# Social Platform Requirements

## Hashtags

Use a maximum of 5 hashtags on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. More than 5 reduces your reach on these platforms.

You don't need hashtags on LinkedIn, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, or Pinterest. Hashtags on these platforms are generally frowned upon and do not improve discovery.

***

## Media Conversion

Blotato runs free media conversion. When you publish a video, Blotato re-encodes it to match each platform's accepted codec, bitrate, resolution, aspect ratio, and container before sending the file to the platform. Conversion runs on Blotato's servers and consumes compute. The 120-second cap on conversion keeps this service free.

### What triggers conversion

Conversion runs even on files with a `.mp4` extension when:

* the codec does not match the platform spec (for example, HEVC instead of H.264)
* the bitrate falls outside the platform's range
* the resolution or aspect ratio does not match
* the container format differs (`.mov`, `.webm`, and others)

### How to bypass the 120-second cap

Pre-encode your video to the exact platform spec listed below before passing the URL to Blotato. Files matching the spec skip conversion entirely and post without the 120-second limit.

***

## Twitter

### General Guidelines

* **Max Character Length**: For regular accounts the character limit is 280 characters. For Premium accounts the character limit is 25,000 characters.
* **Media Attachments per Tweet**: You can attach up to 4 photos, 1 animated GIF, or 1 video in a single Tweet.
* If you see a 429 error from Twitter, you are posting too much. Twitter has a per user limit of 100 requests per 24 hours.

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP
* **File Size Limit**: Images must be ≤ 5 MB; animated GIFs must be ≤ 15 MB.
* **Animated GIF Recommendations**:

  * **Resolution**: ≤ 1280x1080 pixels
  * **Frame Count**: ≤ 350 frames
  * **Total Pixels**: Width × Height × Number of Frames ≤ 300 million pixels
  * **File Size**: ≤ 15 MB

  For larger GIFs, use the chunked upload endpoint with `media_category=tweet_gif` to enable asynchronous processing.

### Video Specifications

**Recommended Settings**:

* **Codec**: H.264 High Profile
* **Frame Rates**: 30 FPS or 60 FPS
* **Resolutions**:

  * 1280x720 (landscape)
  * 720x1280 (portrait)
  * 720x720 (square)

  Subscribed users can upload 1080p videos and receive 1080p playback; unsubscribed users are limited to 720p.
* **Bitrates**:
  * **Video**: Minimum 5,000 kbps
  * **Audio**: Minimum 128 kbps
* **Audio Codec**: AAC Low Complexity (LC)
* **Aspect Ratios**: 16:9 (landscape or portrait), 1:1 (square)

**Advanced Constraints**:

* **Frame Rate**: ≤ 60 FPS
* **Dimensions**: Between 32x32 and 1280x1024 pixels
* **File Size**: ≤ 512 MB
* **Duration**: Between 0.5 seconds and 140 seconds\*
* **Aspect Ratio Range**: Between 1:3 and 3:1
* **Pixel Aspect Ratio**: 1:1
* **Pixel Format**: YUV 4:2:0
* **Audio Channels**: Mono or Stereo; 5.1 or greater is not supported
* **GOP Structure**: Closed GOP required; open GOP is not supported
* **Scan Type**: Progressive scan only; interlaced video is not supported

\* If your video doesn't meet Twitter's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

## Instagram

### General Guidelines

* **Caption Length**: Instagram captions are limited to 2200 characters.

### Image Specifications

* **Format**: JPEG, PNG
* **File Size**: Maximum of 8 MB
* **Aspect Ratio**: Must be within a 4:5 to 1.91:1 range
* **Minimum Width**: 320 pixels (images will be scaled up to this width if smaller)
* **Maximum Width**: 1440 pixels (images will be scaled down to this width if larger)

For optimal display, it's recommended to use square images with a 1:1 aspect ratio. This ensures that your content utilizes the maximum area on the platform.

### Video Specifications

* **Format**: MP4 and MOV.
* **File Size**: Maximum of 100 MB
* **Duration**:
  * Minimum: 3 seconds
  * Maximum:
    * Reel: 15 minutes\*
    * Story: 60 seconds
* **Aspect Ratio**: Must be within a 4:5 to 1.91:1 range
* **Minimum Width**: 320 pixels
* **Maximum Width**: 1440 pixels

Similar to images, using a 1:1 aspect ratio for videos is recommended to maximize on-screen display area.

\* If your video doesn't meet Instagram's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Carousel Specifications

* **Composition**: Images, videos, or a mix of both.
* **Number of Items**: 2 to 10.
* **Aspect Ratio Cropping**: All carousel items are cropped based on the first image. The default aspect ratio is 1:1.
* **Video Aspect Ratio:** 1:1 (square), 4:5 (portrait), and 1.91:1 (landscape)

Each item within the carousel must adhere to the respective image and video specifications outlined above.

## LinkedIn

### General Guidelines

* **Character Limit per Post**: LinkedIn allows up to 3000 characters per post.

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: JPG, GIF, and PNG.
* **File Size Limit**: Images must be ≤ 5 MB.
* **Pixel Count**: Images should have less than 36,152,320 pixels.
* **Animated GIF Constraints**:
  * **Frame Limit**: GIFs support up to 250 frames.

For optimal display, it's recommended to use images with a 1.91:1 aspect ratio, such as 1200 x 627 pixels. This ensures that your content utilizes the maximum area on the platform.

### Video Specifications

* **Supported Format**: MP4.
* **File Size**: Between 75 KB and 500 MB.
* **Duration**: Between 3 seconds and 30 minutes.\*
* **Resolution**: Minimum of 256 x 144 pixels; maximum of 4096 x 2304 pixels.
* **Aspect Ratios**:
  * **Landscape**: 16:9
  * **Portrait**: 9:16
  * **Square**: 1:1
* **Frame Rate**: Up to 60 frames per second (fps).
* **Bitrate**: Up to 30 Mbps.

For optimal display across devices, consider using a square (1:1) aspect ratio with a resolution of 1080 x 1080 pixels. This format adapts well to both mobile and desktop environments.

\* If your video doesn't meet LinkedIn's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Carousel Specifications (LinkedIn Document / PDF carousel)

* Supplying more than one media URL automatically publishes the LinkedIn post as a Document carousel — LinkedIn's modern PDF-based carousel format where viewers swipe through pages like a PDF.
* Pass 2-10 image URLs (JPG, PNG) in `mediaUrls` and Blotato auto-builds the Document carousel. The same image URLs you use for Instagram carousels work for LinkedIn — Blotato handles the conversion.
* Carousels support images only. Video carousels are not supported.
* Maximum of 10 images per carousel.
* Each image follows the standard LinkedIn image specs above.

## Facebook

### General Guidelines

* **Graph API Endpoints**: Max character limit is 63,206 characters

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, and TIFF.
* **File Size Limit**: Up to 30 MB.
* **Recommended Resolution**: At least 1080 pixels wide.
* **Aspect Ratios**:
  * **Square**: 1:1
  * **Portrait**: 4:5
  * **Landscape**: 1.91:1
* **Additional Recommendations**:
  * Use images with minimal text overlay to avoid reduced delivery.
  * Ensure images are clear and not pixelated or blurry.
  * For PNG files, keep the file size below 1 MB to prevent pixelation.

### Video Specifications

All Facebook videos publish as **Reels**. Regular Facebook feed video posts are no longer supported.

* **Supported Formats**: MP4, MOV, AVI.
* **File Size Limit**: Up to 1 GB.
* **Duration**: Between 3 seconds and 90 seconds.
* **Minimum Resolution**: 540 x 960 pixels (width x height).
* **Aspect Ratio**: 9:16.
* **Frame Rate**: 24 to 60 frames per second.

#### Recommended Encoding

* **Video Codec**: H.264 or H.265 (VP9 and AV1 also supported).
* **Audio Codec**: AAC Low Complexity.
* **Audio Bitrate**: 128 kbps or higher.
* **Audio Sample Rate**: 48 kHz.
* **Audio Channels**: Stereo.
* **Chroma Subsampling**: 4:2:0.
* **GOP**: Closed GOP, 2 to 5 seconds.
* **Frame Rate Mode**: Fixed.
* **Scan Type**: Progressive.

### Story Specifications

* Stories require one video or image attachment. If more than one is provided, only the first is used.
* Image and video requirements follow the same specifications listed above.

## TikTok

### Description Specifications

* **Character Limit**: The character limit is 2200 characters.

### Video Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: MP4 (recommended), WebM, and MOV.
* **Codecs**: H.264 (recommended), H.265, VP8, VP9.
* **Frame Rate**: Minimum of 23 FPS; maximum of 60 FPS.
* **Resolution**: Minimum of 360 pixels for both height and width; maximum of 4096 pixels for both height and width.
* **Duration**: Up to 10 minutes.\*
* **File Size**: Maximum of 4 GB.

\* If your video doesn't meet TikTok's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: WebP, JPEG. TikTok does not accept PNG format -- convert PNG images to JPEG before posting.
* **Resolution**: Maximum of 1080 pixels.
* **File Size**: Maximum of 20 MB per image.

## Pinterest

### Description Specifications

* **Description Character Limit**: 800 characters.
* **Title Character Limit**: 100 characters.
* **Alt Text Character Limit**: 800 characters.
* **URL Link Character Limit**: 2048 characters.

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: PNG, JPEG.
* **File Size**: Maximum of 20 MB per image.

### Video Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: MP4 (recommended), MOV.
* **Codecs**: H.264 (recommended), H.265.
* **Resolution**: 240p minimum
* **Duration**: Minimum 4 seconds, Maximum 5 minutes.\*
* **Audio**: Optional, but advisable.
* **File Size**: Maximum of 2 GB.

\* If your video doesn't meet Pinterest's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Carousel Specifications

* **Number of Items**: 2 to 5 images.

## Threads

### Image Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: JPEG and PNG
* **File Size**: Maximum of 8 MB
* **Resolution**:
  * **Minimum Width**: 320 pixels (scaled up if smaller)
  * **Maximum Width**: 1440 pixels (scaled down if larger)
  * **Height**: Varies depending on width and aspect ratio
* **Aspect Ratio**: Between 10:1 and 1:10
* **Color Space**: sRGB (Images in other color spaces will be converted to sRGB)

### Video Specifications

* **Supported Formats**:
  * **Container**: MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) or MOV
  * **Video Codec**: H.264 or HEVC (progressive scan, closed GOP, 4:2:0 chroma subsampling)
  * **Audio Codec**: AAC, maximum 48 kHz sample rate, mono or stereo
* **Resolution**:
  * **Maximum Width**: 1920 pixels
  * **Aspect Ratio**: Between 0.01:1 and 10:1 (9:16 recommended to avoid cropping or blank space)
* **Frame Rate**: Between 23 and 60 FPS
* **Bitrates**:
  * **Video Bitrate**: Variable bitrate (VBR), up to 100 Mbps
  * **Audio Bitrate**: Maximum 128 kbps
* **Duration**: Between 1 second and 5 minutes (300 seconds)\*
* **File Size**: Maximum of 1 GB

\* If your video doesn't meet Threads' specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Text and Carousel Post Limitations

* **Text Posts**: Limited to 500 characters per post
* **Carousel Posts**:
  * **Minimum Items**: 2 images/videos
  * **Maximum Items**: 20 images/videos

## Bluesky

**Post Character Limit**: 300 characters per post

**Image Guidelines:**

* **Up to 4 images**
* **Single and multiple image posts**:
  * Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
  * Landscape: 1200 x 627 pixels
  * Portrait: 627 x 1200 pixels

## YouTube

### Video Specifications

* **Supported Formats**: YouTube accepts various video formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, 3GPP, and WebM.

  [elfsight.com](https://elfsight.com/blog/requirements-uploading-video-youtube/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Recommended Format**: MP4 with H.264 video codec and AAC-LC audio codec is recommended for optimal quality and file size.

  [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=en\&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Resolution and Aspect Ratio**:
  * Standard aspect ratio: 16:9.
  * Recommended resolutions:
    * 2160p (4K): 3840x2160
    * 1440p (2K): 2560x1440
    * 1080p (Full HD): 1920x1080
    * 720p (HD): 1280x720
    * 480p (SD): 854x480
    * 360p: 640x360
    * 240p: 426x240
  * For videos intended for sale or rental, a minimum resolution of 1920x1080 is required.[support.google.com](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/4603579?hl=en\&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Frame Rate**: Content should be encoded and uploaded in the same frame rate it was recorded. Common frame rates include 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60 frames per second.

  [support.google.com](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=en\&utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Bitrate**: Choose H.264 encoding for the best balance of quality and file size. Keep the bitrate between 8 Mbps (1080p) and 35 Mbps (4K).

  [zebracat.ai](https://www.zebracat.ai/post/best-video-format-youtube-updated-guide?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **File Size and Duration**: Verified accounts can upload videos up to 256 GB or 12 hours\*, whichever is less.

  [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_YouTube_features?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

\* If your video doesn't meet YouTube's specifications, Blotato will attempt to convert it for you. In this case, the video must be shorter than 120 seconds.

### Image Specifications

* **Channel Art (Banner Image)**:
  * Recommended dimensions: 2560x1440 pixels.
  * Safe area for text and logos: 1546x423 pixels (centered).
  * Accepted file types: JPG, GIF, BMP, or PNG.
  * Maximum file size: 6 MB.[adobe.com](https://www.adobe.com/express/discover/sizes/youtube?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Profile Picture**:
  * Recommended dimensions: 800x800 pixels.
  * Aspect ratio: 1:1.
  * Accepted file types: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP.
  * Maximum file size: 2 MB.[plannthat.com](https://www.plannthat.com/youtube-video-sizes/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* **Video Thumbnails**:
  * Recommended dimensions: 1280x720 pixels.
  * Minimum width: 640 pixels.
  * Aspect ratio: 16:9.
  * Accepted file types: JPG, GIF, BMP, or PNG.
  * Maximum file size: 2 MB.[shopify.com](https://www.shopify.com/blog/youtube-thumbnail-size?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

### Text Specifications

* **Video Titles**:
  * Maximum length: 100 characters.
  * Ensure titles are concise, descriptive, and include relevant keywords.
* **Video Descriptions**:
  * Maximum length: 5,000 characters.
  * Provide detailed information about the video content, including relevant links and timestamps.
* **Tags**:
  * Use relevant keywords to improve searchability.
  * Avoid using excessive or misleading tags.


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