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The Secret About Quality ft Wattpad's Algorithm | Tips & Tricks

13. 12. 2020

T H E    S E C R E T    A B O U T   Q U A L I T Y
ft wattpad's algorithm

Before I begin, 
I want you to remember that this
chapter is not meant to target or offend anyone.
it's just for some graphic-y knowledge only.

Have you ever noticed how a picture's resolution changes (and by change I mean deteriorate) once its posted in wattpad?

Usually, the difference seems quite minimal when you're using the app on your phone. However, once you open the site and look at the same graphic, it will look weird to you.

But, what exactly happens? So far, I've noticed two prominent things:

Wattpad kills the quality,

and it darkens the picture a bit.

Now you wouldn't really be able to analyze this easily because wattpad has these vibrant covers for its most popular (or should I say overcrowded?) genres - Young and New Adult + Romance. Emphasis on the young more though. 

So yes, it's a little hard to notice, especially if you're on your mobile. But on the more twisted side, wattpad is actually ruining your graphics.

Before moving on to the solutions and a more basic coverage of graphics, let's talk about wattpad's graphic algorithm.

You must have been told, even by wattpad itself, that the dimensions of a book cover here is 512x800. But let me tell you this, dont make the mistake of falling for it.

Granted, it is 512x800, but thats the minimum sizing. What I mean by minimum is that its the lowest size is that dimension. You can always add that up by equivalent amounts (as per your computer/phone can handle, that is).

And as for the darkening part, oh well, dont go all lights-out on this. You say you want it dark but still visible? then go on and fix those adjustment layers (especially if you're using way too dark exposure)! 


A tip here: sometimes your overall cover may look pale when posted in wattpad, it may be so due to various reasons including the conversion from RGB to CMYK (usually doesnt happen in mobile phones and pc), deteriorating of quality etc. To overcome such situations, you can always go back to photoshop (if on pc) and add a vibrance layer. If on mobile, run to Lightroom and play around!

Now lets talk about the resolution of a graphic. Resolution includes: height, width and pixels per inch/centimeter(dpi). Here's how it looks like in photoshop when you want to create a new project:

First of all, I want to clarify that when we talk about resolution, its not just the pixels per inch/centimeter, but the setup as a whole. I'm saying this because as a newbie in the graphics world, many of us get confused with this concept.

Anyways, back to where I was, always remember these points for a better resolution when it comes to graphics:

+ The height and width should always, and I do mean always, be more than 1000 (one thousand) pixels. Its fine if one is a little less than 1000, but it shouldnt be less than 500 pixels and one of the two (either height or width) has to have an amount more than 1000. Its better if both are more than 1000, but any one counts too until the other is atleast more than 500 pixels. 

More simpler terms: 512x800 is a big disgrace to HD quality. Hence, I usually use its double, i.e., 1024x1600. You can even use other equivalent terms like 2048x3200 or anything more, if your device has that much of capacity.

Likewise, if you're making an instagram post, dont take the normal sizing which is 1080x1080 (1:1 ratio)pixels. Always take something bigger than what they tell you to take. I use 1200x1200 due to storage issues but for the best quality, I believe 2000x2000 is it.

Tip: If you aren't sure about the normal sizing, you can always google it or check it out in Canva (the app is basically good for templates and text-slaps, not for editing and all though).

+ The pixels per inch/centimeter should never be 72. If the dpi is in 72 by default, change it before you start working on your project. Earlier, I used it keep it in 500, but due to capacity problems, I now use 300. I think it's best if you keep it in more than 100 dpi. 

These two points are the most essential keys to a graphic of good quality. Granted, there are many more things that determine the quality of a graphic but for the time you're in wattpad, these should be enough. Want more tips? You can check out the chapter written by me in the GuildOfGraphics account!