Instagram Carousel

An Instagram carousel is an Instagram post that contains more than one photo or video. An Instagram carousel can include up to 10 photos and videos; users may upload a mix with a maximum file size of 30 MB. Anyone can view a post made on a public account. However, an Instagram account is required to interact (like, comment, or save). Only the user’s followers may view and interact with the Instagram carousel on a private account.

An Instagram carousel post is an excellent way for users to convey information and engage the audience towards the content in their feed. Since there is more than one photo, it increases interactivity as the audience scrolls through multiple images/videos. When posting on Instagram, the goal is to gain the maximum engagement and reach as many people as possible with a post. Getting a post onto other users’ feeds can be done by increasing the visibility of a post with likes, comments, and saves. Creating a successful Instagram carousel can encourage users to engage with the content.

Advantages of Posting Instagram Carousels:

• Increase Engagement: Carousel posts receive more engagement such as likes, comments, and saves than a simple static image or a video on Instagram.
• Boosting Visibility: Carousel posts help users display themselves and their business to more people as Instagram tends to recommend more carousel posts, increasing the amount of traffic a post will receive.
• More Room to Showcase: Carousel posts may contain up to 10 images or videos, meaning that users may display as much of themselves as possible in one post.
• Captivate the Audience: Since there is more content to go through, the audience will spend more time going through a carousel post than another other form of content, being able to scroll through at their own pace allows the audience to spend more time engaging with the content.
• Popping Up on More Feeds: Instagram recommends carousel posts more often than others. Carousel posts will end up on users’ feeds multiple times and even on the explore page.

Anyone with an Instagram account can upload as many posts as they would like, as Instagram is a free social media platform. Posts on private Instagram accounts can only be shared with followers; posts on public accounts are public for anyone to see, even people without an Instagram account. Privacy changes can be made through settings. Users can post on Instagram through the mobile app or on the desktop. Once an Instagram carousel is posted, the user can edit or archive the post. Once posted, the user cannot add additional content to the carousel. However, specific images or videos can be deleted, and the caption may be edited. If a post is archived, no one can view the content, and this action can be undone and posted back to the user’s profile.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make and post an Instagram Carousel:

Step 1. Click on the “+” button at the bottom of the screen on the mobile app. On the desktop, click the “+ create” button on the side of the screen.

Step 2. Users will be prompted to pick between creating a new “Post”, “Reel”, or “Story”. ****Select the option to create a new “Post”.

Step 3. Once picking out the content for the first slide, press on the option to “Select multiple.”

Step 4. Choose photos or videos you would like to upload as a carousel. Keep in mind that the user may only select up to 10 images or videos. Then tap on “Next.”

Step 5. Edit the carousel post as desired by using filters. Preview the carousel post, and once satisfied, click on the “Next” button.

Step 6. Add a caption, ensuring that it will hook the reader and captivate the audience’s attention. Including popular and trending Instagram hashtags will improve the post visibility. The user is also able to tag other Instagram users, add a location, or add any music alongside their carousel post.

Step 7. Once happy with the carousel post, the user can click the “Share” button and it will be posted and show up on their profile.

Benefits of Instagram Carousel

If an Instagram carousel does not receive a lot of engagement the first time the audience sees the post, Instagram will recommend the same post later on previewing the second slide. This allows for the post to have a second chance at capturing the attention of the audience and potentially receive more engagement.

Features of an Instagram Carousel

• Captions: Captions are shown below the post; there is a limit of 2,200 characters, but it is recommended to keep captions between 130-150 characters****
• Filters: Before uploading, users can choose to edit their photos by adding filters to enhance their posts
• Hashtags: Adding relevant hashtags in the caption helps make the post more discoverable and targeted toward the right audience
• Tagging: Users are able to tag other accounts, and the audience is able to find other Instagram accounts through the post
• Geotagging: Adding an address or location so that the audience knows where the photos were taken from
• Product tags: Allows users to link directly to a product page, making it easy for customers to shop and learn more about the product
• Adding Music: Adding a trending song to an Instagram carousel can help boost engagement and increase the reach of the post. Music helps add quality to a post and makes it more memorable and appealing to the audience.
• Collabs: It is possible to post a collaborative post on Instagram where it will show up on the feed as co-authored shared by multiple accounts on Instagram. This allows the post to show up on more feeds as it will be shown to the followers from each co-authored account.

Tips on Making A Successful Instagram Carousel

• Image Size –Instagram carousels can be published in landscape, portrait, or square format. It is recommended that images be at least 1080 x 1080 pixels and that all the photos and videos should be the same size.
• Slide Value –Each slide on the carousel should be able to stand out on its own and provide value to the entirety of the post.
• Minimize Clutter –Users should avoid information overload by summarizing information into a sentence or two to make sure that the audience is not overwhelmed by words. The information should be concise and easy for the audience to digest.
• Encourage Engagement –A successful Instagram carousel should make the audience curious and want to keep swiping and engaging with the content longer.

Participate in Trends

Another way to attract more attention to an Instagram carousel is by adding trending hashtags and music. Adding popular songs to a post can help it end up on the Explore page, leading to more views and potential followers.

Be Creative

There are many ways to post unique Instagram carousel content. Having content that stands out will be an excellent way to incorporate personality into an Instagram carousel and attract more engagement. Some examples include a seamless carousel where it looks like the post is one long panoramic image. Another trending example is Instagram versus Reality, where users post a picture-perfect image on the first slide, then the second slide is the “reality.” Users are able to edit their carousels and pictures on websites like Canva.