Media Preferences Explained

What media preferences control

Media Preference tells your AI Manager what kind of visual to create for posts about this catalog item. Default is “AI decides” — it picks based on platform and context. But you can lock in a specific format when you want consistent presentation.

Option 1: AI Decides (Default)

Your AI Manager chooses image, video, or text-only based on platform, content type, and available media.

When to use: Most of the time — your AI Manager is good at this.

Example: Restaurant menu item → your AI Manager uses food photo on Instagram, video on TikTok, text-focused on LinkedIn.

Option 2: Image

Select a specific image from your collateral. Your AI Manager uses this image (or rotates through multiple selected images) for posts about this item.

When to use: You have great product photography and want consistency.

Example: E-commerce product shots, real estate listing photos, portfolio work.

Option 3: Video

Select a specific video from your collateral for this item.

When to use: You have demo videos, process footage, or dynamic content.

Example: Exercise demonstrations, recipe tutorials, before/after time-lapse.

Option 4: Text Only

Forces text-only posts with no media on platforms that support it (Twitter/X, Bluesky, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn). Platforms that require media (Instagram, TikTok) will still include visuals.

When to use: Thought leadership, announcements, or engagement prompts where text carries the message.

Example: Industry hot takes, “Did you know?” facts, community questions.

Option 5: Before/After Photo

Creates a side-by-side comparison from two images — a before image and an after image.

When to use: Transformation-based content.

See Creating Before/After Transformation Content for a full guide.

Option 6: Slideshow Video

Creates a 15-second crossfade video from 3–5 images. Your AI Manager stitches them together into a smooth visual sequence.

When to use: You want to show multiple angles, steps, or moments in a video format.

How to set up: Select 3–5 images from your collateral.

Examples:

• Plating process: sauce → protein → garnish → final dish
• Haircut transformation: consultation → cutting → styling → reveal
• Real estate walkthrough: exterior → living room → kitchen → backyard

Option 7: Picture Collage

Creates a grid/collage from 2–4 images composed into a single image.

When to use: You want to show variety or multiple angles in one post.

Examples:

• Product lineup: show 4 colorways in one post
• Event recap: 4 photos from the workshop
• Menu highlight: appetizer, entree, dessert, drink in one grid

Option 8: Ken Burns Effect

Creates a 15-second cinematic video from a single image with slow pan/zoom animation. Great for turning photos into Reels or TikToks.

When to use: You have great photos but want video-format posts (for Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts).

Example: High-res product photography, landscape photos, architectural shots.

Selecting multiple images

When you choose Image, Slideshow, Collage, or Before/After, you can select multiple images from your collateral library. For Image mode, your AI Manager rotates through the selected images, using a different one each time it posts about this item.

Examples:

• Restaurant dish: 5 different photos (plated, ingredients, chef preparing, customer enjoying, overhead shot) — your AI Manager uses a different photo each time
• Real estate listing: 8 photos (exterior, living room, kitchen, bedrooms, backyard) — your AI Manager picks contextually appropriate photos

Choosing the right preference

• Transformation content? → Before/After Photo
• Process or multi-step? → Slideshow Video
• Great photo, want video format? → Ken Burns Effect
• Multiple moments in one post? → Picture Collage
• Text carries the message? → Text Only
• Not sure? → Leave on AI Decides

Next steps

• Creating Before/After Transformation Content — deep dive on that format
• Vertical Playbooks — see how industries use different formats