The reference shelf
The specs, checklists, and definitions we keep open in a second tab. Everything here is free, current, and maintained by the editorial team.
Platform cheat sheet
| Placement | Best image size | Caption limit | Preview cut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instagram feed | 1080×1350 (4:5) | 2,200 chars | ~125 shown |
| Instagram reel | 1080×1920 (9:16) | 2,200 chars | ~125 shown |
| TikTok | 1080×1920 (9:16) | 2,200 chars | ~90 shown |
| 1200×1200 or 1200×627 | 3,000 chars | ~210 shown | |
| X | 1600×900 (16:9) | 280 chars | all shown |
| Threads | 1080×1350 (4:5) | 500 chars | ~190 shown |
Pre-publish checklist
- Hook lands in the first 90 characters
- One idea per line; no wall of text
- Hashtags within the platform's recommended count
- Alt text written for every image
- Captions burned in or auto-captions checked on video
- Link tagged with UTM parameters
- Call to action names one specific next step
- Scheduled in a slot backed by your own analytics
Glossary
- Reach
- Unique accounts that saw the post at least once.
- Impressions
- Total views, including repeat views by the same account.
- ER by reach
- Interactions ÷ reach × 100 — the truest quality signal.
- Content pillar
- A recurring theme your account is known for.
- Hook
- The first line, which decides whether the rest is read.
- Dark social
- Sharing via DMs and messaging apps, invisible in analytics.
Every free tool
Looking for spreadsheets instead? The template library has the calendar, strategy, audit, and reporting sheets as free CSV downloads.
Turn reference into action
Use the specs and checklists to improve the next post, then compare platforms that can make the workflow repeatable.
FireRankings
All-in-one content operations
Generate, schedule, and publish social, blog, and email content from one workflow.
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Canva
On-brand social design
Create social posts, videos, and campaigns with AI-assisted writing and design.
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Adobe Express
Quick visual content
Generate and resize social creative, then schedule it from a lightweight editor.
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Buffer
Simple publishing workflows
Plan and publish across channels with an AI assistant inside the composer.
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Hootsuite
Teams and social listening
Coordinate publishing, monitoring, analytics, and AI-assisted social workflows.
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Sprout Social
Enterprise social intelligence
Bring publishing, engagement, customer care, and reporting into one workspace.
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Agency client and content operations
Run CRM, projects, invoicing, and AI-assisted client work in one connected operating system.
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Later
Visual content planning
Plan visual feeds and schedule social content with AI-assisted caption writing.
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Metricool
Publishing plus analytics
Connect content planning, automated reports, performance analysis, and AI help.
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SocialBee
Evergreen content systems
Generate, categorize, recycle, schedule, and measure content across channels.
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Vista Social
Multi-channel management
Manage publishing, engagement, reviews, and AI-assisted workflows in one place.
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FeedHive
AI content systems
Generate on-brand variations, automate conditions, collaborate, and schedule posts.
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Predis.ai
Posts, reels, and ads
Turn a short brief into social creatives, captions, videos, and publishing plans.
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Ocoya
AI marketing automation
Create marketing copy and media, build workflows, and schedule content to social channels.
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Flick
Instagram content ideas
Develop captions, content ideas, hashtags, and visual concepts with AI assistance.
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Publer
Affordable channel coverage
Schedule, recycle, collaborate on, and optimize social posts with AI support.
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Taplio
LinkedIn growth
Write, schedule, and grow a LinkedIn presence with AI-powered content workflows.
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Repurpose.io
Cross-channel distribution
Move videos, images, and other content from one platform to another automatically.
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OpusClip
Long video to short clips
Find promising moments in long videos and turn them into social-ready short clips.
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Descript
Podcast and video editing
Edit spoken content like a document and prepare clips for social distribution.
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Jasper
Brand-led marketing copy
Build campaign copy and brand-aware content workflows for marketing teams.
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Typefully
Text-first social writing
Draft, refine, and schedule text-led posts and threads with AI assistance.
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Manychat
Social conversations
Build automated conversations and lead flows across social messaging channels.
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CapCut
Short-form video
Create social video with templates, editing tools, captions, and AI-assisted effects.
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Planable
Approval-led publishing
Draft, review, approve, and publish social content with collaborative workflows.
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Lately
Content repurposing at scale
Turn longer content into a stream of social posts for teams and campaigns.
Compare platform →Reference questions
Clear answers for the questions that usually appear after the first click.
Are platform specifications permanent?
No. Social networks change limits and recommendations. Use this reference shelf for planning, then verify the final specification in the platform documentation before production.
What is the difference between reach and impressions?
Reach counts unique accounts, while impressions count total views. Use both together to understand distribution and repeat exposure.
What should I measure first?
Start with the action tied to the goal: clicks for traffic, replies for conversation, saves for utility, or qualified enquiries for demand. Reach alone is context, not the outcome.
Put the research into practice.
Explore the platform that connects content creation, scheduling, approvals, publishing, and reporting.