For most UGC videos, 9:16 is the best default because it fills the whole phone screen where people watch short-form content.
That said, the best aspect ratio for UGC videos depends on where you plan to publish and advertise, because each placement crops differently. If you only pick one format to film, we almost always film in 9:16 first, then create clean crops for 1:1 and 16:9 so nothing important gets cut off.
Best aspect ratio by placement
| Aspect ratio | Best for | Typical export | Why it works | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:16 (vertical) | TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Stories, vertical ads | 1080 x 1920 | Full-screen on mobile, looks native for UGC | Leave breathing room near the top and bottom for app UI, captions, and buttons |
| 1:1 (square) | Instagram and Facebook feed posts, some marketplaces, email embeds | 1080 x 1080 | Balanced framing, easy to read on feed | On vertical placements it can look smaller or get padded, which can reduce impact |
| 16:9 (landscape) | YouTube long-form, website hero sections, presentations, connected TV | 1920 x 1080 | Natural for horizontal viewing and web video | On Reels/Shorts it will either be letterboxed or cropped, and both feel less native |
If your audience is mostly finding you on a phone, which is common for Orlando and Central Florida local businesses, 9:16 usually wins because it matches how people scroll and watch between errands, appointments, and commutes.
Here’s the simple rule we use when planning edits: film with the subject and product centered, keep text away from the edges, and leave extra headroom so your 9:16 master can be cropped into 1:1 or 16:9 without chopping off faces, hands, or the product.
If you want us to plan this for you from the brief stage and deliver the right variations, our UGC video production process is built around platform-ready exports, not one-size-fits-all edits.
If you are selecting formats based on the channel you post on most, this FAQ on what platforms UGC videos are most commonly made for helps you match the ratio to the placement.
If you are running UGC as paid ads, our PPC management work starts with placements and creative specs first, then we cut the videos so the framing and on-screen text land cleanly.
If you want to get more mileage from one shoot day, our FAQ on repurposing UGC into more content lays out the usual set of variations brands request so you do not have to reshoot every time.
