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General Recommendations: Image and Video Quality

Basic principle (the most important idea)

Most "bad" uploads are not caused by the camera, but by:

  • the wrong format
  • lighting that is too dark
  • poor audio quality
  • too much compression

If you only want to focus on one thing: light + sound.

1) Resolution & aspect ratio

Why this matters: Platforms crop or compress. If you choose the wrong format, your content instantly looks unprofessional.

Safe standards:

  • 9:16 (portrait): Reels, Shorts, TikTok, stories
  • 4:5 (portrait): strong feed posts (uses lots of screen space)
  • 16:9 (landscape): classic YouTube videos

Practical tip:

  • Do not place text, logos, or important elements right at the edge.
  • If you are unsure: create a version in 9:16 (mobile-first).

2) Light (matters more than the camera)

Goal: Faces and products should look clear and "fresh".

Quick improvements:

  • Stand by a window (daylight) and film with the light coming from the front.
  • Avoid ceiling light from above. It creates shadows under the eyes.
  • If it flickers: switch rooms or use daylight.

Rule of thumb: If it looks slightly dark to you, it is usually far too dark for the platform.

3) Audio (the underrated quality lever)

Good sound instantly feels high-quality.

Quick improvements:

  • Get closer to the mic. Better to be close + speak quietly than far away + loud.
  • Avoid noisy rooms (street, kitchen, echo).
  • If possible: use a lavalier mic or a good headset.

If you only buy one thing: a small lavalier mic is often the best investment.

4) Export settings (kept simple)

Recommendation for most videos:

  • MP4
  • Video codec H.264
  • Audio AAC
  • 1080p as the standard

Frame rate:

  • 30 fps is the standard and is almost always enough.
  • 60 fps only when there is a lot of motion (sports, fast cuts, screen recordings with lots of scrolling).

5) Compression & file size (to keep uploads stable)

The bigger and "heavier" the file, the more likely you get:

  • long upload times
  • upload errors
  • heavy re-compression by the platform

Practical tips:

  • Better to export "clean" in 1080p than "needlessly huge" in 4K.
  • If a video looks muddy after upload: re-export with a moderate bitrate.

6) Color profiles & image formats

Color profile:

  • Use sRGB for reliable color rendering.
  • Avoid ProPhoto RGB, because it is not cleanly supported everywhere.

Image formats (rules of thumb):

  • JPG for photos (smaller file size)
  • PNG for graphics with transparency
  • WebP as a modern alternative, but not equally well supported everywhere

7) Text in images/videos (readable on a phone)

How to quickly improve text:

  • Make the font bigger than you think.
  • High contrast (light on dark or dark on light).
  • If needed, back the text with a semi-transparent panel.
  • No thin fonts.

8) Subtitles & accessibility

Why this matters: Many people watch without sound.

Minimum:

  • Subtitles for videos.
  • Alt text for images (where available).
  • High-contrast designs.

9) Getting better continuously (without stress)

If you create content regularly, this is the fastest learning loop:

  1. Post.
  2. Look at 2–3 posts afterwards: What looks "weakest"?
  3. Improve exactly one thing in your next post (e.g. light).

That way you improve quickly without changing everything at once.

Last updated: April 9, 2026

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