Uploading Images to Social Networking Sites: What size is recommended?
July 09, 2009
When it comes to uploading images to Social Networking sites for online viewing, you want to keep a couple of important factors in mind.
- Image size for optimal online viewing.
- Some sites impose a size limit.
- Check to make sure your digital images show up properly.
- Horizontal, profile, or landscape?
- Take full advantage of tags and descriptions for each image.
I've found that file size in the range of one megabyte (1Mb) or less is a practical size for nearly all social networking sites. When you upload an image, most online sites will automatically downsize the digital image file to fit their template for thumbnail images.
Not too small! Most sites these days have a minimum size. If you image is too small it will be rejected.
I've also heard of people intentionally uploading small images out of fear that their work may be copied. Frankly, my advice is to "get over it." Move on. Keep developing your portfolio with skill and artistic vision amplified by hard work. A copycat, if one ever occurs, will be found out soon enough. The recurring benefits of larger images far outweigh the small chance of abuse.
Not too big! Don't upload an image file that is too large either. Many people have high-speed connections, even on their phones, but very large image files (e.g. 3MB and larger) may take such a long time to render on the viewer's monitor that they stop and go elsewhere.
Always try a test viewing of your online images as if you were a potential curator or buyer visiting the site. If it doesn't show up the way you expected, figure out why, delete the image and re-upload a corrected image file.
Horizontal, profile, or landscape Each site seems to have a preference for horizontal, profile(vertical), or landscape (horizontal). It reflects poorly on your artistic eye if your image is cut off. Crop or size your images for each site. You have no choice if you want your images to look great. I often create square, vertical and landscape-shaped images for every artwork.
Look on ASK Harriete for blog tips on tags and descriptions to get the most out of uploaded images. Read the previous blog about image labels.
This post was updated on December 23, 2021.