Verify current platform specifications
Social platforms change layouts, so confirm the required ratio and pixel dimensions before exporting. Create separate crops for placements with very different shapes instead of relying on automatic trimming.
Protect the visual center
Keep faces, logos, and essential text away from edges where interfaces or alternate previews may cover them. Give a person space to look or move into, and avoid cutting through joints or product labels.
Preview at phone size
A crop that looks balanced on a large monitor can become confusing in a small feed. Zoom out, check legibility, and remove background details that compete with the subject. Save an uncropped original for future platform changes.