Tadvio logo
Platform playbook

Square, portrait, story, landscape and banner — what each shape is for.

Five shapes cover most static campaigns. They behave differently in composition, typography and safe areas, and the platforms that use them revise their specifications over time.

Start free — 100 credits See the workflow
  • Five core shapes
  • Placement-specific specs
  • Table reviewed August 2026
  • No credit card required · Full per-size control
Approved master
1080×1080
One approved creative
Adapted formats
1:1 square
9:16 story
16:9 landscape
The five shapes

How composition behaves in each one.

Ratios are far more stable than pixel dimensions. Understanding how a shape frames the artwork matters more than memorising a number.

Square (1:1)

Balanced and forgiving. Works as the default feed shape and is usually the easiest starting point for adaptation in either direction.

Portrait (4:5)

Taller mobile presence than a square. Headline hierarchy normally needs re-balancing rather than simple rescaling.

Story (9:16)

Full-screen vertical with platform UI at the top and bottom. Needs genuine background space above and below the subject.

Landscape (16:9, 1.91:1)

Wide and short. Long copy from a square master rarely survives unchanged; the lockup usually becomes horizontal.

Banner (leaderboard, rectangle, half page)

Small display units. One short line, the logo and one call to action is usually all that stays legible.

Specs change, shapes don't

Design to the ratio and export to whatever pixel guidance the platform currently publishes for that placement.

Specification table

Sizes by platform and placement.

Each row names the platform and placement it applies to — none of these values is universal across the industry. Specifications last reviewed August 2026; confirm current guidance with the platform before a large campaign.

Static ad specifications by shape, aspect ratio, pixel size, platform and placement
ShapeRatioPixelsPlatformPlacement
Square1:11080 × 1080Meta (Facebook, Instagram)Feed
Square1:11200 × 1200LinkedInFeed single image
Portrait4:51080 × 1350Meta (Instagram, Facebook)Feed
Story9:161080 × 1920Meta, TikTok, SnapchatStories, Reels, in-feed vertical video slots
Landscape16:91920 × 1080YouTube, display networksIn-stream companion, wide display units
Landscape1.91:11200 × 628Meta, LinkedInRight column, link previews
Banner~8:1728 × 90Google Display NetworkLeaderboard
Banner1:1.2300 × 250Google Display NetworkMedium rectangle
Banner1:3.33300 × 600Google Display NetworkHalf page
Working practice

Keeping a format list usable over time.

  • Record the platform and placement next to every size you keep
  • Store format sets per campaign type instead of per campaign
  • Re-check platform guidance before major campaigns
  • Design to the ratio; treat pixel values as export settings
  • Note which sizes are localized and which are English-only
  • Retire placements the media plan no longer buys
Where this fits

Producing the set from one master.

Once the format list is settled, the work is adaptation rather than redesign. The Tadvio production workflow covers how an approved master moves through brand rules, size selection and per-size review, and multi-size ad production goes deeper on the delivery side. For Facebook and Instagram specifically, see the Meta ads creative sizes checklist. Before exporting, run each output through the per-size quality-control checklist, and if you are sizing the effort of a large format list, model it in the production cost calculator.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Which ad shapes should a campaign start with?
Most static campaigns cover square, portrait, story, landscape and at least one banner unit. The exact list depends on the placements in the media plan, not on a fixed standard.
Are these pixel dimensions permanent?
No. Platforms revise recommended dimensions and placement inventory regularly. Treat the table on this page as a snapshot reviewed in August 2026 and confirm current specs with the platform before a large campaign.
What is the difference between an aspect ratio and a pixel size?
The ratio describes the shape and is comparatively stable; the pixel size describes the export resolution and changes more often. Design to the ratio, export to the platform's current pixel guidance.
Can one design work across all five shapes?
One approved concept can, but the layout usually cannot be reused unchanged. Headline length, subject framing and call-to-action placement typically need rebalancing per shape.
Why do banners need a different treatment?
Banner units are small and extremely wide or tall. There is rarely room for a full headline plus supporting copy, so most banners carry a short line, the logo and one call to action.
How do I keep a format list up to date across a team?
Maintain a documented format set per campaign type and review it on a schedule, so nobody rebuilds the placement list from memory at the start of each campaign.
Keep reading

Related resources

All resources
Platform Playbooks

Meta Ads Creative Sizes: A Production Checklist for Facebook and Instagram

7 min read

Production

Why Approved Creatives Break When Adapted to New Formats

7 min read

Brand Systems

How to Build a Reusable Brand Kit for Campaign Production

6 min read

Workflow

Manual Ad Resizing vs Guided Creative Production

7 min read

Brand Systems

Custom Fonts Across Multi-Market Creative Production

8 min read

Ready to automate your creative production?

Start with one approved creative, produce every required size, and keep full control over each output before export.

Start free Calculate your ROI

No credit card required · Full per-size control