Buying a business is a major milestone, but for many new owners, social media quickly becomes one of the most confusing and stressful parts of the transition.
If you’ve purchased a business and found yourself locked out of Facebook or Instagram, unsure who owns the Meta Business Manager, or overwhelmed by requests for logins, permissions, or two‑factor authentication, you’re not alone. Social media ownership issues are one of the most common – and least anticipated – problems new business owners face after settlement. Especially when we see the business we’re buying have high/successful Follower counts!
At Social Ocean, we regularly support new business owners across Australia – including Redcliffe and the Moreton Bay region – to recover, untangle, and properly secure their social media and Meta business accounts so they can move forward with confidence.
When a business changes hands, its digital assets don’t always transfer cleanly. Especially with social media.
We frequently see situations where:
What looks like a “simple login issue” often turns out to be a structural ownership problem that requires careful recovery and verification.
Over the past year, Social Ocean has assisted multiple new business owners – each with very different social media access challenges.
In one case, issues stemmed from a combination of simple setup errors and limited communication during the sale. As a result the new owner started renaming existing accounts after rebranding without understanding the importance of naming conventions, created duplicate social accounts by accident and got tangled up with syncing issues between wrong/right accounts and platforms. By mapping the accounts out, and identifying ownership and access of each was integral to the final solutions.
In another, the business had been granted access through multiple pathways over time. Initially though the new owner didn’t understand how Meta permissions, security checks, and two‑factor authentication worked together across multiple email accounts and dashboards. It made the process feel overwhelming and impossible to finalise – so it had been left only partially completed. Another team member had successfully gained Business account ownership, but the owner themselves were lacking overall ownership and access, leaving them vulnerable.
In a third situation, access to the Meta Business account had been left with a junior staff member when the business was sold. This left new owners unable to access and transfer correct ownership at all, which meant they couldn’t properly access to manage or own their own Meta assets. Using a business email login was the only way to log in with the lowest editing access option and they were left with complete inability to schedule anything.
And another business, the accounts had been hacked.
Each scenario required a tailored approach — but all shared one thing in common: the new owners had inherited systems that were never designed for clean ownership transfer. And over the years, the variety of problems we’ve assisted with is even more vast.
Your social media accounts are not just marketing tools, they’re business assets.
Without proper ownership and control, your business may be exposed to:
Ensuring your Meta Business Manager and social media accounts are correctly owned, secured and documented protects your business now and makes future growth, staffing and succession far easier.
Based in Moreton Bay, Queensland and supporting clients across Australia, Social Ocean specialises in supporting new business owners through social media and Meta account recovery by:
We translate complex systems into plain English and provide calm, practical support at a time when business owners are already juggling a lot.
Bought a Business and Unsure Who Owns the Social Media Accounts?
If you’ve recently purchased a business – or are in the middle of a transition – now is the time to make sure your social media and Meta accounts are properly set up and fully under your control.
If you’re in the middle of a transition, our advice is to complete handovers prior to the end of communication with the Seller, in the presence of the Seller or their representative. It’s not good enough to trust the Seller when they say, “Yes – it’ll be done for you, no problem”, because business owners aren’t necessarily equipped with the skills to know how to help complete the process.
Social Ocean supports new business owners across Australia, including Queensland and the City of Moreton Bay, to transition access, secure ownership of the Meta accounts and move forward with confidence.
Get in touch with Social Ocean today to discuss social media and Meta Business account access support.
There’s no denying it – Squarespace websites are pretty.
They’re clean, fluid and stylish straight out of the box. The modern layouts, smooth scrolling effects, and clever use of white space give the impression of a professionally designed site even when they’re built from templates.
As a web designer, I get it. I’ve admired these visual effects – especially the way images fade in, and how fonts glide and curve across pages, and how easy it is to make something look instantly polished.
But beneath all that visual appeal lies a reality most business owners don’t realise until much later: Squarespace’s beauty comes at the cost of performance and control.
And when a business needs more than a digital brochure – if it needs a fast, findable and flexible website that grows with your goals – you’ll quickly run into limitations.
So if a business owner comes with a request to me to build them a Squarespace site, I wouldn’t say yes. What I would do, is explain why that shouldn’t be their choice of website builder, and help them to understand that performance over visual trends will always be better.
Here are the three biggest issues I’ve experienced time and time again, when clients with existing Squarespace sites come to me for help.
Squarespace sites are often slower to load than those built on WordPress or Wix. That’s because the platform uses a shared hosting environment. This means your site runs on the same server setup as thousands of others, with limited optimisation options.
You can’t add speed-enhancing plugins, compress images beyond their defaults, or fine-tune caching and CDN settings. It’s all locked behind the platform’s walls.
Even the most beautiful website loses its shine if visitors leave before it loads. Google research shows that users start dropping off after just three seconds on a site that loads slowly, and site speed directly affects your SEO ranking.
By contrast:
WordPress lets you choose your own host, optimise images, and install performance plugins.
Wix has improved dramatically, with automatic image compression and built-in caching.
Squarespace? It looks good, but moves slow.
Squarespace is built for simplicity. It’s why it’s been popular with “designers” who value visual over performance, or lack in website development awareness. This simplicity limits your ability to fine-tune important SEO and performance settings.
It also flags to us that your designer, may not have digital marketing skills.
If you want to adjust or customise technical settings like:
Custom schema markup (This helps search engines understand what your content is (product, event, article, review) and display it attractively in results with rich snippets that boost click-through rates).
The robots.txt file (This tells search engines which pages to crawl and which to skip. Managing this ensures only your best, customer-facing pages appear in search results).
XML sitemaps (This acts as a road map to help Google find and index your pages faster especially new content and blog posts).
Canonical tags (Prevents duplicate content issues by telling Google which version of a page is the “official” one).
These small but powerful tools make a big difference in how your site performs in search engines.
Squarespace automatically creates them for you – but doesn’t let you edit or refine them. That means your SEO strategy is stuck at the beginner level, no matter how strong your content is.
By contrast:
WordPress gives you full control with plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math.
Wix provides structured data options, meta tag editing, and sitemap controls right in the dashboard.
Squarespace’s “locked box” approach is great for beginners, but frustrating for anyone ready to grow.
Squarespace offers a handful of SEO basics — like editing page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs. That’s fine for getting started, but advanced SEO needs more.
Here’s how Squarespace compares with Wix and WordPress when it comes to SEO tools and flexibility:
Squarespace covers the essentials, but it doesn’t scale well when your marketing strategy becomes more data-driven. WordPress and Wix both provide the depth and adaptability needed for businesses that care about long-term SEO results.
Squarespace wins on style, but WordPress and Wix win on substance.
If you’re running a small creative business or a simple online portfolio, Squarespace can be a great start. But when you’re ready to grow — to rank higher, attract more customers, and build a site that performs as well as it looks — you’ll need a platform that gives you freedom, flexibility, and room to evolve.
Curious about the speed of your website? Run a check on your website via Google PageSpeed Insights. It will also give you a list of improvements to make across your site to help the users experience.
We’re updating several areas of our own site, and using this checking system to help keep us on top of our game too.
At Social Ocean, we create websites that are just as visually stunning as they are technically strong. Whether you’re ready to move on from Squarespace or want to optimise your existing site, we can help you design a platform that works harder for your business – fast, flexible, and built to be found online.
👉 Let’s chat about your next website. If you’re ready to move your website to a more powerful platform, our Design services might provide the solution.
In recent months, I’ve found myself unexpectedly emotional while developing resources for the Cancel Loneliness campaign. This is a community activation project I’ve had the privilege to lead through my work with local charity Band of Brothers Qld Inc.
It wasn’t until I started writing phone educational guides and designing posters and invitations to encourage people to notice signs of loneliness with their own peers and family that I realised… I was describing my own needs too.
A lot of people assume that if you’re visible and active in your community, you must be thriving socially. But the truth is, loneliness doesn’t always look like isolation. Sometimes it looks like a full calendar and a very quiet house.
I’ve been running a business on my own for years now. That decision brought freedom, flexibility and purpose, but it also took me away from something we often don’t realise we need: regular human connection. Gone were the spontaneous kitchenette chats, team drinks, staffroom lunches & sneaky ciggie breaks, as well as shared celebrations and frustrations of working life.
Add to that a husband who travels extensively for work, adult children who’ve moved out, and a remote-work lifestyle, I began to realise how much of my daily life was happening in solitude.
That’s part of why I started The Ocean Network, and later Ladies Who Long Lunch. These communities weren’t just business strategies – they were lifelines. Quiet acts of courage to reach out and build spaces where connection could bloom again.
Now, leading the Cancel Loneliness campaign, I’ve poured those same emotional drivers into every asset we create:
Every one of these materials is grounded in the idea that moments matter –the theme for this year’s Loneliness Awareness Week, about the small act of reaching out, which can be the difference between someone feeling invisible and someone feeling seen.
Sometimes when I read back through the copy we’re printing or listening to stories from my own peers who have mustered up the courage to share their similar stories, I tear up. Because I know – firsthand – how powerful it is to feel that someone remembers you, and that you’re not alone.
It’s not just me. According to the current data, nearly 1 in 3 Australians report feeling lonely – and those numbers are rising. Loneliness doesn’t discriminate: it affects the elderly, the young, carers, remote workers, single parents, new residents, and yes, even campaign designers.
We can’t solve loneliness overnight. But we can take action.
We can notice who’s missing from the table.
We can gently reach out.
We can name loneliness for what it is, and we can guide people toward connection and reconnection.
And maybe… just maybe… while helping others, we can begin healing our own hearts too.
Today my emotions have been set off again, as I received a note from the President of Band of Brothers Qld Inc. thanking me for all the work I’ve put in above the call of duty and how much he appreciates how I’ve helped make the Charity focus on what’s important and present something to the community that will not only be effective but a body of work they can take pride in.
We’re still a fortnight away from launching the campaign to the public, and so I have a lot of emotional moments to come I’m sure. But if you’ve ever felt the sting of loneliness, or know someone who has, I invite you to follow along with the Cancel Loneliness campaign.
You could share a message or story with me.
You could even want to know more about how your organisation could become an Advocate.
You might even like to learn how to recognise the signs of loneliness in others so you could refer them if it feels right.
So please reach out to me to help rewrite the story of disconnection, one conversation at a time.
Armed with over 20 years’ experience in the event management business, Kirsty Fields has co-ordinated everything from kids’ events to national sports games. After a successful career in sports, she embraced modern marketing and promotional techniques.
Her passion for training clients in social media, digital marketing and branding has been combined to present her multi-award winning business Social Ocean a bespoke events marketing agency.
Kirsty’s experience in event management and coordination, and the small business space, backed by her passion for marketing, makes her an ideal source for all things related to events, small business, marketing, social media and branding.
You can find a list of podcasts Kirsty has been featured on, on our About page.
Thanks to Sally Eberhardt for this story published in the Redcliffe Guide May 2022 issue.
Come and celebrate being a woman in business, relax, and make new connections over a deliciously decadent Long Lunch and a glass of bubbly in great company.
At the Ladies Who Long Lunch May event at Tempest Seafood Restaurant, you get to call this fun and friendly experience ‘doing business’. Set right on Scarborough Harbour, Tempest offers waterfront dining and the freshest seafood to enjoy while you bond with some other fabulous females.
Created by Kirsty Fields, Creative Director of Social Ocean, and Jo Stevens, founder of The Zen Zone, the Ladies Who Long Lunch is for women wanting friendship, who need to take time out for themselves, and are looking to make genuine business connections.
Kirsty Fields said this event is for every woman who recognises the importance of self-care and the social impact of spending time with others who inspire, support and re-energise them.
“We understand the type of women we’ve designed this event for. We know who they are because we are them.”
“As business owners, we mainly go somewhere that educates us or advances our business. It’s refreshing to have an opportunity that includes fun and frivolity.”
“Running your own businesses is stressful and it’s important to surround yourself with positivity,” Kirsty said.
Building relationships is the basis of success for businesses according to Jo Stevens.
“There will be plenty of time to mingle, and networking is a great way to build connections,” said Jo.
Kirsty and Jo both feel strongly that younger women should be encouraged to consider a business pathway. One of the highlights of the Long Lunch is the empowerment panel with a Q&A session featuring three young female entreprenuers.
Thos special guests are landscape architect Eva Porter (owner of Porter Designs), founder & marketing strategist Belinda Boyce (owner of Matchsticks Digital), and student journalist Alayna Fond (president of UQJACS).
As Jo said, “Ladies Who Long Lunch is about bringing women together to network, connect, have fun, eat great food, and enjoy a wine or two!”
Spoil yourself a little!
Originally published in The Road Ahead Feb-Mar 2022 magazine. Written by Jessica Wilson.
More than 2.8 tonnes of rubbish was collected by “Waste Warriors” in Clontarf (Ningi Ningi Country) as part of a 100-day program to reduce litter in the region. Love our Clontarf 100-Day Litter Campaign founder Les Barkla said the initiative was a community response to a growing problem.
“I have a Facebook community group called Pristine Peninsula and I noticed two of our Waste Warriors, Phil and Sue Johnson, were picking up a horrendous amount of fast-food packaging and other listter within a 2km radius of a fast-food chain,” Mr Barkla said.
“They were filling a 240-litre council rubbish bin a week with mostly takeaway packaging.”
Mr Barkla created the 100-day campaign with the support of Waste Warriors, the community, local, state and federal governments and local businesses.
“The Redcliffe Peninsula is a unique area as we’re 80 percent surrounded by water, so all the litter on streets ends up in Moreton Bay or Hays Inlet, which is a very sensitive ecosystem for turtles and dugongs,” he said.
“We designed the campaign to bring about education, awareness and behavioural change around litter and actually keep it out of our waterways.”
More than 100 volunteers participated in the campaign which focused on litter hotspots including Snook Street, where the fast-food chain is located, and the Clontarf Beach State High School.
“Local businesses sponsored electronic message boards with anti-littering messages. We had quite effective roadside sign vigils and 40 street sponsors cleaning up their local streets,” Mr Barkla said. The result was a 45 percent reduction in rubbish during the 100-day period and more than 15,000 litter items diverted from local waterways.
“On Snook Street alone, we picked up nearly 11,000 pieces of littler over the 12 weeks,” Mr Barkla said.
“The major items we picked up were 4,500 cigarette butts, which is a major issue for roads, followed by fast-food packaging.”
Mr Barkla said people who threw litter from their vehicles rarely saw the impact of their actions.
“They think their one cigarette butt won’t make a difference and don’t understand that it will take five to 10 years to break down,” he said.
“When you equate what we picked up on Snook Street to annual period, it’s about 50,000 pieces in just 1.6km stretch of road.”
Mr Barkla said the fight against litter was ongoing despite the campaign’s success.
The campaign doesn’t end now the 100 days are over and we’re putting pressure on the government to actually make changes,” he said.
“All packaging needs to be 100 percent compostable or it’s not going to get better because a litterer doesn’t care whether an item is made from recycled material, they just throw it out the window anyway.
“We’re just a community of 60,000 people and just a small part of the state, but I’m a strong believer in communities driving change.”
Read the report here.
Join the Pristine Peninsula Facebook Group
Follow the Pristine Peninsula Redcliffe Facebook page
See how Social Ocean supported the Love Our Clontarf Campaign
The Love Our Clontarf 100 Day Litter Campaign, undertaken on the traditional lands of the Ningy Ningy people, was a litter baseline study and litter reduction campaign held across 100 Days at the beginning of 2021.
The campaign focused on a targeted litter hot spot in a 2 kilometre radius of the McDonalds Clontarf, Redcliffe Peninsula.
At the campaign launch in January, acknowledgement of the Ningy Ningy Peoples – the traditional custodians of the land on which we gathered – was made by campaign Founder Les Barkla. Paying respects to our Elders past, present and emerging, Les also stated that this campaign was all about respect for this land and these local waters, as the ancestors cared for them for 20,000 years.
The Redcliffe Peninsula won numerous Tidy Towns Awards in the early 2000s. Today that level of respect has been lost, as has the connection with land and waters. This has been backed by statistics showing 8 billion cigarette butts are littered every year and 8 million litter items are tossed every day in Australia (Keep Australia, 2019).
Providing raw data to show stakeholders that littler is a serious terrestrial and marine environment issue for this littler hot spot and for the Redcliffe Peninsula. Redcliffe is surrounded by 80% waterways with sensitive marine ecosystems and official Marine National Parks.
Litter was reduced by 45% at the Snook Street audit site over the 12 weeks of audits using various litter awareness and education strategies including social media campaigns, digital sign board located at the audit site, campaign signage around the area, local media coverage with sharing of online content by key stakeholders.
If adequate litter enforcement strategies and resources were available, these 10,952 litter items would have potentially brought in $2.8M in fine revenue based on the now current minimum Litter Fine of $275 (risen in price at 1 July 2021).
The Love our Clontarf 100 Day Litter Campaign Final Report (click to download) includes:
Delivery and discussion with Moreton Bay Regional Councillor Karl Winchester (Division 6 Councillor for Clontarf), meeting attended by fellow area Councillor Sandra Ruck,
Delivery and discussion with State Member for Redcliffe, Yvette D’Ath MP,
Delivery and discussion with Federal Member for Petrie, Luke Howarth MP.
Stencilled footpath messaging for concrete walkways around the Redcliffe Peninsula designed and delivered by the Moreton Bay Regional Council Environment Team. Installation commenced December 2021 with further roll out due in the in the first quarter of 2022.
“Community-Driven Campaign Calls for Action on Litter” by by Jessica Wilson – RACQ Road Ahead Magazine, Feb/March Issue 2022
2021 Community Spirit Awards Finalists by ABC Radio Brisbane Community Spirit Awards – 8 November 2021
“Keeping Clontarf clean, one item at a time” by ABC Brisbane Breakfast Broadcast – 26 October 2021
“Report calls for action on litter” by Kylie Knight – 8 September 2021
“Labour of Love” by Kylie Knight – Dolphins News, 15 May 2021, page 19
“Fight to stop littering goes on” by Kylie Knight – Dolphins News, 5 May 2021, page 2
“Students join war on waste” by Jodie Powell – 14 April 2021
“100 Day campaign to reduce litter begins” by Kylie Knight – 29 January 2021
Join the Pristine Peninsula Facebook Group
Follow the Pristine Peninsula Redcliffe Facebook page
See how Social Ocean supported the Love Our Clontarf Campaign
Searching for a February 2026 social media calendar in Australia?
This month may be short, but it’s full of opportunities to connect with your audience. From Valentine’s Day to World Cancer Day, there are plenty of occasions that help you balance meaningful awareness content with lighter, fun moments. Social media dates are a quick way to reduce the stress of planning, while keeping your feed fresh.
Whether you’re a small business, a charity, or a content creator, planning ahead with a calendar like this will give you confidence. Scroll below for the complete list of February 2026 dates. We’ve given some additional context to some dates, as well as used others for prompts you could make your own.
Want to know how to use this month’s dates?
There are plenty of dates to help inspire you and balance out serious content with fun and quirky – yet still quality – ideas.
We’re often missing some fun and laughter within the seriousness of business or impactful charity work, and some of the dates found in this month could help with this. Read through the list of dates and pick out the ones that immediately make sense to your work. They’ll be easy to tie into your content planning. When it comes to well-known days across the year, an acknowledgement post might be obvious, but thinking outside the box could spark an entire blog or awareness piece.
💡 Tip for specialty industries: If you work in a trade or profession with an Australian governing body, it’s always worth searching for your industry’s specific awareness calendar as well. Those specialist dates aren’t included here, but they can be a goldmine for relevant, high-impact content.
Generating bigger, more substantial content brings more benefits than just showcasing thought leadership – it can greatly assist your website SEO, which Google loves! And when it comes to the fun stuff, take the lead and let those quirky dates spark creativity in your team too.
Remember, you don’t always need to include a sales push in every post. But if you can tie some of this month’s dates to your services or products, give it a crack. And if it all feels a bit whimsical, join a Social Ocean content creation workshop to build your confidence and upskill at the same time.
World Cancer Day (Awareness): Share a story of resilience or highlight a charity that supports people with cancer. Use your platform to raise awareness and point to resources.
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day (Fun/Quirky): Share a light-hearted ‘oops’ moment from your business journey and what you learned from it. Invite your audience to share theirs too.
Valentine’s Day (Awareness): Flip it business-style: post about what you love most about your clients, team, or community. Include photos or testimonials for extra warmth.
Need help turning awareness dates into actual content? Book into a Social Ocean workshop and we’ll show you how to build posts that engage, not just fill space. Plus, don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter for the monthly dates list direct to your inbox.
Looking for March 2026 social media dates in Australia? March marks the start of autumn and brings with it a mix of serious awareness days and fun, quirky holidays.
This month includes International Women’s Day and Harmony Day, both powerful opportunities to connect with your audience. It also includes International Day of Awesomeness and Mario Day, perfect for light-hearted content. For businesses and charities alike, a monthly social media calendar is one of the easiest ways to plan smarter and create engaging content.
See below for the complete March 2026 list. We’ve given some additional context to some dates, as well as used others for prompts you could make your own.
Want to know how to use this month’s dates?
There are plenty of dates to help inspire you and balance out serious content with fun and quirky – yet still quality – ideas.
We’re often missing some fun and laughter within the seriousness of business or impactful charity work, and some of the dates found in this month could help with this. Read through the list of dates and pick out the ones that immediately make sense to your work. They’ll be easy to tie into your content planning. When it comes to well-known days across the year, an acknowledgement post might be obvious, but thinking outside the box could spark an entire blog or awareness piece.
💡 Tip for specialty industries:
If you work in a trade or profession with an Australian governing body, it’s always worth searching for your industry’s specific awareness calendar as well. Those specialist dates aren’t included here, but they can be a goldmine for relevant, high-impact content.
Generating bigger, more substantial content brings more benefits than just showcasing thought leadership – it can greatly assist your website SEO, which Google loves! And when it comes to the fun stuff, take the lead and let those quirky dates spark creativity in your team too.
Remember, you don’t always need to include a sales push in every post. But if you can tie some of this month’s dates to your services or products, give it a crack. And if it all feels a bit whimsical, join a Social Ocean content creation workshop to build your confidence and upskill at the same time.
International Women’s Day (Awareness): Feature an inspiring woman in your community, team, or client base. Share their story and how they’ve influenced your business or sector.
Harmony Day (Awareness): Post about how cultural diversity shapes your work, audience, or events. Invite your community to share their own perspectives.
Mario Day (Fun/Quirky): Create a playful post with a ‘power-up’ theme: what gives your business a boost? Use gaming-inspired icons for fun.
Ready to plan your content with confidence? Join our newsletter to receive the Social Media Dates list every month, plus Ocean Network and Ladies Who Long Lunch events. Or chat to us about running a private workshop for your business or charity team.
Looking for a social media calendar for January 2026 in Australia? You’re in the right place. This month kicks off a fresh new year and is packed with opportunities for businesses, charities, and content creators to engage their audiences. A social media calendar helps you plan posts around public holidays, awareness days, and fun dates so your content feels timely and relevant.
January includes important occasions like Australia Day, as well as global observances such as Data Privacy Day. These dates are ideal for weaving in thoughtful messages, industry insights, or simple engagement prompts. For micro-business owners and charities managing their own marketing, using a calendar like this is one of the simplest ways to reduce stress and keep your content flowing.
Scroll through our full list of January social media dates below and start planning your month with confidence. We’ve given some additional context to some dates, as well as used others for prompts you could make your own.
Want to know how to use this month’s dates?
There are plenty of dates to help inspire you and balance out serious content with fun and quirky – yet still quality – ideas.
We’re often missing some fun and laughter within the seriousness of business or impactful charity work, and some of the dates found in this month could help with this. Read through the list of dates and pick out the ones that immediately make sense to your work. They’ll be easy to tie into your content planning. When it comes to well-known days across the year, an acknowledgement post might be obvious, but thinking outside the box could spark an entire blog or awareness piece.
💡 Tip for specialty industries: If you work in a trade or profession with an Australian governing body, it’s always worth searching for your industry’s specific awareness calendar as well. Those specialist dates aren’t included here, but they can be a goldmine for relevant, high-impact content.
Generating bigger, more substantial content brings more benefits than just showcasing thought leadership – it can greatly assist your website SEO, which Google loves! And when it comes to the fun stuff, take the lead and let those quirky dates spark creativity in your team too.
Remember, you don’t always need to include a sales push in every post. But if you can tie some of this month’s dates to your services or products, give it a crack. And if it all feels a bit whimsical, join a Social Ocean content creation workshop to build your confidence and upskill at the same time.
New Year’s Day (Awareness) – Share your business resolutions or what’s new for 2026. Make it personal and forward-looking, showing your audience what they can expect from you this year.
Make Your Dreams Come True Day (Fun/Quirky) – Encourage your audience to post about their goals and share one of your own. Use it as a motivational moment to connect.
International Day of Education (Awareness) – Highlight your role as an educator in your industry. Share a practical tip or piece of advice that your audience can put into action right away.
Want more ideas like this?
Subscribe to the Social Ocean newsletter and get a fresh list of social media dates in your inbox each month, along with special event news about The Ocean Network, Ladies Who Long Lunch and special opportunities.
Instagram formats and features continue to evolve, allowing a broader range of image ratios beyond the classic square. Over time, IGTV transformed into Video, Reels became the dominant format, and grid previews shifted away from 1:1 to taller aspect ratios. Squares are still supported, but portraits now command more real estate, engagement, and visual impact.
If you rely on visual content—photos, static posts, Reels, or Stories—it’s essential that your templates and designs use the correct pixel sizes. A mis-sized image can appear blurry, cropped, or shrunk, hurting both brand credibility and engagement.
Use our 2025 Instagram image sizes (below) to make sure your published posts are looking sharp.
Enter the pixel sizes into Canva’s custom sizing or create your own digital templates with Adobe or other software.
Here are the latest Instagram imagery sizes.
Instagram now supports multiple aspect ratios in the feed. This might sound strange, but if you’re designing your posts instead of uploading photos, create templates of your preferred size.
DESIGN TIP:
Instagram’s profile grid previews now default to cropping portrait posts to 3:4. Use the 3:4 format when possible or leave safety margins when using 4:5 to prevent important details from being cropped off. When creating Carousels, every slide must be the same size too.
This is main Instagram image that will be seen in more places than your own Instagram Profile.
Your profile image should be square, with a minimum resolution of 320 × 320 px. Many brands choose 400 × 400 px for extra clarity (including us here at Social Ocean),- it will display inside a circular frame, so centre the logo for best visibility.
If your logo doesn’t already fit within a square, ask your designer to provide you with an option that will fit. This will be handy for all social media profiles.
Or make your own. Put your logo on an all white background – centre the logo to a solid white square shape – leave plenty of white space around the edges of the logo. This is what lets you zoom in and out when working inside the logo uploading tool.
If you have a personal brand, read our great tips on how to select your personal profile photo on our blog 5 Profile Photo Tips.
Stories are available to be seen via the profile image on both your Instagram and Facebook business accounts if you have them synced.
Stories artwork for Instagram or Facebook platforms use the same size. You may have other repurposing opportunities for other digital platforms. Although they aren’t great for wide viewing like on YouTube.
You can stitch together still images, graphic designs and videos to create Instagram Reels. Once you have any of these elements, you can create a Reel via the Instagram app on your phone or using different apps.
Ensure you take video on your phone vertically. If you record video clips with your phone held sideways, your Instagram videos on both Facebook and Instagram will no longer be optimised. Images and video for Reels should be the tall slim rectangle orientation.
DESIGN TIP:
If you suffer from fat fingers, you can always upload your files into Canva and build Reels there.
Using the right image dimensions:
Designing templates in Canva or Adobe with these sizes built in saves time and protects your visual integrity.
Social Ocean offers done-for-you graphic design services that include Instagram templates sized for all your visual content — feed posts, carousels, Reels, profile assets, and Stories.
Purchase premade social media quotes for your social scheduling here.
If you need help to create or update your social media images for Instagram or any other platform check out our Graphic Design options.
Check out our blog 5 Profile Photo Tips for guidance on choosing the perfect profile image that fits inside your new templates and represents your brand consistently.
