Carousel post

A carousel is one post with multiple frames. On Instagram you swipe sideways through images or videos; on TikTok the closest equivalent is photo mode, often called a slideshow. Either way, the viewer controls the pace, which makes carousels good for lists, step-by-steps and before-and-after stories.

Every slide in a carousel shares one frame, so export all images and videos at the same size. 4:5 portrait is the common choice because it takes up the most screen. The full spec sheet, video sizes and the reasons slides get cropped are in our Instagram carousel size guide.

A meal-prep app might post six slides: (1) 'I stopped spending $90 a week on takeout. Here's how.' (2) The problem: no plan, tired at 7pm. (3) Sunday: pick three recipes. (4) The app builds the grocery list. (5) Photo of the prepped containers. (6) 'Template is in my bio.'

Slide one is the hook, the middle slides deliver, and the last slide is the call to action. That shape works for most products.

Instagram shows reach, saves, shares and other engagement for each post in its insights. Saves and shares tend to be the useful signals for carousels, since they suggest people found the content worth keeping or sending. Compare each new carousel against your own recent average rather than a number from someone else's account.

💡If people stop after slide one, the cover promised too little. If they stop in the middle, a slide is repeating itself. Cut it.

• A cover slide with a logo instead of a reason to swipe.
• Walls of tiny text that are unreadable on a phone.
• Mixing aspect ratios so some slides get cropped (see carousel sizes).
• Ten slides when five would tell the story.

If you want a fast starting point, the Instagram carousel generator drafts 6-slide carousels from a product link.