Instagram’s Latest Guide to Stories, Reels, and Carousel Dimensions: What Marketers Need to Know

In the dynamic world of social media, staying updated with platform changes is critical for marketers looking to maximize their ROI. Instagram recently released updated dimensions for Stories, Reels, and Carousel posts, providing guidance for creating optimized, professional visuals. These updates are particularly relevant for marketers aiming to leverage Instagram’s full potential to reach diverse audiences. Here’s a breakdown of the essential details.

1. Stories

Instagram Stories remain one of the most effective tools for real-time engagement. To ensure your message isn’t lost, here are the new specifications:

• Image Size: 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 ratio)
• Safe Area: 1080 x 1610 pixels
• Tip: Keep important text, CTAs, and branding within the safe area. Avoid the top and bottom sections to ensure content isn’t hidden by Instagram’s UI elements.

Stories offer a fleeting yet high-impact medium for driving immediate user action, whether it’s swiping up, tapping a sticker, or responding to a poll.

2. Reels

With Instagram prioritizing short-form video content, Reels have become central to brand engagement strategies:

• Full Image Size: 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 ratio)
• Grid View: 1080 x 1440 pixels (3:4 ratio)
• Tip: Ensure critical elements, such as text and branding, are centralized to work seamlessly across full-screen playback and the cropped grid preview.

Reels’ dual purpose as both entertainment and education tools allows marketers to combine storytelling with product promotion, creating shareable content that resonates with audiences.

For a deeper dive into this topic, be sure to check out our Instagram Lowers Quality for Low-Engagement Videos: Implications for Marketers for additional insights.

3. Carousel Posts

Carousel posts offer a flexible way to share detailed content, making them a favorite among marketers for campaigns and storytelling.

• Image Size: 1080 x 1350 pixels (4:5 ratio)
• Grid View: 1012 x 1350 pixels (3:4 ratio)
• Tip: Focus on the central portion of each image to ensure visibility in grid previews. While square images (1:1 ratio) are still acceptable, the grid view favors 3:4 layouts.

Carousel posts are particularly useful for step-by-step guides, product features, or behind-the-scenes content, helping brands build stronger connections with their audience.

How Does This Affect Marketers in the Middle East?

With Instagram being one of the most popular social media platforms in the Middle East, marketers in the region have a unique opportunity to reach diverse audiences, from Gen Z in Egypt to affluent millennials in the GCC. Here’s why these updated dimensions are critical for success:

1. Enhanced Visual Appeal:

In a highly visual culture, high-quality, properly formatted content resonates more with audiences. Content that adheres to these updated dimensions will appear more professional, ensuring better engagement across Stories, Reels, and Carousel posts.

2. Localized Campaigns:

Many brands in the Middle East rely on Instagram for hyper-targeted campaigns. Whether promoting local events in Cairo or luxury goods in Dubai, optimizing visuals for Instagram’s dimensions helps brands make a stronger impact.

3. Cross-Platform Consistency:

Audiences in the Middle East frequently engage with brands across multiple platforms. Using Instagram’s updated dimensions can serve as a benchmark for creating consistent visuals across platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, both of which are widely used in the region.

Takeaway for Marketers

Adapting to Instagram’s updated dimensions is more than just a technical requirement—it’s a strategic necessity for staying competitive. For marketers in the Middle East, where social media often drives purchasing decisions, these updates offer an opportunity to create sharper, more engaging content that speaks directly to your audience’s preferences.

By aligning visuals with these guidelines, marketers can enhance their storytelling, build trust, and foster deeper connections with their target audiences in a region where social media reigns supreme.