Table of contents
Quick summary
- House format: vertical 9:16, 1080 by 1920, 15 to 60 seconds, H.264 with AAC audio
- Safe area: the top 180 pixels and bottom 420 sit under the app interface
- Captions burned into the frame, because first views almost always run without sound
- Loudness near minus 14 LUFS, so the platform does not turn the clip down
- Video editing at IDR 100,000 per clip, minimum 30; animation at IDR 200,000, minimum 25
- Social media management at IDR 2,500,000 per month, three month minimum
What the work involves, beyond trimming a long video
Short form production starts before the editor opens: topics pulled from what customers actually ask in comments and WhatsApp threads, a hook written for the first three seconds, a shot list per script, then one shoot that fills a dozen clips or more.
In the edit, cut rhythm carries the clip, usually a cut every 1.5 to 3 seconds through the opening, captions burned into the frame clear of the interface, and one call to action before the closing second. Delivery is one 9:16 master per clip, plus a 4:5 variant when the footage also runs as a paid ad.
A batch usually mixes Reels content, TikTok content and short video for Shorts from the same footage, since all three share one vertical canvas and differ only in length and caption style.
The technical specs that decide whether a clip survives upload
The working canvas is 1080 by 1920 pixels, vertical 9:16, 30 frames per second, H.264 high profile with AAC audio at 48 kHz. Platforms re-encode everything you upload, so the master leaves the editor at 10 to 15 Mbps to keep that re-encode clean. A file already squeezed flat comes out blocky in the dark areas.
Safe area gets measured before the edit, not after the captions are placed. On a 1920 pixel canvas the top 180 pixels sit under the account name, the bottom 420 under the description and share buttons, and the right edge loses a column of icons. Text there reads fine in the editor and arrives half covered on a phone.
- 1080 by 1920 pixels, 9:16, 30 frames per second
- H.264 high profile, AAC audio at 48 kHz, export bitrate 10 to 15 Mbps
- Safe area: 180 pixels top, 420 bottom, one column of icons on the right
- Loudness near minus 14 LUFS, true peak under minus 1 dBTP
- No watermarks from other platforms, always export again from the original file
The faults we find most often when auditing an account
Nearly every account we audit posts regularly. What is rarely right is the first three seconds, usually spent on a logo or a greeting, when that is where half the audience decides to scroll.
The next faults are easier to prove: 16:9 footage padded into a vertical canvas so the subject holds a third of the screen, captions buried under the interface, and clips with no on screen text when the first view happens with the sound off. All of it looks fine in the editor and breaks on a phone.
- The first two seconds go to a logo, and viewers scroll before the content arrives
- 16:9 footage padded into 9:16, leaving the subject on a third of the screen
- Captions land under the share buttons, so half the text is unreadable
- Identical descriptions and hashtags on every clip, so search never finds any of them
How to check a batch yourself in ten minutes
The first check needs no tools: open the clip on a real phone, mute it, then screenshot the first second and the last. Content you cannot follow in silence needs better captions, and text touching the buttons means the safe area is wrong.
The second check uses numbers already in your account, and view count is not one of them: retention at three seconds, average watch time against clip length, replays and link taps. A master whose bitrate or loudness is off usually points at one wrong export preset applied to the whole batch.
Price, batch minimums and the page behind the clip
Pricing is per deliverable: video editing at IDR 100,000 per clip with a 30 clip minimum, animation at IDR 200,000 per clip with a 25 clip minimum, and poster design at IDR 75,000 per post with a 60 post minimum. Handing over the posting, copy, schedule and comment replies as well costs IDR 2,500,000 per month on a three month minimum.
Viewers need somewhere to land. A one page landing page starts at IDR 2,000,000 per year, ready in 3 to 5 working days, and a company profile site starts at IDR 3,000,000 per year for up to 50 pages, with hosting, SSL, the server, a WhatsApp group and uncapped revisions for a year. The domain is bought separately and stays in your name.
The handover is measured: each clip carries a link with its own campaign tag and WhatsApp taps register as leads, so the monthly report names which clips produced conversations. Metanotech works out of Gunung Putri, Bogor, West Java.
Content prices per deliverable and batch minimums
| Service | Price | Minimum | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short form video editing | IDR 100,000 per clip | 30 clips | A 9:16 master, captions burned in |
| Animated video | IDR 200,000 per clip | 25 clips | A 9:16 animation, no shoot |
| Poster design | IDR 75,000 per post | 60 posts | Still graphics for feed and stories |
| Social media management | IDR 2,500,000 per month | 3 months | Posting, copy, schedule, replies |
| Supporting landing page | From IDR 2,000,000 per year | 1 page | Ready in 3 to 5 working days |
Frequently asked questions
How much does social media content production cost?
Short form content at Metanotech is priced per deliverable: video editing at IDR 100,000 per clip, minimum 30 per batch; animation at IDR 200,000 per clip, minimum 25; poster design at IDR 75,000 per post, minimum 60. Running the account costs IDR 2,500,000 per month, three month minimum.
Why is there a minimum of 30 clips per batch?
Batch minimums exist because the costly part is the setup, not the cutting: caption templates, colour matching, export presets and hook patterns reused across the set. Spread across 30 clips, that setup is what keeps the price at IDR 100,000 per clip.
What size and format are correct for Reels, TikTok and Shorts?
One format is safe on all three: 1080 by 1920 pixels vertical 9:16, 30 frames per second, H.264 high profile, AAC audio at 48 kHz, loudness near minus 14 LUFS, and an export bitrate of 10 to 15 Mbps so the platform re-encode stays clean. Keep text out of the top 180 and bottom 420 pixels.
Why do good looking clips still get no audience?
The usual cause sits in the first three seconds rather than in image quality: an opening spent on a logo animation, 16:9 footage padded into a vertical canvas so the subject shrinks, or no text in the frame when the first view happens without sound. Checking is quick: read retention at three seconds and average watch time.
Can content be produced without anyone on camera?
Two routes work without a presenter: animated video at IDR 200,000 per clip with a minimum of 25, or editing material you already own, such as production footage, product photos and screen recordings, at IDR 100,000 per clip with a minimum of 30. Both still use a written hook and burned in captions.
Can the content connect to a website and be measured?
Connecting the content to a website happens in the same engagement: every clip carries a link with its own campaign tag, WhatsApp taps register as leads, and the destination can be a landing page from IDR 2,000,000 per year, ready in 3 to 5 working days. The domain stays in your name.
