You may have noticed when flicking through your Instagram feed lately that there has been a change in the image format within some accounts.
Instead of the usual square image that has dominated our screens for years, now there are a few rectangular images being shared. These rectangular images are portrait style rectangular images to still fit within the limitations of typically used screens.
The logic behind this change in image shape is because the rectangle takes up more space on your screen, resulting in it being on your screen for longer. And as it takes longer to scroll past said image then logic dictates that your more likely to view it and to engage in that image.
Whilst it makes perfect sense, it will be interesting to see how many people begin to use rectangular images as the square image ideal has been ingrained in our use of the platform for so long.
It’s important to note that we have all been able to upload non-square images since 2015, however it hasn’t really been noticed that much before and the use of square images still dominates your Instagram feeds due to the desire by many users for ‘the perfect grid’.
Indeed, many of the popular graphic creators for Instagram, like Canva, are still only allowing for the standard square post to be created within its platform. Will this change soon?
However, ‘the perfect grid’ is still a concern as whilst you can see the rectangular posts on your feed, when you look at your grid these images will be cropped into a square. Care will therefore still be needed to ensure that the centre square of your Instagram image is the focus of your post.
The most high profile users of the new rectangular Instagram posts are our very own Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The question is, are you going to be giving your Instagram posts the Sussex look?
Published: 5th Sep 2019