One of the most captivating forms of content for brands on Instagram is the use of carousel posts. A social media analysis has discovered that, on average, carousel posts on Instagram receive twice as much reach and thrice as much engagement as conventional posts. Considering how effectively they perform compared to other forms of content, Instagram Carousels are still underutilised.

Everyone should utilise Instagram Carousels, but especially brands, to boost engagement. Furthermore, experimenting with various forms of content kinds is a great technique to influence Instagram’s algorithm to your advantage. You are missing an excellent opportunity to increase your followers if you are not using carousels.

After all, one image can’t narrate the entire story. Instagram Carousels, can you help add slides where you can allow words to do the magic.

What are Instagram Carousels?

Instagram Carousels are very simple but powerful tools. You can upload up to 10 video clips and photos in one post instead of just one snapshot to your feed. Users need to swipe right or left accordingly to view each image or Insta video in the series.

Since the concept of this feature is pretty straightforward, it has become a hit among users. Carousel posts are super helpful because of their simplicity.  Carousels may be used for various purposes such as news releases, panoramic product catalogues, Instagram blog posts and more. Like other Instagram posts, a carousel can include a caption, an image alt-text, a geotag, an account and product tag, and more.

A small square symbol appears in the post’s top right corner when an IG carousel is published. The icon is converted to a counter that displays the number of frames when someone switches to the second picture. Little dots also appear at the bottom of each post to indicate progress through the carousel.

How to create a Carousel post?

Step 1: Instagram

Grab your phone and search ‘Instagram.’ Tap on the icon to open the app.

Step 2: New Post

Tap the ‘+’ icon on the bottom of your feed in the middle. Tap on it.

Step 3: Post Preview

Tap on the ‘layered square icon’ to access the Instagram Carousel.

Step 4: Select images/video

Select the images and videos required. You can select up to 10 items at once.

Step 5: Edit

You can add filters and make edits on each item individually. You can also rearrange the order.

Step 6: Hashtags and other tags

Don’t forget to use hashtags if you want more people to see your posts. Add hashtags, and tag people and locations so that more and more people can come across your post.

Step 7: Advanced Settings

Go to Advanced Settings if you need to adjust preferences such as likes, comments, etc.

Step 8: Share

Tap ‘share’, and your post will appear on the latest feed.

Why should you use Instagram Carousels?

Everyone uploads photo dumps, but carousels should be part of your overall promotional campaign.

Yes, adding more photos or videos to a single post enhances the likelihood that it will have a high interaction rate. However, uploading interesting carousels can also help you win over the Instagram algorithm.

Users spend more time viewing carousels than conventional Instagram feed postings because they are engaging. This signals to the algorithm that your intended audience finds your content worthwhile and fascinating, which may encourage more people to see your posts in their news feeds. You can buy impressions to let the followers see your posts more often on Instagram.

But rather than understanding how Instagram Carousels are used, let’s explore some ways how influencers and brands use this feature to create engaging posts. Carousels can sometimes be more effective than Insta Stories regarding promotion.

Here are some innovative ideas that would give you a glimpse of how helpful Instagram Carousels are:

Before and after images

This is one such concept that will help a lot of product-based brands, especially beauty and skin care products. You don’t have to go for the ‘before’ image first, and you can start with the results of using your products and show them how the situation was before using the mentioned product.

For example: Consider a brand that deals with home decor. Such brands can utilise Instagram Carousels to show a before and after picture of a living room after using their products. Such a post can bring value and demand for their products.

Tutorials

Instagram Carousels is an excellent idea if your how-to guide is too long for an Instagram Reel and too complex to convey in a description.

An excellent approach to showcase the products you sell is through tutorials. Explain in detail how to utilise a particular product using still photos, short films, or a combination of both. Not only are tutorials helpful, but they can also be saved for future reference. Because saves affect your Instagram engagement rates, you want visitors to hit the banner icon to save your post for later.

Create a collection of images to tell a story

Photo dumps are similar to the early days of Facebook, when you’d post an album of all your images from an ongoing trip without considering whether they were attractive or not. The same idea is currently being shared on Instagram.

Instagram picture dumps are posts that resemble galleries and contain various random images and videos, much like a gallery of snapshots from your life. Some examples are pictures of your trek to the hills, a well-prepared dish, a rainbow, and casual selfies.

They resemble a small collection of basic photos that tell a narrative or convey a mood. Since they have a more intimate feel than a single grid picture, they have been trending among creators. These ideas are perfect for a brand story-telling or a day in the life of an influencer as they are relatable and can attract more audiences.

Data representation

Long-form text and explanations can be added to Instagram captions, but they lack a picture’s visually striking appeal. Create text images to communicate information in an Instagram Carousel post when you have relevant content to offer. You’ll have a hard time getting folks to read through your caption to locate the statistic or data point, no matter how engaging it is. A few crucial issues could be highlighted with clear visual pictures.

Instagram Carousels are great for communicating educational content. Make a series of illustrations to illustrate a topic, go into some history, or impart insightful data. Images and videos are the best way to prevent people from skimming through your post on Instagram because it is a platform that emphasises visual content. After someone looks at the image, they’re more inclined to read your description or look around your profile page for additional info.

Customer Reviews

Customer feedback usually has a significant impact on a brand’s success. Therefore it makes sense to promote positive reviews via Instagram carousel posts. On Instagram, sharing good feedback with your followers is a terrific method to gain more visibility, spark interest in your products or services and establish brand loyalty. Instagram is an excellent platform for sharing client testimonials, and carousel posts may help establish authority and boost sales.

Showcase BTS images

It’s always interesting to learn about a brand’s day-to-day operations. Use a carousel post to take your audience behind the scenes and answer their questions about your products’ manufacturing, what goes into a photo session, and your future plans.

Allowing people into the fold and displaying a less polished side of oneself promotes trust and aids in developing a stronger bond with your community. And frequently, explaining how you arrived at your best photos may be just as enjoyable.

Since each slide may appear many times in home feeds, carousel posts are excellent for increasing visibility with your audience and providing you with multiple opportunities to engage with your community from a single post. Instagram carousel posts are one of the most flexible and user-friendly features available, whether you’re introducing a new product or can’t pick which photo to share. Carousel posts offer your Instagram feed some added elements and give you more freedom to create content without spamming.

Release a statement (Newsreels, Product launches, events)

Instagram captions have a character limit of 2,000, but if you have a lot to say, it could be simpler to express yourself through a group of images. There’s a reason why news flashes are typically announced in a written statement posted to an article or feed rather than in the comments. Because you can divide the text into manageable points, carousel posts are excellent for press releases or statements.

Because it is easy to see, this format is also perfect for important information. Although stories and reels may help elucidate your ideas, viewers must put in more effort to watch and take in the entire message. Consider the article on the carousel as a helpful overview that will remain on your profile for future use.

Conclusion

One of the most flexible post types on Instagram is the carousel. Thanks to the new delete image option, you now have greater control over your posts than ever before. Instagram Carousels increased from 5 to 6 per cent of all content between 2018 and 2022 to 30 per cent. At this point, if you skip using this content format, your competitors will gain an advantage.

Instagram offers a variety of sharing options for content. Limiting your content types will also restrict the growth of your Instagram account, despite the inclination to stick to single-image posts and the occasional Instagram Story. Start being more inventive with your material and begin utilising more Instagram carousels.