The short version
- A clear text layout for social media posts has three levels: a headline, a detail line and a call to action.
- On a 1080 pixel wide post, a headline of 90 to 140 px, a detail line of 48 to 64 px and a call to action of around 40 px read well on a phone.
- Each level should be clearly smaller than the one above it, roughly half to two thirds the size, so the order is obvious at a glance.
- Keep the headline to about eight words and put it where the eye lands first, usually the upper or middle third.
- The call to action is the quietest text on the post, because the caption and the platform's own buttons already invite the next step.
On this page
The best text layout for social media posts uses three levels and no more: a headline that says the one thing, a detail line that answers the obvious follow up question, and a small call to action that says what to do next. Each level is clearly smaller than the one above it, and each sits in a predictable place. Someone scrolling gives a post a moment, and three levels is about what a moment can hold.
Example: ranking the words on a post
A florist wants to announce Mother's Day orders. The first draft has everything at a similar size: the shop name, "Mother's Day is coming", "Order bouquets online now", "Delivery available across the city", "Order by Thursday", and the web address. Six lines competing means nothing is read.
Ranked, it becomes: headline Order by Thursday. (the thing people must act on), detail Hand tied bouquets, delivered Sunday (what and when), call to action Link in bio (where). The shop name moves to a small label or disappears, because the profile already shows it.
Before: every line fights for attention and the deadline is buried.
After: one headline, one detail line, and the call to action left to the caption.
Font sizes for headline, detail and call to action
Sizes below are for any post 1080 pixels wide, which covers Instagram portrait, square and story formats. The rule underneath is more useful than the numbers: each level should be roughly half to two thirds the size of the one above, or the eye can't tell them apart.
Job
Size at 1080 px wide
Length
Size at 1080 px wide
Length
Size at 1080 px wide
Length
Job
Size at 1080 px wide
Length
Weight helps as much as size. A bold headline and a regular detail line separate cleanly even when the sizes are closer than you'd like. More on sizing for phones is in font size for social media, and the general theory is in visual hierarchy.
Where to place each level
People read a post the way they read a page: top to bottom, start to end of the line. So the headline goes high or in the middle, the detail sits directly under it, and the call to action goes last, near the bottom. Keep the three close together as one group; spreading them to the corners makes the eye hunt.
Portrait post 1080×1350
1080 × 1350
Square post 1080×1080
1080 × 1080
Story 1080×1920
1080 × 1920
LinkedIn post 1200×1200
1200 × 1200
- Portrait 1080×1350: headline in the upper third or centred, detail below, call to action near the bottom with a margin of at least 80 px.
- Square 1080×1080: centre the group or align it to one side; the profile grid shows a cropped preview of every post, so keep the headline clear of the top and bottom edges.
- Story 1080×1920: headline just below the top safe line, call to action above the reply field. Social media safe zones has the map.
- Carousel first slide: headline only, plus a small arrow or "Swipe" cue. Details go on slide two; Instagram carousel design covers the rest.
Common text layout mistakes on social posts
Avoid
- Headline and detail at nearly the same size
- The brand name as the largest text
- A call to action louder than the headline
- Text pushed into the corners and edges
- Five or more lines of body text on one slide
- Centring long paragraphs
Do
- A clear step down in size between levels
- The message as the largest text; the logo small
- A quiet call to action, close to the detail
- Generous margins, around 80 to 100 px
- Long content split across carousel slides
- Left aligned text when it runs past two lines
The call to action deserves a word. On Instagram, the caption and the like, comment and share buttons sit right under the image, and "link in bio" is understood by everyone. So the call to action on the image itself can be small. Make it loud only when the action is the whole point, such as a sale deadline.
How to lay out text on a social post in five steps
- 1
Write everything down, then rank it
Put the one thing first. Everything else is either the detail, the call to action, or the caption.
- 2
Cut the headline to eight words or fewer
If it won't fit at 90 px on three lines, it's too long. A sturdy headline font makes a short line hit harder.
- 3
Set the sizes as steps
Headline, then about half for the detail, then smaller again for the call to action.
- 4
Group and place
Stack the three levels together with consistent spacing, aligned to one edge or the centre.
- 5
Test at phone size
Zoom your canvas out until the post is the width of a phone held at arm's length. If the order isn't obvious, increase the steps.
When the number is the news, it becomes the headline and the words become the detail.
Keeping every level readable on a busy background
Hierarchy only works if all three levels can be read. The headline is usually fine because it's big; the detail and call to action are where contrast fails, especially over a gradient or photo. Place the group over the calmest area and check the smallest line first. Text on a gradient goes into the techniques.
In Gradiently, the Mark behind a design knows where the words are. Its calmest region moves behind the text and Auto ink picks light or dark type for each line, so a small call to action stays as readable as the headline. Set the hierarchy once, then make a story or LinkedIn version from the same design instead of rebuilding it.
Questions people ask
How much text should be on an Instagram post?
A headline of up to about eight words and one detail line is ideal. Longer explanations belong in the caption or on extra carousel slides.
What font size should a headline be on a social media post?
On a post 1080 pixels wide, 90 to 140 px for the headline, 48 to 64 px for a detail line and around 40 px for a call to action.
Where should the call to action go on a social post?
Near the bottom, close to the detail line and inside the safe area. On a story, keep it above the reply field.
Should text on social posts be centred or left aligned?
Centre short headlines of one to three lines. Left align anything longer, because ragged centred lines are harder to read.
Written by Gradiently
The team behind Gradiently, a design tool built around Marks: living gradients that make everything you design look like yours.
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