Square Video Beats Vertical on Linkedin.
For all the talk of vertical video being the sexy beast for social, it’s actually square that’s the Cinderella of corporate videos.
So why square instead of vertical?
Square is the classic aspect ratio, with Hasselblad, Rolleiflex, and many of the finest film cameras producing square images.
The first cameras that went to the moon? Square format.
Square video does the same as vertical by optimising real-estate on mobile, is easier to produce, and best suited for Linkedin.
For the platforms most corporate video engagement is on, vertical doesn’t make best use of real estate and may not represent good value.
When we shoot square video on a standard camera, we shoot in a normal fashion but composing for that.
Which means we can output a 16:9 aspect video from the same shoot, using the same shots.
So we can produce twice as many outputs, allowing for more uses, without significant cost increases.
And Shooting 16:9 with square in mind, doesn’t actually preclude outputting a vertical.
It’s easy to convert to vertical by adding subtitles across the bottom of the images and/or careful shot selection.
So if you’re thinking about social for corporate, then think square first.
For B2C social videos on Reels, Insta or TikTok, then vertical video is the way to go.
With Open Gate shooting, producing vertical from a 16:9 or square shoot is much easier, making the choice of outputs in advance less important.
But despite open gate, vertical video does require a bit more thought.
They will require a rethink on the graphics, more tweaking on composition and different shot choices.
Depending on your platform, you will want to compose your video to allow for default links and platform specific tagging.
As well, the platform will drive motion graphics and how they are positioned to ensure best visibility.
So for projects where budgets are constrained, producing socials in square format should be your first choice. This especially applies to content which is not B2C oriented.
If you are targeting Reels or other social platforms, then specific vertical video content should be embraced, though square works well on those platforms as well.
If you’re thinking about a new corporate video, no matter the aspect ratio, contact us!
