How to Choose a Layout for a Facebook Post

Choosing the right layout for a Facebook post full of photos might seem like a small detail, but it can dramatically change how your audience interacts with your content. Get it right, and you create a mini-story that stops the scroll, get it wrong, and your best images might get lost in a jumbled grid. This guide breaks down exactly how to select the perfect multi-photo layout on Facebook, explaining the strategy behind each option so you can make smarter content decisions.

Why Your Facebook Post Layout Matters More Than You Think

In a fast-moving feed, the visual presentation of your post is your first - and sometimes only - chance to grab someone’s attention. A well-chosen layout does more than just display your photos, it adds a layer of professionalism and narrative to your post.

Think about it like this: A layout directs the viewer's eye. By placing one photo in a "hero" position, you're telling your audience, "Look here first! This is the most important part." A balanced, even grid, on the other hand, suggests that all pieces of the puzzle are equally important. This subtle visual cue can be the difference between a user glancing at your post and a user clicking "See More" to engage with your story.

Different layouts also serve different business goals:

• For E-commerce Brands: You can highlight a star product with secondary photos that show details, different angles, or lifestyle context.
• For Coaches or Consultants: A portrait-focused layout can feature a strong headshot alongside graphics that list testimonials or service benefits.
• For Restaurants: Showcase a beautiful photo of a finished dish as the hero, with smaller images of fresh ingredients or the chef in action.

Understanding these options turns posting from a daily chore into a strategic tool for building your brand and connecting with your audience.

Breaking Down Facebook's Core Multi-Photo Layouts

When you upload two or more photos to a Facebook post, the platform automatically arranges them into a grid. While you can't manually select "Layout A" or "Layout B," you can guide Facebook's decision by understanding how it interprets the number of photos you upload and their dimensions (vertical vs. horizontal).

Here’s a breakdown of the most common layouts and when to use them.

The Classic Grid (4 Square Photos)

This is one of the cleanest and most straightforward layouts. When you upload four photos with a square (1:1) aspect ratio, Facebook arranges them into a neat 2x2 grid. All images appear the same size, giving them equal visual importance.

When to Use It:

• Showcasing a Collection: Perfect for a set of related items, like four new T-shirt designs, different color options for a product, or a series of cupcakes with various flavors.
• Event Recaps: Share four distinct moments from an event or workshop where no single photo is more important than the others.
• Presenting Features: Highlight four key benefits or features of a product or service with a separate image for each.
• User-Generated Content: Feature a collage of four customer photos to build social proof and a sense of community.

Example: A pottery studio posts four photos showing four different styles of mugs made by students in a recent class. The grid format gives each student's work equal billing and presents a beautiful, unified look.

The Portrait Hero (1 Vertical, 2-3 Small Squares)

This layout is extremely powerful, especially on mobile devices. It’s generated when you upload one distinctively tall (vertical) image along with two or three smaller, square-like images. Facebook features the vertical image in a large column on the left and neatly stacks the smaller images on the right.

How to Achieve It: To encourage this layout, make sure one of your images has a portrait orientation (like 2:3 or 4:5) while the others are closer to a square (1:1). Facebook will automatically identify the vertical image as the star of the show.

When to Use It:

• Spotlighting a Person: The perfect format for showcasing a powerful headshot, a full-body outfit photo, or a featured employee or client.
• Hero Product Shots: When you have one main product you want to sell, use the hero slot for the polished product photo and use the side images for details, in-use shots, or customer testimonials.
• "Before and After" Reveals: Use the "After" shot as the large, impressive hero image and put the "Before" photo in one of the smaller side slots.

Example: A fitness coach posts a client transformation story. The large vertical image is a stunning "after" photo of the client. The two smaller photos on the side show the "before" picture and a graphic with a quote from their glowing testimonial.

The Landscape Hero (1 Horizontal, 2-3 Small Squares)

This layout functions just like its portrait counterpart, but it's triggered by uploading one prominent horizontal (landscape) image alongside several smaller, square-ish ones. Facebook places the wide image at the top of the post, with the other photos arranged neatly underneath.

How to Achieve It: Your lead image should have a horizontal aspect ratio (like 16:9 or 4:3). The other images can be a mix of orientations, but Facebook will still prioritize the landscape shot for the top position.

When to Use It:

• Showing Off a Space: Ideal for real estate agents displaying a wide shot of a home's exterior, photographers sharing a beautiful landscape, or venues showcasing an event space.
• Group Photos: When your main focus is a team picture or a group of attendees at an event, the wide format is perfect.
• Sharing Infographics: If you've created a graphic with text that needs to be read, the landscape hero position gives it the most visibility.

Example: A travel agency promotes a new tour package. The top image is a breathtaking panoramic photo of a mountain range. The smaller images below feature snapshots of the hotel, local cuisine, and happy travelers.

Side-by-Side Columns (2-3 Vertical or Horizontal Photos)

When you want to compare or contrast images, the column layout is your best friend. Uploading two photos with the same orientation (both vertical or both horizontal) will usually result in Facebook placing them neatly side-by-side.

• Two Photos: With two vertical photos, you get a beautiful side-by-side comparison. With two horizontal photos, they will appear stacked one on top of the other.
• Three Photos: Uploading three vertical photos sometimes generates three thin columns, great for telling a quick, sequential story. Uploading three horizontal photos will typically default to a landscape hero layout, with one on top and two smaller ones underneath.

When to Use It:

• Direct Comparisons: The classic "before and after," comparing two similar products, or showing a "this vs. that" scenario.
• Process Shots: Display a two- or three-step process, like "Step 1" and "Step 2" of a recipe or DIY project.
• Presenting Different Angles: A clothing brand can show the front and back of a garment in a two-column layout.

Example: An interior designer posts two vertical photos side-by-side. One shows a cluttered, messy room ("Before") and the other shows the same room beautifully reorganized and decorated ("After"). The side-by-side comparison makes the transformation incredibly clear and satisfying.

Pro Tips for Mastering Your Facebook Photo Layouts

Just knowing the options isn't enough. Here’s how to put that knowledge into action and create visually compelling posts every time.

1. Design with Your "Hero" Image in Mind

Don't just pick photos at random and hope for the best. Be intentional. If you know you want to use the Portrait Hero layout, plan your photoshoot to include one fantastic vertical shot that can carry the entire post. If a Landscape Hero makes more sense for your campaign, focus on getting a great wide-angle shot. The quality of your entire post often rests on the strength of that primary image.

2. Aspect Ratio is More Important Than Upload Order

A common myth is that the first photo you select for upload becomes the hero image. While that used to hold some weight, Facebook's algorithm now pays more attention to the aspect ratio of your images. If you upload a vertical image first but also include a better-fitting horizontal image, Facebook might override your selection and create a landscape hero layout instead. To get the layout you want, provide images with the correct dimensions (e.g., one distinctly tall photo for a portrait hero).

3. Always Think Mobile-First

The vast majority of Facebook users will see your post on a smartphone. Layouts appear differently on mobile versus desktop. The Portrait Hero layout, for example, is especially dominant on mobile because the tall image can fill a user’s entire screen, making it a powerful way to stop the scroll. Classic grids and landscape layouts, while great on desktop, can appear much smaller and less impactful on a phone screen. Check your posts on mobile to see how they look.

4. Keep Text Minimal in Supporting Images

In any layout with smaller thumbnail images, avoid including important text. It will most likely become blurry, cropped, or completely unreadable. If you need to use text, either place it clearly within your main hero image or - even better - put it in the post's caption where it’s guaranteed to be legible.

5. Mix Different Content Types for a Richer Story

Your photo grid doesn't have to be just product shots. Get creative. For a new product launch, use the Portrait Hero layout: the hero image might be a high-quality product photo, while the smaller side images could be a customer testimonial graphic and a behind-the-scenes shot of the product being made. This variety tells a more engaging and well-rounded story in a single post.

When a Grid Isn’t the Answer: Other Post Formats

Multi-photo grids are fantastic, but they aren't always the best choice. Here's a quick look at when to use other formats:

Single Image Posts

Sometimes, one stunning image is all you need. If you have an incredibly powerful photograph, a major company announcement, or a viral-worthy meme, let it stand on its own. A single image commands undivided attention.

Carousel Posts

This layout looks like a multi-photo post, but it functions completely differently. Carousels are designed to drive traffic. Each image (or "card") in a carousel post can have its own headline, description, and unique link. Use this format when you want to promote several blog posts at once, showcase products that link directly to their sales page, or walk users through a step-by-step tutorial that leads to your website.

Video Posts

If you want to capture attention with movement, sound, and dynamic storytelling, video is the way to go. Video is inherently more engaging on social media, but creating it requires a different strategy. It's best used for tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, storytelling, or highlighting product features in action.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, choosing a Facebook post layout is a creative and strategic decision. By understanding how different grids and heroes work, you can move away from random posting and toward designing content that guides your audience's focus. Plan your visuals ahead of time, consider your primary goal for each post, and you’ll elevate your feed from a simple collection of photos to a truly engaging brand story.

Planning these visual stories gets much simpler when you see everything together. That’s a big reason why we built our visual calendar in Postbase. Getting a bird's-eye view makes it easy to map out your campaigns, decide which hero images to use for each post, and ensure your feed remains balanced, dynamic, and professional without the eleventh-hour stress.