generation types

All 50+ Visual Formats

Every format Canvora supports and when to use each one

8 min read Beginner

All 50+ Visual Formats

Canvora isn't just for Instagram posts. We support over 50 different formats across social media, video platforms, marketing materials, and more. Here's the complete breakdown—organized by category so you can find exactly what you need.

Social Media Posts

These are your everyday social graphics. Each platform has specific dimensions that work best in their feeds.

Instagram

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Feed Post1:1Standard square posts, quote graphics, announcements
Portrait Post4:5Takes up more feed space, great for tips and lists
Landscape Post16:9Wide shots, panoramic content
Story9:16Full-screen vertical stories, Reels covers
Carousel Slide1:1Multi-slide educational content

Pro tip: Portrait posts (4:5) often outperform squares because they take up more screen real estate as people scroll.

LinkedIn

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Single Post16:9Standard feed posts, link previews
Square Post1:1Stand-out graphics that break the pattern
Portrait Post4:5Mobile-optimized, more visible
Article Header16:9Featured images for LinkedIn articles
Document Slide1:1Carousel-style documents (PDF uploads)
Company Banner21:9Company page header
Personal Banner4:1Profile background image

Pro tip: LinkedIn document carousels (uploaded as PDFs) get significantly more reach than regular posts. They're essentially slideshows that people swipe through.

Twitter/X

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Single Image16:9Standard tweet images
Two Images7:8 eachSide-by-side comparisons
Header3:1Profile banner

Pro tip: Twitter crops images in the timeline. Keep important content centered and don't put text at the very edges.

Facebook

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Feed Post16:9Standard posts, link previews
Square Post1:1Higher engagement format
Story9:16Facebook Stories
Cover Photo21:9Page cover image
Event Cover16:9Event header images
Group Cover16:9Group header images

TikTok

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Video Cover9:16Custom thumbnail for videos
Profile Photo1:1Account avatar

Pinterest

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Standard Pin2:3Regular pins, best performing ratio
Long Pin9:19Infographics, step-by-step guides
Square Pin1:1Product showcases
Board Cover1:1Board thumbnail images

Pro tip: Longer pins get more saves. If you're creating how-to content, the 9:19 format lets you fit all the steps in one image.

Threads

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Post Image1:1Standard Threads posts
Portrait4:5More visual impact

Video Thumbnails

Thumbnails are often the difference between someone clicking your video or scrolling past. These need to grab attention instantly.

YouTube

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Thumbnail16:9Video preview images
Channel Banner16:9Channel art (displays differently on devices)
End Screen16:9Subscribe/watch more overlays

Pro tip: YouTube thumbnails that include faces with clear expressions, bold text (3-5 words max), and high contrast colors tend to perform best.

Vimeo

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Thumbnail16:9Video preview
Channel Header4:1Channel branding

Course Platforms

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Course Thumbnail16:9Teachable, Thinkific, Kajabi
Lesson Thumbnail16:9Individual lesson previews
Course Card16:9Course listing images

Blog & Website

Graphics for your own properties—blog posts, landing pages, and website elements.

Blog Graphics

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Featured Image16:9Blog post headers, OG images
Wide Banner4:1Section headers
In-Post Image4:3Images within article content
Sidebar Banner1:2Sidebar promotions

Website Elements

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Hero Image16:9Above-the-fold website headers
CTA Banner3:1Call-to-action sections
Feature Card3:2Feature highlights
Testimonial Card2:1Customer quote graphics

Email Marketing

Graphics sized for email clients, which have their own quirks and limitations.

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Email Header3:1Top-of-email branding
Email Hero3:2Main email image
Email Banner4:1Promotional strips
Newsletter Image16:9In-newsletter graphics

Pro tip: Email graphics use standard aspect ratios optimized for reliable display across email clients.

Presentations & Documents

Professional materials for decks, proposals, and internal communications.

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Slide (16:9)16:9Standard presentation slides
Slide (4:3)4:3Traditional slide format
Document Header4:1Report/proposal headers
Infographic2:5Data visualization, process flows

Ads & Promotions

Formats for paid advertising across platforms.

Digital Ads

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Facebook/Instagram Ad1:1Feed ads
Facebook/Instagram Story Ad9:16Story placements
Google Display (Medium)6:5Common web banner
Google Display (Leaderboard)8:1Top-of-page banners
Google Display (Large)6:5High-visibility placements

Other Promotional

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Podcast Cover1:1Podcast artwork (scales down)
Webinar Promo16:9Event promotion graphics
Product Hunt5:3Product Hunt launch graphics

For physical materials—these export at higher resolution for printing.

FormatDimensionsBest For
Business Card3.5" × 2"Print-ready business cards
Flyer (Letter)8.5" × 11"Standard flyers
Poster (18×24)18" × 24"Event posters
A4 Document210 × 297mmInternational standard

Quote & Text Graphics

Specialized formats for quote-based content.

FormatAspect RatioBest For
Quote Card (Square)1:1Shareable quotes for any platform
Quote Card (Portrait)4:5More text space
Quote Card (Story)9:16Story-formatted quotes
Stat Graphic1:1Data callouts and statistics

How to Choose the Right Format

Not sure which format to use? Here's a quick decision guide:

For maximum reach on social: Start with Instagram square (1:1) and LinkedIn (16:9). These two cover most bases.

For engagement: Carousels and document slides consistently outperform single images. If your content can be broken into steps or points, go multi-slide.

For video content: Always create custom thumbnails. A good thumbnail can double your click-through rate compared to an auto-generated one.

For your website: Match the format to where it'll appear. Hero images need 16:9 aspect ratio, while in-content images work well with 4:3.

When in doubt: Generate multiple formats at once. Canvora makes it easy, and you'll have options ready for wherever you want to share.


Want to learn more about specific platforms? Check out our social media guide or YouTube thumbnail guide.