Visual content generates 94% more views than text-only posts. With AI, you can produce platform-optimised graphics for every channel in minutes — without a design team. This guide covers dimensions, prompts, and proven templates for each major platform.

In This Guide

Platform Dimensions Reference

Always specify the correct dimensions and aspect ratio in your prompt. AI generates better-composed images when it knows the target format.

YouTube Thumbnail
1280 × 720px — 16:9

High contrast, bold text overlay area (left third), face in right two-thirds if applicable.

Instagram Post
1080 × 1080px — 1:1

Square format, subject centered, visual weight balanced, will be viewed very small in feed.

Instagram Story / Reel Cover
1080 × 1920px — 9:16

Full-screen vertical. Keep key content in center 80% to avoid UI overlap at top and bottom.

LinkedIn Post
1200 × 627px — 1.91:1

Professional tone, clean design, text legible at small size, brand colors prominent.

Twitter/X Header
1500 × 500px — 3:1

Panoramic. Avatar covers bottom-left corner — keep key elements to the right and center.

Facebook Cover
851 × 315px — 2.7:1

Wide banner. Profile picture overlaps bottom-left on desktop. Safe zone is center and right.

YouTube Thumbnails

YouTube thumbnails are the single most important factor in click-through rate. The best thumbnails use high contrast, bold typography, and emotional facial expressions.

The YouTube thumbnail formula

High-contrast background + expressive face (right side) + space for bold text overlay (left side) + clear subject at large scale. Thumbnails are viewed at 180×101px in search — design for that size.

Tutorial / How-To

YouTube thumbnail 16:9, person with surprised/excited expression on right side, high contrast bold background (dark with bright accent), left side empty for text overlay, thumbnail-style graphic design, high saturation, clean composition

News / Information

YouTube thumbnail 16:9, bold graphic composition, news-style design with strong red/yellow accent colors, clear subject or icon on right, left side negative space for text, high contrast, professional broadcast style

Product Review

YouTube thumbnail 16:9, product prominently displayed on right side, reviewer face reacting on left (excited/impressed), bright gradient background, star rating visible, clean bold design, thumbnail-optimised layout

Instagram Post Graphics

Instagram graphics need to stop the scroll. Strong visual hierarchy, on-brand colors, and content that's meaningful even when viewed at small size in the feed.

Quote Card

Square 1:1 quote graphic, dark background with teal accent, large bold typography centered, minimal decorative elements, clean professional design, brand-friendly, text-forward composition with space for 2-3 lines of text

Stat / Fact Card

Instagram square infographic, large percentage or number as hero element, supporting context text below, clean dark background, teal and white color scheme, bold modern typography, social media optimised

Product Feature

Instagram square product post, [product] centrally placed, lifestyle background, brand-consistent color palette, minimal text overlay at bottom, premium e-commerce aesthetic, high contrast, scroll-stopping composition

LinkedIn Professional Graphics

LinkedIn content requires a more professional, information-dense approach than other platforms. Data, insights, and professional credibility signals perform best.

LinkedIn Post Formula
LinkedIn professional graphic 1200x627px, clean corporate design, [brand color] accent on dark or light background, data visualization or key insight visible, professional sans-serif typography, minimal decoration, business-appropriate aesthetic, credibility signals (numbers/percentages)

Twitter/X Graphics

Twitter images appear inline in the feed. They need to be readable at medium size and communicate their message without relying on caption text.

Thread Header

Twitter post image 2:1 landscape, bold statement or topic title, clean dark background, teal accent color, numbered indicator (1/10 thread), professional layout, easy to read in feed

Announcement

Twitter announcement graphic, 2:1 aspect ratio, product or feature highlight, clean modern design, high contrast, brand logo area top right, celebration or launch visual energy, minimal text

Engagement Optimisation Tips

Design for small size first

Most social graphics are seen at 150-300px wide in feeds. Test your AI-generated graphics by viewing them at 1/4 scale. If the key message is still clear, you have a good graphic.

Use face psychology on thumbnails

Human faces with strong, clear expressions dramatically increase click rates on YouTube. Surprise, excitement, and curiosity outperform neutral expressions by 2-3x.

Maintain brand color consistency

Add your exact brand hex codes to every prompt. Consistent color palette across all social graphics builds brand recognition over time.

Create social media graphics now

Use Nano Banana Pro in ChilledSites to generate platform-optimised graphics for all your social channels.

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