Social
Vertical video for social
Vertical is not a crop of your landscape video. It is a different brief.
Vertical video is made for phones held upright. Keep it under 30 seconds, make the first two seconds carry the hook, caption everything, and leave room top and bottom for platform interface.
The detail, in plain English
In a feed you are competing with a thumb. The opening line has to be the most interesting thing you have, not a build-up towards it.
Keep the presenter's head in the middle third of the frame so no platform overlay covers it.
What to do, step by step
- 1Lead with the hookThe first sentence is the whole advert. Write it last, after you know the point.
- 2Cut to under 30 secondsAbout 70 spoken words. Anything longer belongs on a page, not in a feed.
- 3Leave the edges clearUsernames, captions and buttons live at the top and bottom of the screen.
The short version in a table
| Element | Target |
|---|---|
| Shape | 9:16 |
| Length | 20–30 seconds |
| Words | 45–70 |
| Safe area | Middle third of the frame |
A worked example
Worked example (illustration). A gym produces a 24-second vertical clip introducing a new class, with the offer said in the first four seconds rather than at the end.
What to watch out for
- Reusing a landscape script wholesale makes the vertical version feel slow.
- Fine print in the frame is unreadable on a phone.
- Ending on a long sign-off wastes the seconds you fought for.
How AutoPersonify does it
AutoPersonify gives you 143 real presenters, scripts in 42 languages and a free tier with no card, so you can make a finished video before you decide on a plan. Paid plans are Starter £49, Growth £149 and Scale £499 a month, all measured in finished video minutes.
Questions people ask
Do I need any video experience?
No, but you do need to be ruthless with words. Vertical rewards brevity more than any other format.
How much does it cost?
A 25-second clip uses well under half a minute of allowance, so a free account can cover several test clips.
Can I edit it afterwards?
Yes, and testing two hooks against each other is worth the second production — change only the first line between versions.
Next step
Read the AI presenter video hub for the full picture, or start free and make one. Last updated 14 September 2026.
Start free, no card required
Pick one of 143 presenters, paste a short script, and make a real video before you pay anything.
Also useful: plans and prices and the agency revenue hub. Last updated 14 September 2026.