Bitrate

Data processed over time to deliver digital media. Bitrate measures the amount of data processed per unit of time during the transmission or streaming of digital media, such as videos or live broadcasts. Media quality indicator.

It is typically measured in kilobits per second (Kbps) or megabits per second (Mbps) and serves as an essential quality indicator for media content shared on social platforms. The indicator at work. Bitrate is directly related to the clarity and resolution of the content you’re seeing (or not seeing).

The higher the bitrate, the clearer the content tends to be. That’s true for the picture and the sound. It’s also true that with social media, you’re not just talking about added clarity or resolution that way; you’re also talking about the added potential for a visual experience that’s impactful precisely because of how much data is being processed, made available to the viewer—or not.

High bitrate means richer sound and sharper images, but also potentially a larger file size that demands more upload/download bandwidth; conversely, a lower bitrate might mean more compression artifacts (a. k. a.

errors or “lies”) to get the media seen or to see through it to whatever you’re trying to connect with, look at, or connect to.