Channel specs · 6 min read

Social media sizing is a layout workflow, not a resize button

Why campaign formats need their own hierarchy, crop, and safe-area decisions even when they share one visual system.

Published 2026-08-24
Original Retake editorial

Navy and mint city bike-share infographic with a route map

In this guide

A reviewable path, not a bag of tips.

A square, portrait feed post, and vertical Story have different reading distances and interface overlays. Scaling one composition is fast, but it often produces weak hierarchy or hidden copy.

01Use the placement as the source of truth
02Recompose before you crop
03Review at the size people will see
04Version specs instead of overwriting them

Use the placement as the source of truth

Store width, height, aspect ratio, format, file limits, and the official source that supports the choice. Keep conservative internal safe areas clearly labeled as assumptions rather than platform facts.

Recompose before you crop

Decide what must stay visible: subject, product, brand mark, offer, and action. Then design a crop for the placement. A good vertical design often needs a different text block and a more central subject than a landscape asset.

Review at the size people will see

A 1080-pixel canvas can look generous on a desktop monitor. Reduce the preview to a realistic feed width and check whether the value proposition still scans in two seconds.

Version specs instead of overwriting them

Platform guidance changes. Retake records a verification date and source claims so future changes can create a new Placement version without rewriting historical releases.

Worked example

One desk fan, three real compositions

Adapt one bright product direction to a portrait Feed post, vertical Story, and square card.

01
List the elements that must survive every placement.
02
Recompose the subject and headline before adjusting crop.
03
Check interface overlays and small-screen legibility.
04
Export each design from its exact native dimensions.

Outcome

A recognizable three-format campaign, not three crops of one master image.

FAQ

Questions to carry into review.

Are safe areas always official platform facts?

No. Retake separates official claims from conservative internal margins and labels the basis of each safe area.

Can one image still work everywhere?

Yes, when it was composed with enough room and the subject remains recognizable. The layout should still be reviewed per placement.