Tips for simple social media graphics
On social media, posts with an image that tells the story at a glance get noticed far more than text alone. You don’t need elaborate design skills — a few shapes and a short line of text are often all it takes. Here are some tips for creating simple, effective social media graphics.
Start with the right size
Each platform favors certain aspect ratios. Setting the canvas size first prevents your image from being cropped when it is posted. Common sizes are listed below — platform specs change from time to time, so double-check before posting.
| Use | Aspect ratio | Example canvas |
|---|---|---|
| Landscape post | 16:9 | 1600×900 |
| Square post | 1:1 | 1080×1080 |
| Portrait post | 4:5 | 1080×1350 |
| Link preview (Open Graph) | about 1.91:1 | 1200×630 |
In Shape Maker, set the width and height in the Canvas section of the panel. Large canvases may not fit on screen, but you can scroll the canvas area to edit every part of it.
Four tips for graphics that communicate
1. One message per image
Most people see your image for a split second while scrolling. Stick to one idea per image, and before you start, make sure you can state what the image is saying in a single sentence.
2. Big text, few words
Small text simply won’t be read on a phone screen. Make headlines large — around 60px or more on a 1080-pixel-wide canvas — and keep supporting text as short as possible. In Shape Maker, select a text object and adjust Font size in the panel.
3. No more than three colors
Limiting yourself to a background color, a main color and an accent color gives a consistent look. Circle or box the one thing you want to highlight in the accent color to guide the viewer’s eye.
4. Leave plenty of space
Packing elements right up to the edges feels cramped, and if the platform crops the image, important details get cut off. Keep everything a comfortable distance from the edges of the canvas.
Use a colored background, not a transparent one
Some platforms display transparent areas as white or black, which can make your image look unexpected. For social media posts, untick “Transparent background” and choose a background color.
Export settings
- Format: PNG — for images made mostly of shapes and text, PNG keeps edges crisp. See PNG vs JPEG: which should you use? for details.
- Resolution: 1x–2x — if your canvas already matches the posting size, 1x is enough. If you worked on a smaller canvas, 2x keeps the image from looking blurry when it is enlarged.
Pre-posting checklist
- Is the text readable at phone-screen size?
- Is there just one main message?
- Are there too many colors?
- Is anything important too close to the edges?
- Any typos?
Summary
Set the size first, keep to one message, use big text and few words, stick to three colors and leave room to breathe — these habits alone make social media graphics far more effective. To turn a process into a diagram, see How to make a simple flowchart with shapes and arrows.