An Instagram carousel post is a great way to showcase multiple images or videos in a single post. This type of post allows you to tell a story or show off a product or service in a creative way. When done right, an Instagram carousel post can be very engaging and get your followers to take action.
Instagram carousel posts get more engagement than any other feed post type. Reels excluded, carousel posts are one of the best ways to get a higher level of interactions with your post. Interactions on Instagram include shares, saves, comments, and likes.
Carousel posts can include up to ten photos and videos.
Why are carousel posts important?
Carousels are powerful because if someone scrolls past your content the first time, it will come up in their feed again but on a different image. Therefore, your chances of having your content seen by your followers is higher. The more your followers engage with your post, the more likely Instagram is to push this content to new audiences through the explore page.
Another indicator for Instagram’s algorithm is “time spent”. This means that the app takes into account how long a user spends looking at a certain post. The more compelling images you have in your carousel, the more likely people are to spend longer looking at your content. Instagram’s algorithm then recognizes that this content is engaging and will push it to further audiences.
Best practices for your Instagram carousel posts
Here are some tips on how to create an engaging Instagram carousel post.
Choose a theme for your carousel post and make sure all of the images or videos fit within that theme. A cohesive theme will make your carousel post more visually appealing and easier for your followers to understand. Plus, a cohesive theme will help encourage people to scroll through the whole post.
Grab attention with the first photo. The first photo in your carousel post is key because it’s what people will see when they first come across your post in their feed. Make sure the first photo is eye-catching and makes people want to see more.
Use high quality photos or videos. Make sure the quality of your images or videos is high. Blurry or low-quality images will not only turn off your followers but can also make your business look unprofessional. This tip really applies to all of your Instagram content, not just carousels.
Use compelling copy to accompany your images or videos. The copy should be clear and should complement the visuals. Generally, more concise copy is good. However, if you choose to write longer copy, be sure that it’s compelling and keeps your audience engaged. Copy that doesn’t interest the viewer can cause them to keep scrolling.
Use calls to action sparingly but effectively. A call to action that is too pushy will turn off your followers, but a well-placed call to action can get them to take the desired action. Calls to action will vary based on your goals and the theme of the carousel. One example of a CTA is to send people to the link in your bio.
Be creative with your carousel post! Think outside the box and come up with something that will really capture your followers’ attention. You can use sliding images to make your carousels more compelling as this encourages people to slide through to see the whole image.
What should I post in an Instagram Carousel?
There are a few different ways to take advantage of carousel posts. Here are some ideas with examples:
Use carousels to tell a story: This is a great way to use the format if you have a lot of photos from one event or experience that you want to share. You can use the caption to walk your followers through what happened, and the images to provide visual interest.
Show off multiple products: If you have a product that comes in different colors or styles, or if you want to show off multiple products at once, carousels are a great way to do it. You can use them to highlight the different features of each product, or to show how they can be used together.
Create a tutorial: Carousels are a great way to create a step-by-step tutorial or series of instructions. This could be anything from a recipe to a makeup tutorial to instructions for assembling a piece of furniture. Get creative with tutorials and add value to your audience!
Share before-and-afters: Before-and-after photos are always popular on social media, and carousels are a great way to showcase them. This could be anything from photos of a home transformation to weight loss progress photos.
Highlight User Generated Content: UGC is an incredibly powerful marketing tool. When people tag you in photos or videos, ask for permission to re-share them to your own page. You should always tag the customer in the post. User Generated Content can serve as social proof and show potential customers that your current users are happy with your products and services.
Showcase a product or service: If you have a product or service to promote, carousels are a great way to do it. You can use them to show off different features of the product or different ways to use the service.
Share behind-the-scenes content: People love getting a peek behind the curtain, so why not use a carousel to share some behind-the-scenes photos and videos? This could be anything from shots of your team in action to pictures of your product being made.
Promote or summarize an event: If you have an upcoming event, carousels are a great way to promote it. You can use them to share all the details of the event, including when and where it will be taking place, what people can expect, and how to get tickets. You can also share a recap of past events.
Do a “photo dump“: If you have a bunch of photos that you want to share but don’t necessarily fit into a cohesive album, consider using a carousel to do a “photo dump.” This is a great way to get all your photos out there without overwhelming your followers with a bunch of posts. For example, if you travel to a business event, you can share up to ten photos and videos from the event in a single post.
Summarize a blog post: If you’ve recently written a blog article, make a carousel post about it! You can take some key points from your blog post and make slides for them on your carousel.
How do I create a carousel post?
If you’re interested in creating sliding/panoramic photos – where one photo is broken down into two – you can read our article here.
Canva is a great resource to use when making carousel posts. You can create consistent theming with their pre-made templates. It’s also relatively easy to create eye-catching and engaging content.
If you have a bunch of photos in your camera roll for a carousel post, you can do a few things to add consistency. One is to add the same filter to every photo. Another option is to choose images from the same event, experience, vacation, etc. Take multiple photos when you attend events. You can share photos of people talking on stage, fun stuff you did outside of the event, the local area, etc.
Carousel posts give you an opportunity to share different details rather than polished photos in every slide. On Instagram, carousels and photo dumps are a way that people share their more casual and unedited photos.
Conclusion:
Instagram carousel posts are a great way to showcase multiple images or videos in a single post. When done right, they can be very engaging and get your followers to take action. To create an engaging Instagram carousel post, choose a theme for your post and make sure all of the images or videos fit within that theme, use high-quality images or videos, write compelling copy to accompany the visuals, use calls to action sparingly but effectively, and be creative! Keep these tips in mind the next time you create an Instagram carousel post for your business.
