instagram Reels.
As you can see, there are several ways to adapt the footage you shot to the video format for Instagram. Remember, if you don’t consider the specifications we mentioned throughout the article, Instagram will not allow you to upload any content you have planned.
Therefore, although it can be a bit tedious to record and edit each video, following the video format for Instagram is essential for your content to have the impact you expect on the network, as it will help attract new users interested in your profile.