1.91:1 Aspect Ratio Guide for Social Media Ads

Mastering the 1.91:1 Aspect Ratio for Social Media Ads

The 1.91:1 aspect ratio is one of the most effective formats for digital marketing visuals, especially for Facebook and LinkedIn feed ads. In this guide, you'll learn what the 1.91:1 ratio means, why it’s so popular, and how to use it to create high-performing ads with optimal clarity, reach, and engagement. Whether you’re a designer, marketer, or content creator, understanding and applying this ratio ensures your creatives look sharp across devices and platforms.

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Understanding the 1.91:1 Aspect Ratio

The 1.91:1 aspect ratio is a wide horizontal format commonly used for social media ads and posts. It means the width of your creative is 1.91 times larger than its height.

To visualize: if your height is 628 pixels, your width should be approximately 1200 pixels.

Common pixel dimension examples for 1.91:1 include:

• 1200 × 628 px – widely used for Facebook feed ads
• 1080 × 566 px – optimized for certain LinkedIn ads
• 1640 × 857 px – good for high-resolution needs

This ratio strikes a balance between width and readability, making it ideal for images and videos shown in news feeds.

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Why 1.91:1 Is Popular for Facebook & LinkedIn

Facebook and LinkedIn both design their feed layouts to favor horizontally oriented creatives. A 1.91:1 layout fills the width of the post space without cropping, ensuring:

• No important content gets cut off
• Consistent look across mobile and desktop
• Better CTR because ads feel native to the feed

On Facebook, many Sponsored Posts and Link Ads use the 1200×628 size simply because it's safe across devices. LinkedIn employs it heavily for Sponsored Content previews.

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Recommended Pixel Dimensions

Choosing the correct pixels ensures your images look crisp on all devices.

Using these dimensions makes your ad assets safe from unexpected cropping.

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Benefits for Image Clarity & Performance

The 1.91:1 ratio isn’t just a guideline — it can enhance ad performance and brand perception:

• High Visual Impact – Wide banner-like visuals stand out in cluttered feeds
• Efficient Space Usage – Audience sees the main message without scrolling
• Supports Multiple Text Lines – More horizontal room for headlines
• Algorithm-Friendly – Meets platform expectations, reducing delivery errors

By optimizing for this format, you reduce distortion, avoid compression artifacts, and maintain brand integrity.

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Cropping Photos & Videos to 1.91:1

Using Canva

1. Open your image and select the crop tool.
2. Choose “Custom Dimensions” and set width:height ratio as 1.91:1 (e.g., 1200×628).
3. Adjust framing to keep key visuals centered.

Photoshop Workflow

1. Go to Image > Image Size, unlock aspect ratio.
2. Set Width: 1200 px, Height: 628 px.
3. Use Crop Tool with Aspect Ratio set to 1.91:1.
4. Save as JPG, quality ~80 for web.

Mobile Apps

Apps like InShot, Snapseed, or Lightroom Mobile let you select custom aspect ratios before exporting. InShot, for instance, supports manual entry to set exact dimensions.

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Best Practices for Text Placement in 1.91:1 Creatives

• Avoid edges – Maintain a 60–80 px margin for safe zones.
• Use short headlines – Fits better without shrinking font size.
• High contrast between text and background – Ensures readability.
• Central Focus – Keep key objects and headlines horizontally centered.

These steps preserve visibility on every device and feed layout.

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Examples of High-Performing 1.91:1 Ads

Draw inspiration from common use cases:

• E-commerce Banner – Product on left, headline on right, with CTA inline
• Event Promo – Logo top-left, date & venue bottom-right, image spanning width
• Content Marketing Asset – Blog cover image with bold title overlay, centered

Aligning designs to the ratio builds professionalism and drives engagement.

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Mistakes to Avoid

1. Stretching images – Always crop rather than distort.
2. Ignoring safe text zones – Risks unwanted cropping.
3. Overloading text – Excessive text may lower ad performance.
4. Poor file optimization – Large files can cause slow loading.

Avoiding these pitfalls streamlines your design workflow.

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Optimizing File Size & Format

For rapid loading and better user experience:

• Compress using TinyPNG or Squoosh ahead of upload.
• Use JPG for photos; PNG for transparent backgrounds.
• Keep creatives under 500 KB when possible.

Example Compression Workflow

1. Export at full dimensions (e.g., 1200×628 px).
2. Run through TinyPNG.
3. Check visual quality before publishing.

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A/B Testing with Different Aspect Ratios

Verify that 1.91:1 is right for your audience by testing:

1. Create two versions: one wide 1.91:1 and one square 1:1.
2. Launch with identical targeting.
3. Measure CTR, engagement, and conversions.
4. Select the better-performing ratio.

A/B testing provides data-driven insights for creative decisions.

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Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

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Summary

The 1.91:1 aspect ratio is a proven, platform-friendly format that helps your ads display perfectly across feeds, ensuring crisp visuals and improved engagement. By sticking to recommended dimensions like 1200×628 px, cropping carefully, placing text within safe zones, and compressing files, your creatives can stand out without sacrificing load speed.

Apply the tips in this guide, test your formats, and refine your designs to leverage the full potential of 1.91:1 — creating ads that look sharp, perform better, and drive more clicks. Ready to boost your social media campaigns? Start designing your next 1.91:1 creative today.