I have an Instagram pioneer friend whose first photo in the app is her image with no head. So no, it is not an artistic kick, just a technical drawback on both sides. Back then, Instagram didn’t have many features, allowing only a 1:1 ratio for photos. And of course, my friend never was a techno guru on her part either, but she keeps the photo as a memory.
Let me remind you that back in 2010 an Instagram user could not share videos, send DMs, had to stick to square photo format, did not know what is Boomerang, AR filters, IGTV or sharing stories.
Instagram Carousel post is among its relatively new features. Launched in 2015, now it allows you to share up to 10 photos and videos in one post, which you need to swipe through to see.
Creating an Instagram Carousel that matters!
With the Carousel feature, you don’t have to pick one among your favourite photos, but several. So if a single Instagram image is just a yummy slice of cheese, then a Carousel is 10 slices. It also allows to group photos and videos thematically and to create an immersive experience.
Did you know that right when it started, the Carousel feature was coined as a major push for Facebook? The returns of Instagram Carousel can be ten times more than of a single image. As a result, businesses get higher CTRs (click-through rates) and reduce costs by showing more in one single post. Carousel is also Instagram algorithm friendly, but more on this is below.
Step-by-step to your carousel post
Creating an Instagram Carousel is nothing difficult. Let’s see on paper what you need to do:
- Open the Instagram app and click Add Post (a “+” sign at the bottom of the app interface);
- You will see an interface of your Gallery. Click on the Multiple-Image Post icon
- Select up to 10 images or videos in the order you want them to appear;
- Type on Next, look through each selected photo and edit them if necessary;
- As you finish editing, again tap on Next;
- Finish by writing captions, adding tags or #hashtags and click on Share;
- In the feed, the dots below the photo are the sign of a Carousel post.
Remember, whatever you upload should match the criteria below:
- Number of images or videos in Carousel post: 2-10;
- Maximum Image size: 30 MB;
- Maximum Video size: 4 GB;
- Video duration: 1-120 seconds;
- Image file type: JPG or PNG;
- Video file type: MOV, MP4, or GIF;
- Maximum number of characters: 2200;
- Pro tip: If you wish all your caption to be visible at once, limit it to 125 characters.
Using Carousel Posts For Ads to Boost Your Profile!
Have you ever noticed how Instagram shows you carousel posts more than once? For example, let’s say you saw the first photo of the carousel; later you will be shown the second photo.
The result?
Instagram Carousel posts earn more engagements and get you higher reach!
If we get a higher reach, advertising through Instagram Carousel posts is very wise.
PRO TIPS: Carousels are very suitable to share before-after posts, to group offered services or customer reviews, to demonstrate how to use the item you are selling, to share a recipe or making process of your product and so on!
Creating Instagram Carousel Ads
To create Instagram Carousel Ads, you need to be using Instagram for business accounts and have a corresponding business page on Facebook. What is more, you set up Facebook Ads Manager! It’s another blog post’s topic, yet briefly, all you need to do afterwards is:
- Go to Ads Manager;
- Click + Create in the top-left corner;
- Don’t forget about the objective, target audience and other technicalities;
- Follow to Ad Setup and select Carousel;
- Choose Instagram Feed from the formatting toolbar.
- In the Ad Creative section, select images or videos you want to upload. At this point, you can add a headline, website URL and a description;
- Once again, check your placement, add information in the Tracking section (if applicable) and click on Publish!
Requirements for your ad posts match the general Carousel post requirements mentioned above.
When creating an ad, don’t forget to target each group of audiences separately. Moreover, know that copy is as important as the image, and don’t be afraid to mix video and image content. Finally, intrigue your viewers and write down clear, achievable and relevant CTA.
Making Your Instagram Carousel Posts Clickable
If you have never paid attention to it, here is the thing: there are good and bad times to post on Instagram. For instance, in the UK, the best time to post on Instagram is weekends, particularly on Saturday at 11 am. You can also check apps like Tailwind to schedule your posts at the best moment of the day!
Of course, to make your Carousel posts more rewarding, you can use paid Instagram promotions. Nevertheless, don’t forget about the popular tools like giveaways, collaborations with other influencers and user-generated content that can be shared and reshared!
Nowadays, social media apps are very well integrated. So boom!!! All you have to do is going beyond just one platform using the given features of those apps and increasing your engagement for free!
Creating Unique Instagram Carousel Posts
For your Carousel Posts to be attractive, you need to be able to define your uniqueness. Additionally, you need to know your audience. So now, let’s see how we can highlight those elements.
Emm, telling the truth, you need to be a little talented to create alluring images and videos. However, if you want to grow your business, you might want to invest in a designer, SMM manager and others.
Otherwise, apps like Canva, SwipeMix, SCRL can offer you templates for Instagram Carousel Posts!
Seamless Instagram Carousel Post
And a cherry over the cake for the Carousel Post is seamless carousel posts.
A seamless carousel post is like one big image split into several parts and made into a carousel post. It is a great tool to keep your viewer engaged in your post longer.
There are many apps online you can use to create a seamless carousel post, like PickMonkey, Canva, SCRL and more. But you can also make one in Photoshop:
- Create a canvas (the optimal ratio for your photos on Instagram is 5×4 (1350x1080px). If you want to include five images in your carousel, then the ratio of your canvas will be 1350×5400);
- Insert images into just created 1350×5400 canvas;
- Place them in the order you want them to appear;
- Go to Crop tool and select Slice tool under it;
- Divide canvas into five parts while also matching slices to 1080px;
- Click on File →Export →Save for Web→Save in JPEG.
In case it looks very sophisticated to you, go to www.fiverr.com and find a designer who can create a seamless carousel starting from £3.82.
Pro Tip: Look into a strategy of following the events around your target audience and using popular daily hashtags in your posts to enhance your engagement.
In conclusion, when I was a kid, I used to listen to a Russian song, which said
“Carousel, Carousel, it is a happiness for us”. I associate carousels with something amusing, and I am sure it is valid for most of us. So why not use the Instagram Carousel feature to bring positive vibes into our timelines!
Kamran Shukurlu
Kamran is a T-shaped eCommerce Digital Marketer and Content Strategist with 9+ years of experience in 30+ industries. A few of the companies that benefited from his services: Leo Burnett, Translated, Airbnb, Samsung, Huawei, etc.
Related Posts
October 4, 2024
Why Instagram Is Good for Marketing: Engaging Your Audience
September 17, 2024
The Impact of Smooth Transactions on Your Brand Reputation
September 11, 2024
Building Brand Loyalty Through Private Social Media Groups
September 2, 2024
Creating Shareable Personalised Content
August 28, 2024
The Secret TikTok Viral Recipe in 2024
August 17, 2024
Harnessing the Power of User-Generated Content in 2024
August 8, 2024
Creating an Effective Social Media Content Strategy
July 18, 2024
Social SEO: Optimising Your Content for Discovery
July 8, 2024
The Comeback of Long-Form Content
June 5, 2024
How to Import Sounds From TikTok to Instagram?
May 21, 2024
9 TikTok Challenges List And TikTok Trends
February 24, 2024
Pinterest Account Suspended Appeal – How To Do It Right?
February 3, 2024
How to Make Money With Instagram Theme Pages In 2024
January 11, 2024
Resort And Hotel Digital Marketing Campaign Strategy And Ideas
December 26, 2023
New Year and Christmas Interactive Posts and Ideas For Social Media
December 8, 2023
B2B Community Management: Unpopular Opinion To Level Up
November 23, 2023
Feel Good Friday Social Media Posts And Wishes
October 6, 2023
How to Stream Games on TikTok With TikTok Stream Key
September 15, 2023
Creating an Effective Content Calendar
September 15, 2023
10 Tips to Optimize Facebook Page for SEO and Reach More People
September 4, 2023
How to Go Live on TikTok Without 1000 Followers In 2023
August 14, 2023
How Much Does IG Models Make And How To Become One
June 26, 2023
How To Get Verified On LinkedIn In 2023?
March 25, 2023
How to Create a Facebook Group Funnel to Drive Leads
March 19, 2023
How to Mass Archive Instagram Posts in 2023 + Unarchive
March 13, 2023
8 Social Media Community Building Strategies For 2023
February 18, 2023
How To Make Money On Instagram With 500 Followers
February 18, 2023
How to Go Live on LinkedIn – Best Practices and Guides
February 8, 2023
Instagram Guides Examples and Ways to Use Them
February 8, 2023
How to Schedule Instagram Posts Without Third-party App
January 22, 2023
Growth Hacking for Instagram to Get More Followers in 2023
January 20, 2023
How To Upload GIFs on Twitter in 2023
January 3, 2023
What To Do When you go Viral on Instagram
December 23, 2022
How to Spy on Competitors’ Facebook Ads For Free (6 Tools)
December 22, 2022
How to Get More Views on LinkedIn – 10 Tips to Reach More People
December 19, 2022
What To Do Before and After Posting On Instagram
December 14, 2022
How Instagram Search Works: A Comprehensive Guide In 2022
November 15, 2022
Twitter Spaces Analytics: Ultimate Guide to Your Space Insights
November 13, 2022
20 Viral Instagram Reels Hooks To Keep People Watching
October 29, 2022
How To Speed Up Existing Video For Instagram Reels – FOR FREE
October 16, 2022
How to Use Twitter Advanced Search Tool on Mobile
October 16, 2022
7 Instagram Mistakes to Avoid & Here’s Why
October 9, 2022
10 Proven Instagram Story Ideas to Engage Your Audience
September 23, 2022
Social Media Shopping in 2022: What it Promises for Small Businesses
September 20, 2022
Tips to Create a Successful Hashtag Campaign
September 8, 2022
The Top 9 Instagram Tools That Can Boost Your SME’s Visibility
August 28, 2022
How to Regram: The Art of Reposting on Instagram
August 11, 2022
A Checklist to Launch a Rebrand on Social Media
August 7, 2022
The Whys and Hows of Facebook Video Ads
August 7, 2022
How To Write Good Instagram Captions
July 27, 2022
How to Plan Your Social Media Campaigns
May 4, 2022
10 Social Media Myths To Unlearn in 2022
April 11, 2022
Twitter Analytics Tools to Level Up Your Game
March 14, 2022
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – February 2022
February 23, 2022
Social Media in the times of COVID-19: Adapting to a New Normal
February 14, 2022
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – January 2022
February 2, 2022
Optimise Google My Business: An In-depth Guide to Get it Right
January 19, 2022
9 Tips to Sell on Pinterest: Your Branding And ROI Booster
January 12, 2022
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – December 2021
December 10, 2021
Risks And Dangers of Buying Instagram Followers
December 8, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – November 2021
November 2, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – October 2021
October 14, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – September 2021
October 1, 2021
Brief 18 Twitter Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Earlier
September 23, 2021
Instagram Pre-Launch Strategy 2022: A Proper Guide for Your Product
September 14, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – August 2021
September 8, 2021
15 Social Media Post Types to Keep Your Content Engaging
September 8, 2021
How to Sell on Facebook Shops and Facebook Marketplace in 2023
August 16, 2021
Driving Traffic From Twitter Straight to Your Blog in 2022
August 13, 2021
The ABCs of Using LinkedIn Videos Like a Pro in 2022
August 11, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – July 2021
July 17, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News – May 2021
July 5, 2021
How to Mass Delete Instagram Posts in 2022?
April 29, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News: March 2021
April 17, 2021
Latest Social Media Updates And News – 2022
April 17, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News: February 2021
March 31, 2021
How to Choose the Best Competitor Analysis Framework
March 1, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates And News: January 2021
February 21, 2021
How To Get Unlimited Free Leads For Any Business In UK
February 20, 2021
How to Find Brands That Collaborate With Small Influencers
February 4, 2021
Web Content Development 101 For Small Businesses
January 28, 2021
Monthly Social Media Updates and News: December 2020
January 13, 2021
How To Add A Link To Instagram Story Without 10K Followers
December 14, 2020
6 Testimonial Examples And How To Ask For Them
December 11, 2020
IG Line Break Generator: No Need For it Anymore? (2022)
December 2, 2020
Monthly Social Media News And Updates: November 2020
April 22, 2020
Social media marketing for recruitment agencies
December 23, 2019
How to market your podcast on social media
October 31, 2019
Account-based mindset vs. lead-based marketing
October 22, 2019
The benefits of starting your own podcast
October 14, 2019
What’s the LinkedIn Social Selling Index? (and why you need it)
October 8, 2019
7 ideas to network effectively – and locally
September 26, 2019
5 tips from an influencer to unlock your potential
September 16, 2019
How to create an effective Facebook ad: 7 easy tips
September 7, 2019
3 inspiring marketing campaigns with awesome results
September 1, 2019
Everything you need to know about lead generation
August 28, 2019
Can my brand benefit from a social media calendar?
August 13, 2019
3 basics of KPIs: what to measure and why?
August 9, 2019
5 Story Highlight ideas to totally revamp your Instagram
July 31, 2019
The good, the bad, and the funnel
July 24, 2019
The basics of content marketing – why you need it
July 18, 2019
Primark – how the brand uses social media
July 10, 2019
The evolution of Twitter for social media marketing
July 7, 2019
Discover 3 benefits of WhatsApp Business!
June 28, 2019
How Lululemon uses social media: 5 ideas
June 24, 2019
New Instagram @shop and how it works
June 17, 2019
5 foolproof tools to create a buyer persona
May 29, 2019
3 burning social media trends to watch out for
May 23, 2019
7 ingredients every entrepreneur needs to have
May 13, 2019
5 Social Media Tools: Marketing Made Easy!
April 15, 2019
Wanna kickstart your landing page? 3 reliable tools!
March 26, 2019
3 video marketing tricks to boost engagement
February 26, 2019
A five-star femmepreneur – meet Gretta van Riel!
February 15, 2019
Why Twitter is essential – revamp your marketing strategy today!
February 7, 2019
SEO for Newbies: The Basics
January 22, 2019
4 amazing inbound marketing tools to try now!
January 16, 2019
Everything about ecommerce, decoded!
January 11, 2019
Influencer marketing: why is it crucial?
January 7, 2019
How social media is changing your brain
January 2, 2019
Choosing a signature colour for your brand
December 28, 2018
Advanced Instagram for startups: an effective step-by-step guide
December 1, 2018
Instagram from Scratch!
November 22, 2018
Elevate your Brand with these 4 New Linkedin Tools
January 15, 2018
5 Ways Social Media Can Help Your Small Business In 2018
September 25, 2017
7 indispensable social media tools for small businesses
September 1, 2017
September 2017: Social Media Roundup
February 2, 2017
Our new promotional video
January 17, 2017
Why your business needs to be active on social media
November 3, 2016
The Top 10 Small Fashion Brands on Instagram
September 29, 2016
Hоw Tо Grоw Yоur Smаll Business Uѕing Social Media
September 26, 2016
How can I use social media for customer service?
September 20, 2016