30 january 2026
Vertical Design 2026: 10 composition rules that increase retention and CTR
Preparing the voiceover
Just a few years ago, vertical video was perceived as something auxiliary. A format “for TikTok,” fast, noisy, seemingly less serious than classic horizontal video. Many brands, media outlets, and marketers treated it with caution: they filmed “just in case,” tested it without a system, or ignored it altogether. In 2026, this position no longer works. Vertical video is no longer a trend or an experiment. It has become the basic format for content consumption. Not because of algorithms. Not because of TikTok. But because of how people actually use smartphones, consume information, and make decisions in their feed. Today, the question is not “should we do vertical,” but how to design it so that it holds attention, doesn't look random, and gives measurable results. We're talking about retention, views, clicks, CTR. Vertical video — the main format in 2026...