Vertical best practices: how to prepare better vertical video

The main idea of vertical video

Vertical video should look good on a phone.

The viewer should not need to zoom in, rotate the screen or search for the main person in the frame. In a good vertical video, the important part is visible right away: the face, the object, the action or the key part of the scene.

That is why the main goal of vertical conversion is simple: keep the important part in the frame and remove extra space from the sides.

Remember that part of the frame will be cropped

When a horizontal video becomes vertical, part of the image is usually cropped.

This is normal. A horizontal frame is wide, and a vertical frame is narrow. You cannot keep the full width of the video and also get a full vertical result without empty areas or a very small image.

Before processing, it helps to think about what must stay visible:

• a person’s face;
• the main speaker;
• an important object;
• the action;
• the central part of the scene.

The clearer the main subject is, the better the result can be.

Keep the important part closer to the center

If you are recording a video that may later become vertical, try to keep important objects closer to the center of the frame.

This is especially useful for:

• interviews;
• podcasts;
• lessons;
• expert videos;
• family videos;
• short videos for social media.

If a person stays at the very edge of the frame, they may be partly cropped out in the vertical version. If they are closer to the center, it is easier for the service to prepare a clean vertical result.

Think about where the video will be used

For TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, the vertical 9:16 format usually works best.

If the video is for YouTube, a webinar, a presentation or desktop viewing, a horizontal format may be more convenient.

Before creating an order, decide what you need:

• if you need mobile video, choose a vertical version;
• if you need to keep the full wide frame, it may be better to keep the horizontal format;
• if you need short vertical clips from a long video, use AI Clip Creation and add TikTok/Reels/Shorts version;
• if you only need to make a finished video vertical, use Vertical Conversion Only.

Best practices before uploading

Before uploading your video, it is useful to check a few simple things.

Make sure that:

• the main person or object is clearly visible;
• the important part is not always at the edge of the frame;
• the video is not too dark;
• the camera does not shake too much;
• it is clear what should be the main focus;
• you choose the right mode: Simple center crop or Smart face tracking.

This is a simple check, but it can help you get a better vertical result.

Frequently asked questions about vertical best practices