Skip to main content

Instagram’s 4:5 update – it’s getting taller!

Written by Laurra Davis

We reported on this back in September last year when the platform was testing out a new vertical feed and grid, and it looks like it’s here to stay!

The move to 4:5 aspect ratio allows brands to create a more immersive and engaging visual experience for their consumers and keep users engaged for longer periods as it naturally takes up more screen space!

As with all of Instagram’s major updates in the last few years, the aesthetic decisions of the platform have been led by a move towards vertical content, so this feels like a natural reshuffle.

Besides the fact that it’s much more friendly to most mobile cameras (which are laid out closer to 4:5 than 1:1), both with our internal team as social media users, and through conversations with clients, we have found ‘how to best-crop reel covers to fit in the square Instagram format’ comes up a lot.

This redesign feels like a compromise between their obvious goal to compete with video-first platforms, and honouring their image over motion roots.

With more space to fill on the main feed, there’s now a whole new world of opportunities for creative presentation and it could end up changing your entire approach to content.

The main challenge is deciding whether to amend already-created content to align with the new format. For brands who have the resources, a new layout allows more space for quality imagery and key information, so it could be a great opportunity to review how graphics and photography are presented to an engaged audience.

For those who are too limited on their design time to revisit what’s already checked off the to-do list, it’s not the end of the world if it’s set aside for now. Align with 4:5 when you’ve posted everything you’ve already worked hard to create. Ultimately, when your followers see it in their feed, the layout will be much less impactful than how engaging the content actually is.

Keep up to date with all the latest industry news and insights

Subscribe