An image is value a thousand phrases. However typically, one image alone might not be sufficient to inform the entire story. That’s the place Instagram carousel posts are available, permitting you so as to add a number of pictures or movies to 1 publish. So that you get folks to cease and swipe, participating them for longer.
This information explores what carousel posts are and how you can use them in your Instagram advertising technique. Let’s get began.
What’s an Instagram carousel?
An Instagram carousel is a publish containing multiple picture or video. Customers can view these visuals by swiping left on a publish via the cellphone app. Desktop customers can view a carousel publish by clicking on the arrow button on the appropriate of a publish. Consider it as a slideshow of posts that customers can management manually.
The present Instagram carousel restrict stands at 20 photographs or movies. So there’s loads of room to inform longer tales or showcase a number of objects from a group. It’s additionally a good way to share snippets of an occasion and even curate pictures round a sure theme.
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As such, an Instagram slide publish is ideal for getting folks to pause and interact together with your content material. So it’s no shock that Instagram carousels outperform each picture and video posts by way of engagement.
Socialinsider.io discovered that carousel posts get greater engagement charges than photographs and movies. Regardless of a 28% YoY drop in total engagement, carousels nonetheless see a median engagement charge of 0.55% per publish. In the meantime, the typical engagement per publish for Reels and pictures stands at 0.50% and 0.45%, respectively.
Even in relation to influencer posts, carousel posts see greater engagement than single-image posts. The newest Instagram stats present that carousel posts from influencers see a median engagement charge of 1.70% per publish. In the meantime, single-image posts from these accounts get a median engagement of 1.17% per publish.
How one can create a carousel publish on Instagram
After you have the right pictures or movies lined up, you can begin creating an Instagram carousel publish utilizing the steps beneath:
Step 1. Click on on the “+” button on the backside of your display screen.
Step 2. Choose the choice to create a brand new “Put up.”
Step 3. Select the picture you wish to use as the primary slide. Then faucet on the icon so as to add a number of pictures.
Step 4. Choose the photographs or movies you wish to embody within the publish so as of how they need to seem. When you’re accomplished, faucet on “Subsequent.”
Step 5. Similar to making a single-image publish, you’ll get the choice to edit the photographs and movies. You may add filters, music and textual content overlay to create the right carousel publish. Making use of the identical filter all through all the photographs and movies will enable you create a cohesive look. When you’re accomplished, faucet on the “Subsequent” button.
Step 6. Now add particulars to your carousel publish. Ensure you embody an acceptable and attractive caption that would immediate engagement. You may even embody standard and related Instagram hashtags to enhance your publish visibility. That is additionally the part the place you’ll be able to tag folks, add a location or add a reminder much like an everyday publish.
Step 7. After you have the whole lot sorted, faucet on the “Share” button and that’s it. You’ve created and shared your Instagram carousel publish.
Instagram carousel measurement necessities
When making a carousel publish on Instagram, you’d wish to ensure that it appears to be like nice on the platform. So it’s vital to comply with the measurement necessities and specs.
Instagram recommends a facet ratio of 1:1 for carousel posts. You may also add horizontal (1.91:1) and vertical (4:5) media.
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For pictures, Instagram recommends a decision of 1080 x 1080 pixels. Movies can have a minimal decision of 600 x 600 pixels and a most decision of 1080 x 1080 pixels.
Professional Tip: Instagram will use the primary picture in your slide publish as a reference for side ratio. So it would routinely crop any subsequent visuals you embody within the slide to suit the primary one. Align the side ratio of all of the visuals for every carousel publish beforehand. So you’ll be able to keep away from distorted pictures and by accident cropping out any vital components.
When to make use of Instagram carousels
The distinctive nature of Instagram carousels makes them an excellent choice for strategic Instagram content material. Among the finest methods to make use of an Instagram carousel publish are:
- Instructional content material
- Information and infographics
- Tutorials
- Model storytelling
- Earlier than-and-after reveals
- Photograph dumps
- Product reveals
- Product/model updates
- Consumer-generated content material
- Occasion highlights
- Behind-the-scenes appears to be like
- Themed picture collections
- Product spotlights
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How one can schedule an Instagram carousel publish
The guide publishing course of could also be simple, however it may be time-consuming. As a social media supervisor, certainly one of your important targets is to do your job as effectively as doable. Meaning scheduling content material forward of time so you’ll be able to keep a constant publishing schedule.
And the identical would maintain true in your Instagram carousel posts. Thankfully, you will have the choice to schedule your Instagram posts utilizing the native publishing device. Listed here are the steps to schedule a carousel publish on Instagram:
Step 1. After creating your carousel publish, faucet on the “Extra choices” button from the “Share” web page.
Step 2. Toggle on the choice to “Schedule this publish.”
Step 3. Select the date and time in your publish to exit. Then faucet on “Achieved.”
Step 4. Return to the “Share” web page. As a substitute of the “Share” button, you’ll now see a “Schedule” button. Faucet on it to schedule your Instagram carousel publish.
Though the native scheduling device is beneficial to have, managing your scheduled posts is a bit difficult. As an example, you’ll have to return to your profile and entry your “Settings and exercise” menu to edit or delete them. In the event you’re new to Instagram scheduling, it could take a while to determine it out.
To not overlook the truth that you must manually schedule every publish separately.
With a publishing device like Sprout Social, you’ll be able to effortlessly handle your scheduled posts in a single place. Edit or reschedule your scheduled posts immediately from the visible content material calendar. Or get the choice to create a brand new scheduled publish if you hover over a particular day.
Have to schedule multiple carousel publish? Use the majority scheduling function to immediately schedule a whole bunch of posts at a time.
How one can create an Instagram carousel publish on Sprout
Step 1. Open Compose within the Sprout desktop or cell app.
Step 2. Choose your Instagram Enterprise Profile from the Profile Picker.
Step 3. Add your content material for the Instagram publish.
Step 4. Choose as much as 20 pictures to incorporate in your publish. Word you can’t mix pictures and movies in your Instagram carousel posts printed via the Sprout app presently.
Step 5. Personalize your publish utilizing tags, hashtags, Instagram First Remark and even publish hyperlinks.
Step 6. Click on on the drop-down menu subsequent to “When to publish” and select the date and time you need. Alternatively, you’ll get the choice to select from a listing of “Optimum ship time” recommendations.
Step 7. Click on on “Schedule” to finish your scheduling.
For extra data on publishing and scheduling Instagram carousel posts inside Sprout, go to our Assist Heart.
8 Instagram carousel publish examples to encourage you
Regardless of carousel posts being essentially the most participating content material format, manufacturers are nonetheless not utilizing them sufficient. The 2025 Content material Benchmarks Report discovered that multi-image posts make up 25% of branded Instagram content material. This makes it the third most-used Instagram content material after single-image posts and Reels.
So ramping up your Instagram carousel technique offers you an edge over the competitors.
Want some inspiration for artistic methods to make use of carousel posts? Listed here are some Instagram carousel examples to encourage you:
1. Sprout Social: Sharing insightful stats
Sprout makes use of Instagram carousels to share some key insights from a current information report. These stats provide insights to tell social methods. Not solely does this present worth to the viewers, however it additionally entices them to obtain the complete report.
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2. Canva: Chew-sized visible guides
Canva makes essentially the most of carousel posts to share actionable visible guides for its customers. This gives sensible worth and serves as design inspiration, guiding customers to benefit from the platform.
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3. ColourPop Cosmetics: Revealing a brand new assortment/product line
Instagram is a good place for locating new merchandise, in keeping with the 2024 Social Media Content material Technique Report. The report exhibits that product discovery is the primary cause for interacting with manufacturers on Instagram. So benefit from carousels for product reveals and spotlights.
Every time ColourPop Cosmetics comes up with a brand new collab or assortment, it makes use of carousel posts to disclose the brand new merchandise. Every slide provides the model a chance to focus on a particular merchandise from the gathering. That is excellent for attractive clients to purchase from the gathering.
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4. Fabletics Scrubs: Teasing new product drops
On a associated word, Fabletics Scrubs makes use of carousel posts to tease merchandise earlier than the precise drop. The model posts teaser pictures to announce an upcoming coloration for his or her subsequent drop. That is extremely efficient for constructing anticipation and getting clients excited in your subsequent launch.
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5. Frank Physique: Sharing a model journey
For Frank Physique, carousel posts function the right format to share the model’s journey over time. It jumps in on the “The way it began vs. the way it’s going” development to indicate how the model’s product line has expanded because it first launched.
This can be a probability to take clients on a journey via time, displaying how far the model has come. It additionally helps to create a way of nostalgia in long-time clients.
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Professional Tip: Keep away from leaping in on each development. The 2025 Sprout Social Index discovered that manufacturers leaping in on viral tendencies get blended reactions. Whereas 40% assume it’s cool, 33% assume it’s embarrassing and 27% say it’s solely efficient within the first 24-48 hours. So be selective concerning the tendencies you take part in.
This Frank Physique instance works as a result of the development has been round for some time, displaying longevity.
6. CLEARSTEM Skincare: Throwing again to a previous occasion
An Instagram slide publish gives the right format for displaying occasion highlights. Within the case of CLEARSTEM Skincare, a carousel publish serves to indicate snippets of a previous occasion. The model takes the chance to throw again to an occasion on its one-year anniversary and gauge folks’s opinions about doing one other occasion.
This can be a nice approach to have interaction audiences and present them that you just care about what they assume. Plus, you get to really feel out the panorama earlier than investing in one other occasion.
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7. File Perfumes: Asking clients to decide on a coloration/scent of the day
Carousel posts provide the alternative to curate merchandise or pictures round a particular theme. File Perfumes takes this opportunity to share a few of their prime color-based perfumes. The model then asks clients to choose their coloration (scent) of the day.
This permits the model to showcase its product selection whereas encouraging clients to work together with the publish. So it’s a extremely efficient approach to enhance Instagram engagement.
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8. Miramonti Boutique Resort: Mini Property Tour
For institutions like Miramonti Boutique Resort, carousels are the right format for a mini property tour. The lodge creates a number of slide posts to focus on sure elements of the property, such because the Onsen pool.
So it provides potential company an opportunity to “discover” the property just about earlier than they resolve to e book.
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Creating Instagram carousel publish templates
One of many finest practices to comply with on Instagram is sustaining a constant Feed with high-quality visuals. Be strategic concerning the visuals you select in your carousel posts to create a Feed that appears cohesive and on-brand. Instagram carousel templates may also help with this.
Instagram carousel templates act as a framework in your carousel posts. They use a constant fashion of coloration schemes, fonts and different design components to ensure that every picture comes collectively to kind a unified look. Customise these templates with textual content, graphics and photographs to create a brand new carousel publish.
You’ll find loads of pre-made templates on web sites like Canva and PicMonkey. These templates can be found to customise and obtain totally free or for a small price. Inventory templates are an excellent choice if you wish to save time. They’re additionally excellent in case you don’t have a knack for designing however nonetheless need professional-looking templates.
Alternatively, you can too design your personal Instagram carousel templates from scratch. This can be a good selection you probably have a robust model visible identification that you just wish to showcase via your Instagram carousels. It provides you extra flexibility to create a template that matches your actual wants.
Create posts that get folks swiping
Instagram carousels get folks to cease and swipe, driving greater engagement. On the identical time, you must be strategic together with your posts. From visuals that entice folks to maintain swiping to posts that concentrate on a particular theme, the whole lot wants planning.
Sprout’s visible content material calendar helps you to handle all this seamlessly. You may visualize your content material plan and simply transfer issues round for optimum posting. It even helps you to schedule your Instagram carousel posts proper throughout the platform, in order that they exit on the excellent time.
Join a free 30-day trial to see how the platform provides to your Instagram technique.
