LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms for professionals. With over 740 million members worldwide, it’s a great place to establish your personal brand, network, and generate leads for your business. One of the best ways to stand out and engage your audience on LinkedIn is through video content. But should you be creating vertical or horizontal videos?
Both vertical and horizontal video formats have their advantages and disadvantages on LinkedIn. Vertical video has risen in popularity in recent years, largely driven by social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. But horizontal video still has its place, especially on more traditional platforms like LinkedIn.
In this article, we’ll compare vertical and horizontal video for LinkedIn to help you decide which format you should use. We’ll look at how each video orientation works on the LinkedIn platform, who is watching your videos, optimal video length, viewing experience, and tips for creating great videos in both formats.
How Does Vertical vs Horizontal Video Work on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn displays videos differently depending on their orientation. Here’s a quick rundown of how vertical and landscape videos appear on the platform:
**Vertical Video**
– Uploaded videos appear in portrait mode, filling most of the viewer’s smartphone screen.
– On desktop, vertical videos are centered on the page with large black bars on the left and right sides.
– Aspect ratio is 9:16.
**Horizontal Video**
– Uploaded videos appear in landscape mode, filling most of the viewer’s desktop screen.
– On mobile, horizontal videos have black bars at the top and bottom.
– Aspect ratio is 16:9.
The key difference is that vertical video fills more of the screen on mobile, while horizontal video fills more space on desktop.
Who Is Watching Your LinkedIn Videos?
To decide which video format is better optimized for your LinkedIn audience, you need to know how people are watching your content. Here are some key stats:
– 60% of LinkedIn usage comes from mobile devices.
– Only 40% of the time people spend watching videos on LinkedIn is on desktop.
– However, most inbound marketing content is still watched on desktops and laptops (80% of the time).
So in general, the majority of casual LinkedIn browsing happens on mobile. But for viewing more in-depth content like long videos, desktop still dominates.
This suggests you may want to lean towards vertical video if your priority is views and engagement. But horizontal video may be a safer bet for content designed to convert viewers further down the funnel.
Optimal Video Length
Here are the recommended video lengths for each format:
**Vertical Video**
– 15-60 seconds: Shorter vertical videos tend to see higher view completion rates on mobile.
**Horizontal Video**
– 1-5 minutes: Longer horizontal videos (1-10 minutes) tend to perform well on LinkedIn. Beyond 10 minutes sees a significant drop-off.
So vertical lends itself to shorter, attention-grabbing videos. Horizontal accommodates more in-depth, educational videos.
Viewing Experience
One of the biggest factors when choosing vertical vs horizontal orientation is the viewing experience on different devices.
**Vertical Video Viewing Experience**
– Immersive full-screen experience on mobile
– Awkward black bars on desktop
– Feels natural recording with a phone held upright
**Horizontal Video Viewing Experience**
– Smaller presence on mobile with black bars
– Fills desktop screen nicely
– Feels natural recording with a camera or phone held sideways
Vertical video clearly provides the better experience on mobile. But horizontal video accommodates both desktop and mobile reasonably well.
So if you expect mostly mobile viewers, vertical may be the way to go. If you anticipate a mix of desktop and mobile or primarily desktop viewers, horizontal could be a safer bet.
Content Considerations
Here are some factors around video content that may influence your vertical vs horizontal decision:
**Vertical orientation tends to be better for:**
– Personal videos with a visible host – Records naturally with phone held upright
– Demonstrating products/apps designed for mobile use
– Shorter videos under 1 minute
**Horizontal orientation tends to be better for:**
– Presentations and screencasts – Record slides or computer screen
– Events and interviews – Capture multiple people and wider scenes
– Longer videos over 1 minute
Consider what type of content you’re creating and how it’s best captured. Vertical orientation tends to work for more casual, personal videos. Horizontal accommodates more formal, informative content.
Tips for Creating Vertical Videos for LinkedIn
If you want to embrace the vertical video trend for LinkedIn, here are some tips:
– Film entire video in vertical orientation – don’t just crop horizontally shot video.
– Position subject in center of frame with little headroom above.
– Use phone on tripod for stability.
– Add text overlays and graphics optimized for mobile viewing.
– Make sure your call to action is visible on mobile without clicking “See more”.
– Keep videos under 60 seconds.
Ideal Vertical Video Specs
– Aspect ratio: 9:16
– Mobile resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels
– Frame rate: 30fps
Tips for Creating Horizontal Videos for LinkedIn
To optimize horizontal videos for LinkedIn:
– Film using landscape orientation.
– Use a horizontal thumbnail that stands out in feeds.
– For interviews, position subjects looking inward with nose room.
– Add lower thirds and graphics designed for widescreen.
– Include relevant B-roll and cutaways to add visual interest.
– Break up longer videos with titles and graphics.
– Create chapters to allow viewers to skip to sections.
Ideal Horizontal Video Specs
– Aspect ratio: 16:9
– Resolution: 1920 x 1080 pixels
– Frame rate: 30fps
Best Practices for Any LinkedIn Video
Beyond vertical vs horizontal orientation, here are some best practices for creating great marketing videos for LinkedIn:
– Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds with an engaging intro.
– Ensure audio is clear and free of distracting background noise.
– Maintain a steady shot with minimal shaky camerawork.
– Shoot in well-lit environments and avoid backlighting.
– Use simple backgrounds that aren’t distracting.
– Cut videos tightly and avoid rambling or filler content.
– Add captions to make videos accessible and increase views.
– Include a strong call to action relevant to your audience.
When to Use Vertical vs Horizontal Video on LinkedIn
Based on the factors we’ve covered, here are some general guidelines on when to choose each video format for LinkedIn:
**When to use vertical video:**
– You’re promoting your personal brand – Shows your face clearly on mobile.
– Demonstrating a product or app – Mimics the mobile experience.
– Your audience skews towards mobile – Get more full-screen views.
– Content is less than 60 seconds – Vertical works well for short videos.
**When to use horizontal video:**
– You have an equal or greater desktop audience – Fills desktop screens well.
– Content is over 1 minute – Horizontal accommodates longer videos.
– Filming presentations, interviews or events – Captures more content and people.
– Video includes on-screen graphics and text – Landscape orientation has more space.
Conclusion
So should you be using vertical or horizontal video on LinkedIn? The answer depends on your specific goals, audience, and content type.
In most cases today, vertical video is worth experimenting with given the rise of mobile usage on LinkedIn. But horizontal video still has its place, especially for desktop viewers and longer, more educational content.
The best approach may be to test both formats and see what resonates most with your target audience. You may even find value in developing videos optimized for both orientations. This provides the flexibility to share across platforms and adapt to evolving viewing preferences.
By understanding the pros and cons of each format, you can create stand-out videos tailored to how your audience engages with content on LinkedIn. Carefully consider your viewership, content goals and production approach as you decide whether vertical or horizontal video is a better fit.
| Vertical Video | Horizontal Video |
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The ideal approach is to create videos optimized for multiple formats and screens. Test different orientations and lengths to see what engages your audience most on LinkedIn.
As viewing habits continue to evolve, being adaptable and data-driven with your video strategy is key. By focusing on great content first and the technical details second, you’ll be well equipped to create compelling videos that convert viewers no matter the orientation.
