There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to video anymore. With platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the shape of your video, vertical or horizontal, can drastically impact how it performs.
When we begin a project, one of the first questions we ask our clients is: “Where will you post this video?” Because whether it’s formatted vertically or horizontally can completely change the way we shoot, edit, and tell your story.
In this post, we’re breaking down the differences between vertical and horizontal video, when to use each, and how we approach format planning from day one of production.
The Basics: What’s the Difference?
- Horizontal (16:9): This is the traditional widescreen format used for TVs, YouTube, websites, and most landscape displays. It’s cinematic, familiar, and ideal for longer-form content.
- Vertical (9:16): A taller, phone-optimized format popularized by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. It’s designed to be consumed on mobile devices without the viewer needing to rotate their phone.
While they’re both video formats, they serve different viewing behaviors, and choosing the right one is key to connecting with your audience where they are.
When to Use Horizontal Video
Horizontal video is still the go-to for traditional content.
- Best for: YouTube, websites, television, presentations, and cinematic content.
- Why we use it: It allows for wider shots, multiple subjects in-frame, and more breathing room for visual storytelling.
If you’re producing a brand film, interview, product demo, or explainer video, horizontal is probably your best bet. It also gives us more flexibility in framing, especially for wide angles, multi-camera setups, and motion graphics.
Pro Tip: If your main distribution is YouTube or your company website, stick to horizontal. It’s easier to embed and looks cleaner on desktop or tablet devices.
When Vertical Makes More Sense
Vertical video has exploded thanks to mobile-first platforms. If you’re targeting younger audiences or relying on organic social reach, vertical might actually outperform horizontal.
- Best for: TikTok, Instagram Reels/Stories, Facebook Stories, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat.
- Why we use it: It fills the phone screen entirely, grabs attention quickly, and feels native to the platform.
For event recaps, influencer-style content, quick tips, or ads, vertical allows your message to shine without the black bars. Plus, social algorithms tend to favor content that uses the platform’s preferred format.
We often shoot content natively in vertical when we know it’s going straight to Reels or TikTok, framing our shots and transitions accordingly.
Square & Hybrid Formats
Don’t forget the middle ground: square (1:1) video. It’s commonly used for Instagram feed posts or LinkedIn content. While not as immersive as vertical, square video still takes up more screen real estate than horizontal on mobile devices.
We also sometimes create multiple crops of the same video, a horizontal version for YouTube, and a vertical cutdown for Reels or Shorts. Planning for this upfront helps us frame the shots correctly and avoid awkward cropping later.
How We Plan for Format in Production
Whenever we start a project, one of the first things we ask is what platforms you’re targeting. That helps us plan framing, camera orientation, and even graphic placement.
For example:
- If it’s a vertical-first video, we might shoot with the camera turned 90 degrees or use guides in a horizontal frame to ensure nothing important gets cropped out.
- We’ll also avoid placing text or motion graphics too close to the edges, platforms like Instagram and TikTok often cover corners with interface elements (like captions or icons).
This saves time in post-production and ensures that each version of your video feels intentional, not repurposed.
Editing for Different Formats
In post-production, format affects everything from titles to pacing. Here’s how we handle it:
- Vertical videos usually use larger fonts, tighter shots, and faster pacing to grab viewers quickly.
- Horizontal videos allow for more cinematic storytelling, layered sound design, and visual breathing room.
We often use Adobe Premiere Pro to create multiple versions within the same project, utilizing different sequences and safe margin guides. If motion graphics are involved, we may bring in After Effects to reposition or redesign assets specifically for each aspect ratio.
Tips for Maximizing Both Formats
If you need content for both vertical and horizontal platforms, here’s how we future-proof your footage:
- Shoot in 4K: This gives us flexibility to crop both vertical and horizontal versions from the same frame without sacrificing quality.
- Keep important subjects centered: That way they stay in-frame no matter the crop.
- Capture extra coverage: Wider, tighter, and alternate takes make it easier to edit into multiple formats later.
We’ll sometimes build “content packages” for clients, one hero video in 16:9, and 3–5 vertical micro-clips for social promotion.
Format Should Follow Strategy
The format you choose isn’t a technical decision, it’s a strategic one. Where your video lives, who it’s for, and how you want them to engage should guide whether you shoot vertical or horizontal (or both).
Need help figuring out the right direction for your project? We’ll help you design a format plan that meets your goals, and looks great doing it.