With the advent of the mobile phone the video world has seen quite the transformation. Gone are the days of the standard aspect ratio being only 16:9. Just like in 2006 when the 16:9 format hastened the elimination of the 4:3 format, today's vertical formats (9:16, 2:3, 4:5 and 1:1) often trump 16:9. But, as I consume video content on my mobile device, I see a lot of creators not really understanding the difference between these new formats and how to best use them. I hope I can shed a little light on each format here and share a few tips where it is best to use each and why.

The bottom line when creating video for social sites is to think about which format the creator is using and where the video will be posted. Too often I see a video on a social site where some of the important content is either cropped, hidden by the site's overlaid icons and text, or simply does not leverage the site's unique aspect ratio. This experience both hurts the brand's image, and decreases viewer engagement.

Though some formats will work on all sites (16:9 as one example), there are optimum formats for each site. If a creator really wants their message to be fully heard and seen they best understand the difference between the sites and implement mobile video best practices.

There are generally five main format aspect ratios available. They are defined below (and the associated sites):

1. 16:9 (Traditional widescreen format) - Standard YouTube
2. 9:16 (Vertical) - Instagram and Facebook Reels, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest Idea Pins
3. 4:5 (Portrait) - Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed
4. 2:3 - Pinterest Pins
5. 1:1 (Square) - LinkedIn, Twitter

What often happens is the one-size-fits-all approach, where a video creator posts a single 9:16 version across all their sites, not thinking about the unique aspect ratios that work best for each site. Below is an example of how that would manifest. To demonstrate this we cut together a 9:16 version of one of our book trailers, "Walking in Mud," without any consideration for text placement or site aspect ratio. 
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1. The first image is the 9:16 video, clean, without any encumbrances (before it is posted). Looks good. Everything works. 
2. Next, we display how that very same video looks posted to five different social sites. Notice the odd cropping in most instances or the video's primary captioned message buried by the site's overlays when posted at Instagram Reels. Not very becoming is it?

Now, check out the videos below when done right. We have cut together the same trailer, but this time we have taken into consideration each site's optimized video format. Notice the difference? We resized each video so there is no odd cropping and aligned the caption so it is free and clear of any site overlays. A professional, quality experience where the video displays as it was originally created. 

Kinetic typography is an innovative technique that combines motion graphics with typography to create dynamic and engaging visual content. The term "kinetic" means movement, and kinetic typography uses animation and motion to bring text to life. This powerful tool has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for a good reason: it is an incredibly effective way to communicate messages and ideas.

One of the primary benefits of kinetic typography is its ability to capture and maintain the viewer's attention. In today's fast-paced world, people are bombarded with information constantly, and it can be challenging to stand out in the crowd. Kinetic typography draws the viewer in with its dynamic movement and engaging visuals, making it an effective way to communicate important messages and ideas.

Moreover, kinetic typography is versatile and can be used in a wide range of settings. It is commonly used in advertising, explainer videos, and social media content. In each of these contexts, kinetic typography can help convey complex ideas and information in a visually appealing and easily digestible way.

Another advantage of kinetic typography is that it can convey emotion and tone. By using various fonts, colors, and animation techniques, the typography can communicate a wide range of emotions, from excitement and joy to sadness and melancholy. This makes it an ideal tool for creating emotionally resonant content that can connect with audiences on a deeper level.

Additionally, kinetic typography can help improve brand recognition and recall. By using consistent typography and design elements, companies can establish a recognizable brand identity that viewers can easily recall. This can help increase brand loyalty and drive engagement.

At Moblio each scene in our trailers are captioned to ensure that each authors' story is heard, with or without sound. So those captions need to be compelling and captivating. When we first launched we kept our captions simple and clean, easy to digest. Now we are taking them to the next level, adding kinetic typography that will help set them apart in the marketplace and empower our authors to share their stories with the world in unique fashion. 

Check out a couple of our latest videos where we converted the original captions to the new kinetic typography style. These were a blast to create and we are not turning back!