I’ve been thinking about why the push for 4:5 graphics bothers me.
I understand the appeal. A tall image takes up more of the feed. There’s more room for the design, and it’s harder to scroll past without noticing it.
But “it takes up more space” keeps being presented as a reason to use it. I keep wondering what the reader gets out of that.
Does the content need the room?
Sometimes, yes. A photograph might work better vertically. A diagram might need the space. Small text becoming readable is a good reason to change a layout.
A single sentence floating in a huge rectangle is harder to justify.
I’m trying to scan my feed and decide what interests me. When a graphic stretches a small thought across a large part of the screen, it can feel like someone standing in a doorway to make sure I notice them.
The thought might be worth reading. I’d still appreciate being able to get past.
Stopping isn’t always interest
As a marketer, I want people to notice the work. Of course I do. There’s time and effort behind it, and usually a business reason for putting it out there.
But I can stop on a post because it’s confusing. I can spend longer on a carousel because the point is buried on the last slide. Neither experience leaves me particularly grateful to the person who made it.
So when we look at attention, I think we need to ask what earned it. Was the idea useful? Was the explanation clear? Did someone take a next step that made sense for them?
Or did we make a small piece of information take longer to consume?
Let me decide how much to read
Some days I’ll read a long article about a subject I barely knew existed. Other days I just want to glance through a few posts and get back to what I was doing.
I’d like a design to leave room for both.
A clear heading and an honest introduction help. So does putting the useful information somewhere I can find it. I shouldn’t have to solve a little mystery to work out what a post is offering.
This applies beyond image ratios. If a graphic promises an answer, the page it links to should deliver it. If a carousel needs ten slides, each slide should have a reason to be there.
I’d choose the purpose before the format
Before picking a ratio, I’d ask what the piece needs to do.
If it’s explaining a product, can someone understand it? If it’s helping with a task, can they finish? If it’s inviting an enquiry, does the reader know what they’re enquiring about?
Those are things worth measuring. Sometimes a person spending less time with the content means we’ve made their life easier.
I’m not arguing for one shape over another. I use marketing formats too, and a 4:5 image can be the right choice.
I just don’t think the amount of screen we occupy tells us much about the quality of what we’ve made.
Before making the next graphic bigger, I’d ask: what are we giving the reader in return for the space we’re taking?