Your Instagram profile needs to be top-notch if you want to effectively get more Instagram followers and capture the attention of your visitors. One key element is your Instagram profile picture size— what’s the best size, and how do you make it perfect?
Instagram remains one of the most popular global social media networks, which means the amount of competition is fierce. If you don’t have a professional and eye-catching Instagram profile picture of the right size, you may be hurting your overall reputation on the platform.
While it’s clear you’ll need much more than a perfect profile picture to see real results on the platform, it’s one of the first things that users will see when they come across your profile, so it makes a huge impact whether or not people consciously recognize it.
You want to make a good first impression on your viewers and show them just what you’re about— your profile picture can help you to do that. It defines your profile, who you are, as well as your brand, so you want to make sure that it’s optimized and that you have the best Instagram profile picture size.
How can you make sure that you do? This article will help you understand IG profile photo size as well as some tips to use the perfect photo to capture attention and show off your brand.
What to Know About the Ideal Instagram Profile Picture Size
People will know within a second whether or not they want to follow you, and in a sweeping glance, your profile picture is likely the first thing they’ll notice. Instagram is a visual platform, and images are how users make decisions about what they like and identify with.
You have such a short time to make a good first impression, and before they even visit your profile, they will see your profile photo. That may even determine whether or not a user visits your profile to see more.
The first thing in getting a great IG profile picture is to know the ideal Instagram profile picture size. The visible size on a mobile device when a user sees your profile picture on your profile is 110 x 110, and on a web browser, it will be 180 x 180. In the newsfeed, it’s much smaller, clocking just 40 x 40 pixels.
Instagram profile pictures are also displayed as circles, not squares, which means you’ll need to have everything optimized for presentation in a circular form. Don’t put anything of importance near the corners as it’s likely to go unseen.
Adjusting Your Instagram Profile Picture Size: Crop for the Win
If you have some concerns about getting your profile picture perfectly cropped and in proportions, you can simply follow the advice below to make sure everything looks just as it should.
Even though the Instagram profile picture size is much smaller in terms of pixels, you can upload photos of higher pixel counts to make sure that it’s high quality when users see it on the platform.
The best tip for choosing the right Instagram profile picture is to choose a photo that is square with an aspect ratio of 1:1. That ensures that your images don’t get stretched out or transformed awkwardly.
If you have a great photo but it’s not a square, you can crop it to eliminate whatever doesn’t go. Keep your focus on the visible area of the photo and leave enough space in the corners so that you can perfectly align your image into the display circle.
In order to add a photo, change your photo, or edit the cropping of your Instagram profile picture, simply visit your profile and click Edit Profile. Then, tap the Change Profile Photo button underneath your profile picture at the top of the page.
When you hit that, you’ll see a variety of options:
- Remove current photo
- Import from Facebook
- Take Photo
- Choose From Library
You can then make the proper selection for your profile and continue with your edits and adjustments. It’s likely that you’ll upload a photo from your photo library.
And there you have it— once you’ve got your photo in the circle and have aligned it correctly, you can save the changes and you’ve got your profile photo set up with the best Instagram profile picture size!
Tips for Success with Instagram Profile Pictures: Beyond Size
While the right Instagram profile picture size is important, it’s just a basic element of your image. You need to have the right profile photo if you really want to represent your brand or personality in the best way and capture the attention of your target audience.
People aren’t going to look at your photo and say, “wow, the sizing is perfect on this photo.” They’re going to look at it and say, “wow, that’s an awesome photo. I definitely understand what this profile is all about.” That is, if you have the right one!
The right shot is vital in addition to the Instagram profile picture size. No matter if you’re using your brand logo, a selfie, or any other type of image, there are a couple things you should keep in mind when choosing your profile picture for Instagram.
Here are five tips to help you select the right one and give your profile the best chance of being noticed and followed.
1. Have a Clear Brand Image
The first thing you need to do is ensure that your profile photo represents who you are, what makes you unique, and showcase your persona and brand image. While it may seem like a bit of a challenge, there are a couple of things you can do to ensure that’s what your profile picture conveys.
Use these checkpoints to make sure you select an Instagram profile image that is a good representation of your brand image and/or personality:
- Be welcoming: if you are using a picture of yourself or someone else to represent your brand, you should make sure that the photo is inviting and welcoming for those that view it. Remember to smile and make eye contact with the camera if you’re doing a head-on photo.
- Be creative: you can experiment and see what sticks out and what doesn’t. Use colors that represent your brand image and draw people to your profile. You can always change your photo if you feel that it doesn’t give the right aesthetic for your overall profile.
- Feature the right content: perhaps you want to use some props to liven up your photos or to add more personality to the image. Perhaps you’d like to feature your brand’s logo or something else that represents you. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to make those decisions and capture your audience’s attention from the jump.
2. Use a High-Quality Photo
You will also need to ensure that your photo isn’t only the perfect Instagram profile picture size, but that it features the right lighting as well as a suitable background. These are a few of the aesthetics that you’ll need to consider when selecting your image.
What does the background look like? You may want to use a solid background so that it doesn’t detract from the image’s focus. If you feature something in the background, make sure that it complements the focus of the image.
Choose a background color that will work well with the focal point of the image. For example, if you’re featuring a selfie and you have light hair, you may want to use a color that contrasts with your overall look and accentuates what the focus is. Don’t clutter up your image and make sure it’s readable for your viewers.
Also, when you have the right lighting and color scheme, you’ll also be able to highlight your brand’s image and not distract your viewers or deter them from checking out your profile. If you have a dull image that isn’t clearly identified, this can cause issues for those viewing your photo.
Experiment with different color schemes, lighting effects, as well as focal points to find something that gets the right aesthetic.
3. Consistency is Key
Another best practice is to use a photo that aligns with the rest of your Instagram content. It’s a good idea to use the same profile picture across all of your different social channels as well so that people can easily identify you when they are searching for your profile on Instagram.
This consistency makes you more recognizable and will lead to less confusion or doubt if a user is trying to find you after seeing you on another network. It also boosts your overall presence on social media and helps to form a cohesive online reputation.
You don’t have to choose one profile picture and stick with it for the rest of your life, though. You can easily decide to choose your profile pictures every month, adjust your image for the seasons or special events, and other fun ways to show your brand personality.
4. Use the Right Type of Instagram Profile Photo
You’ll need to make the decision early on what the main focus of your image is going to be. You will likely either use a picture of yourself or another person, or of your product/brand logo.
If you are a blogger, content creator, or influencer, you’ll likely use a picture of yourself. People want to see who you are and what you’re all about, so taking professional photos that truly highlight you and your personality is a best practice.
If you’re a brand or business, it makes more sense to feature your brand image or a picture of your product/service.
No matter what you choose, be sure that the photo fits within the circular format and that it’s the right Instagram profile picture size.
5. Keep an Active Instagram Story
Last but not least, you can keep an active Instagram story on your account at all times to help attract people to your Instagram account and give them additional content to check out as soon as they view your profile picture.
When you have an active Instagram story, a colored ring appears around your profile picture, which helps it to stand out and makes your Instagram profile look more engaging and relevant.
Other Tips: How to Get More Instagram Followers
Now that you’ve got your Instagram profile photo size down and have chosen the best image possible, your profile is ready to be seen by new users that may want to follow you. As a bonus, we’ve included some other tips that can help you to get more Instagram followers and give your profile a fighting chance when IG users come across your profile.
1. Use an Organic Growth Service
One of the best ways to get your profile seen by users in your target audience is to use an Instagram growth service like Growthoid. Through a tailored campaign that will engage with users in your target audience, you can get seen by more people and get more real Instagram followers + engagement.
After you’ve got the perfect Instagram profile size uploaded and you’ve saved the changes, get started with your 3-day free trial for Growthoid and get more Instagram followers.
2. Optimize the Rest of Your Profile
Your Instagram profile picture isn’t the only important element of your profile. There are many other things you should optimize when you want to give your page a fighting chance:
- Instagram bio
- Username
- Instagram link in bio
- IG story highlights album covers
- Overall profile aesthetic
Make sure all of these elements work together to create a strong, on-brand visual that looks professional and captivates your viewers.
3. Create Content in a Variety of Instagram Formats
The great thing about Instagram is that there are tons of different content formats to keep your followers interested and engaged, including:
- Instagram in-feed photo and video posts
- Instagram stories
- Instagram live
- IGTV
- Instagram reels
- Instagram shoppable posts
Using a variety of these formats creates more content for users to check out, staying on your profile longer. It also helps you look more professional and cohesive, solidifying your brand’s image and presence in your niche or industry.
The Best Instagram Profile Picture Size
Choosing the best Instagram profile picture size can help you have a great image that captivates your audience. If you follow the other tips for choosing the best one as well as the tips on how to get more Instagram followers, you’ll be well on your way to a successful Instagram profile!
If you’d like some help getting more exposure and building your follower count, don’t forget to check out Growthoid!
