Platform Rules for Posts

Each platform takes different kinds of posts, and each kind has its own rules. This page collects them in one place, so you can check before you design.

The rules here are the ones Orsa checks when you create a post on the Publish tab of the design editor. How to create a post is covered in Scheduling a Post.

Post types by platform

Twitter/X, Pinterest and Website/Blog can’t be posted to from Orsa. See Connecting Your Social Accounts.

Slides and files for each post type

“Slides” are the pages of your design that you tick in the composer.

Example: a 12-page design can’t go out as one Instagram carousel. Tick 10 slides or fewer, or click Merge into video to send it as one video.

When slides are joined into one video, each slide plays for its own length, one after the other.

Caption and title limits

The caption box counts as you type, like 72/2000, and turns red when you go over. You can’t schedule until it’s back under the limit.

Some options in Advanced options have their own limits:

Instagram’s options are explained in Instagram Post Options.

Story rules

Stories work the same on Instagram and Facebook:

• One file. One slide goes out as an image. A single slide can also be sent as a video with Use video.
• Two or more slides become one video. The composer says “Multiple slides publish as a single video story”.
• No caption. The caption box is hidden for stories.
• No advanced options. Stories have no extra settings.

Tall 9:16 pages, like Instagram Story (1080x1920), are ticked for you when you pick Story.

Example: a café wants three stories in a row: menu, price, “order now”. Ticking all three slides in one Story makes one video story. To post them as three separate image stories, create three Story posts with one slide each, more than 2 minutes apart.

Images and file formats

Orsa turns your slides into files for you when you schedule. You never upload files yourself.

• TikTok Photo posts are always JPEG. TikTok doesn’t accept PNG photos, so Orsa saves them as JPEG automatically. You don’t need to do anything.
• Images are at most 1920 pixels wide. Pixel ratio in Export settings can’t make them wider.
• Transparent background is only offered for image posts. It isn’t offered for videos or TikTok Photo posts.
• Instagram images that aren’t Instagram’s shape are padded to fit by default. You can pick Crop in Advanced options instead. See Instagram Post Options.

Video posts

• Reels, TikTok videos, YouTube Shorts and YouTube videos take exactly one video, made from the slides you tick.
• A video in a carousel comes from a slide set to Video. Each video slide becomes its own clip. LinkedIn doesn’t allow mixing images and video.
• YouTube Shorts need vertical or square video under 3 minutes. If a ticked slide is wider than it is tall, or the slides add up to more than 3 minutes, you see “YouTube may publish this as a regular video — Shorts need vertical or square video under 3 minutes”.
• Cover images for videos are set in Advanced options, on the platforms that offer them.

Timing rules

Example: a design has an Instagram Post scheduled for 9:00 AM. A second Instagram Post of the same design at 9:01 AM is blocked. A Story at 9:01 AM is fine, because it’s a different post type.

Tips for the best results

• Design at the platform’s size. Use Platform & Size in the editor to pick sizes like Instagram Post (1080x1350) or TikTok Video (1080x1920). See Choosing a size.
• Keep carousels to 10 slides or fewer. Split longer stories across two posts.
• Use tall 9:16 pages for reels, stories, shorts and TikTok. They’re picked for you, and they fill the screen.
• Write captions to the strictest limit if you post the same design to several places. Instagram’s 2,000 characters is the shortest.
• Check the preview. It shows the post in a mock-up of the app before you confirm.

Common questions

Why can’t I post a 12-slide carousel? Carousels take at most 10 slides. Untick some, or click Merge into video.

I see “LinkedIn takes all image slides or a single video slide”. A LinkedIn post can’t mix images and video. Set every slide to Image, or tick just one slide and set it to Video.

I see “LinkedIn posts need a caption”. LinkedIn posts always need a caption, even with images or video. Write one.

I see “Write a caption or add a link, or select slides” on Facebook. A Facebook Post with no slides needs a caption or a link. Add one, or tick some slides.

I see “A TikTok photo post allows at most 10 images”. Tick 10 slides or fewer.

I see “Enter a title for the video” on YouTube. YouTube videos and Shorts need a Title. Type one above the description.

I see “Answer the made-for-kids question in advanced options”. YouTube needs to know if the video is made for kids. Open Advanced options and pick Yes or No under Made for kids?.

My TikTok photos came out as JPEG. That’s expected. TikTok doesn’t take PNG photos, so Orsa converts them.

My story has no caption box. Stories don’t have captions on Instagram or Facebook.

I see “Another post is scheduled within 2 minutes of this time”. The same design already has a post of that type, on that platform, within 2 minutes. Move one of them a few minutes.

I see “Pick a time at least 2 minutes from now, or switch to Post now”. Pick a time more than 2 minutes from now, or use Post now.