Platform sizes, creative strategies, and prompt tips for every major social network
Social media demands a constant supply of fresh, engaging visuals. Traditional approaches — photography, graphic design, stock imagery — are expensive and time-consuming. AI image generation solves all three problems simultaneously. This guide covers the optimal sizes, platform-specific strategies, and prompt techniques for every major social media platform.
Best sizes: Square posts 1024×1024 (select in IMAGEKA Settings). Portrait posts use 768×1024. Stories and Reels use portrait format then expand with a blurred background.
What works: Visually striking imagery with strong colour and mood. Consistent style across your grid. Dramatic landscapes, nature scenes, and aspirational lifestyle imagery perform exceptionally well.
Best styles: Photorealistic, Watercolor, Oil Painting
Example prompt: "Photorealistic cozy reading nook with warm lamp light, cup of tea, open book, autumn leaves through window, soft interior photography, 8K"
Best sizes: In-feed images use 1024×768 (landscape). Profile photos use 512×512.
What works: Bold, high-contrast images. Conceptual imagery that relates to commentary. Surprising or thought-provoking visuals that prompt sharing and replies.
Example prompt: "Digital art, a tiny human standing in a giant library with impossibly tall bookshelves reaching the sky, dramatic scale, warm lighting, awe-inspiring"
Best sizes: Post images use 1024×768. Article covers use 1024×768 then upscale.
What works: Professional, clean imagery appropriate to a business context. Abstract concepts — teamwork, growth, innovation. Industry-specific imagery. 3D rendered or minimalist styles perform well.
Best styles: Photorealistic, 3D Render, Minimalist
Example prompt: "3D render of connected network nodes representing global collaboration, clean blue and white colour scheme, professional, minimalist background"
Best sizes: Use portrait format 768×1024 in IMAGEKA for vertical video thumbnails.
What works: Eye-catching, slightly surprising imagery. Style comparison content — same subject in different art styles — performs extremely well. AI transformation and before/after content.
Content idea: Generate "a cat in a coffee shop" in all 12 different art styles and create a comparison reel — this type of content consistently performs well in AI communities on TikTok.
Best sizes: Standard pins use portrait 768×1024. Square pins use 1024×1024.
What works: Aspirational lifestyle imagery — homes, gardens, travel, food. DIY and craft inspiration. Seasonal and holiday-themed content. Nature, landscapes, and botanical art.
Best styles: Watercolor, Oil Painting, Vintage, Photorealistic
Example prompt: "Watercolour painting of a dreamy cottage garden with climbing roses, lavender path, soft morning light, botanical illustration style"
Best sizes: Thumbnails use 1024×768 then resize to 1280×720. High contrast imagery that reads clearly at thumbnail size.
What works: Vivid colours that stand out against YouTube's interface. Dramatic or surprising scenes that create curiosity. Background imagery for text-overlay thumbnails.
Example prompt: "Epic cinematic scene of a spaceship emerging from a massive nebula, deep space, dramatic blue and gold lighting, ultra detailed, wide angle, 8K"
To maintain visual consistency across platforms, include your brand's colour references in every prompt ("warm amber tones," "cool blue and white palette"), always use the same art style selector, and develop a set of signature lighting and mood descriptors you use for every image.
A simple template: "[Subject], [your setting], [your signature lighting], [your mood keywords], [your quality keywords]" applied consistently creates a professional, coherent visual identity.
Generate social media images free on IMAGEKA → | Master prompt writing →