Almost every ecommerce business has a presence on Instagram these days, but are you using every feature to your advantage? Instagram gives business owners multiple ways to showcase their products and attract new customers: You can upload video content as Reels, post images on the Instagram feed, create Instagram Stories, and more.
Of all the Instagram post types, carousels see the most engagement—2% to 4% higher engagement than any of the others. For brands, carousels offer an additional way to display their products and services, build a brand story, and capture attention.
Here’s how to create Instagram carousels, along with ways to incorporate them into your social media marketing strategy.
What is an Instagram carousel?
An Instagram carousel is a post containing multiple images or videos.
Carousels allow users to upload up to 20 cards in a single post for viewers to swipe or click through. As with regular posts, the creator can add a location, tag other accounts, add music, and write captions. Carousels appear as a slideshow, so they’re perfect if you want to upload a lot of Instagram content without making separate posts for each image or video.
It’s possible to uploadcarousels as organic posts or ads. A carousel ad includes a clickable call to action. Your carousel posts and carousel ads can exist in various placements, including the Explore page, users’ feeds, and Instagramstories.
Why use Instagram carousels?
Carousels offer storytelling opportunities in that your business can relay its message over several slides in the same post. For example, if your business is launching a product with several key features you’d like to showcase, each slide can focus on a specific product feature. This way, your audience gets all the essential information without being overwhelmed by too much data in one photo.
On average, carousels see higher engagement rates than single-image posts. Users are more likely to view carouselposts for longer, taking the extra time to discover what the other carousel slides contain. And if your followers don’t look through every photo during their first interaction with the carousel post, Instagram will present the carousel to them again later. For example, if a user swipes through only the first two images of a carousel, Instagram will show the carousel post again starting with the third image (where they left off).
Instagram carousel size requirements
Follow Meta’s guidelines to uploadphotos and videos optimized for Instagram carousel posts:
Carousel images
- Resolution: At least 1,080 x 1,080 pixels
- Maximum file size: 30 MB
- Aspect ratio: 1:1 or 4:5
Carousel videos
- Resolution: At least 1,080 x 1,080 pixels
- Maximum file size: 4 GB
- Ratio: 1:1 or 4:5
- Duration: 1 second to 2 minutes
How to create an organic Instagram carousel
- Start a new post
- Turn your post into a carousel
- Choose your slides
- Edit your images
- Add captions and tags
- Share with your followers
Follow this step-by-step guide to upload your first organic Instagram carousel post:
1. Start a new post
To post from your mobile device, log into Instagram and tap the “+” icon at the bottom center of the screen. Desktop users can find this icon on the left side of the screen. This brings you to the “New post” page, where a grid of your photo gallery appears at the bottom.
2. Turn your post into a carousel
Tap the square icon (next to the camera icon) on the right side to select your media for the Instagram carousel. The square icon turns blue to indicate you are in carousel mode. On a desktop computer, drag your cursor to select multiple files to upload, and then select the square icon.
3. Choose your slides
Next, select all the images you want to include in the carousel post. With each image or video you select, a number appears in the top right corner of the picture. This number indicates the order in which the photos will be published.
You may choose up to 20 images or videos. Each image or video you select appears on the top half of the screen. Adjust the crop of each photo or video by placing your fingers on the image. After you have selected your content, tap “Next” in the top right corner.
4. Edit your images
Now add filters or edit the lighting of each image if you want. Reorder the photos and videos by selecting one and dragging it to a new position. You also have the option of adding a song. Song selections appear in a row at the bottom of the screen. Select the “Browse” option on the left to search for a song. Tap “Next” to advance to the last step.
5. Add captions and tags
Now you can add a caption, poll, or location, or tag people or products. Underneath the post, it will prompt you to write a caption or add a poll where you may ask your followers a question, encouraging more engagement with your carousel post. To tag other users, select “Tag people” and type in the username. Select “Add location” to type in a place you want to highlight.
6. Share with your followers
Click “Share” to upload your carousel. This pushes your carousel post to the feeds of your followers and to the Explore page, where other users can discover the content.
How to create an Instagram carousel ad
The process for creating carousel ads is somewhat different than creating organic carousel posts:
1. Navigate to Ads Manager. From there, select “+ Create” in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Pick your objective. Define your advertising goals by choosing from awareness, traffic, app promotion, leads, and sales.
3. Add additional details. Include your A/B testing information, campaign budget, schedule, audience, placements, and other details. After that, select “Next.”
4. Select your Instagram account. In the Identity drop-down menu, choose the account you’re using for the carousel ad.
5. Choose your content. In the Ad Creative section, select which photos or videos you want to include as cards in your carousel.
5. Publish your carousel ad. You can directly publish your ad or schedule to post it later. Like with other Instagram ads, you can analyze its performance metrics in the Ads Manager.
Ways to use Instagram carousels for marketing
- Spotlight different products
- Create a step-by-step tutorial
- Highlight multiple features
- Show a product from different angles
- Post one photo over multiple slides
- Make a collage
- Share what’s happening behind the scenes
You can tailor your carousel any way you’d like to best execute your business goals. Whether you’re looking to showcase products or develop your brand narrative, carousels are your canvas. Here’s how to use them:
Spotlight different products
Consider including multiple products in a single carousel post to make your followers aware of your different offerings. For example, food and beverage company Fly By Jing created a festive carousel to show off its holiday gift sets.
The carousel post features an advent calendar, a sampler set, a hot box set, and a limited-edition blanket. Consider targeting a specific customer persona with each card. Or go one step further and tag products in your Instagram shop to engage a percentage of the 130 million people who tap on product tags each month.
Create a step-by-step tutorial
If you want to teach your customers about your brand or how to use a product, the multiple cards in a carousel post let you provide instructions and other educational content. Designate each card to a specific step so your followers must swipe to follow along. This visual aid is simple but lets you offer valuable information to your audience.
Highlight multiple features
Consider showing off multiple product features in a carousel. Fitness tracker brand Fitbit used this method to show parents how the Fitbit Ace LTE can keep their kids active and safe with features like a goal tracker and location services. Each carousel card incorporates text and photos to highlight the product’s different functionalities.
Carousels like this one can help your customers easily understand your product without having to read a long description or spec list. You can also leave the first comment on your post to ensure you get any additional hashtags or information beyond what you added in the caption.
Show a product from different angles
Posting multiple angles and photos of your product can help customers better understand its dimensions and appearance—especially if they don’t have the opportunity to interact with your products in person, such as with ecommerce. For example, you could post a picture of the front and back of your product and a video of the product in use, all in one post.
Post one photo over multiple slides
Spark curiosity among your audience by using several slides for one photo. When viewers see that the first slide shows only a partial image, they may be inclined to swipe right to view the rest of it. For example, canned cocktail brand Juneshine achieved this with a carousel post presenting a life-size image of its tequila margarita.
Make a collage
Carousel posts not only allow brands to show more, but the format also enables brands to be imaginative in new ways. For example, makeup brand Fenty Beauty created a visual collage of its products and prices, mimicking a magazine page layout.
Uploading a post that shows your product in a fun way like this can help to break up the monotony of an Instagram feed, increasing the likelihood your audience will linger on your carousel post and engage with it.
Not sure where to start? Graphic design platforms like Canva offer Instagram carousel templates you can customize. If you don’t want to use professionally designed templates, you can always experiment with your own layouts.
Share what’s happening behind the scenes
Sometimes a picture isn’t enough to capture a moment. In those instances, sharing multiple videos might work best. Carousels offer a way for your brand to recap brand activations or events, giving followers who couldn’t attend a behind-the-scenes look.
For example, Osea Malibu posted a collection of videos to share its End of Summer Market event with its audience. The carousel postshowcased multiple collaborations, allowing followers to get to know the community and people behind the brand.
Sharing with your followers multiple videos from an event or videos focused on a day in the life of your team can paint a clearer picture of who your brand is, providing the opportunity for a deeper connection.
Instagram carousel FAQ
What is the difference between carousels and Reels on Instagram?
Reels are videos you upload to your profile. They have an exclusive section on your profile, so visitors can scroll through them without interacting with still image posts. Carousel posts, on the other hand, can include both photos and videos. Both Reels and carousels can appear on your followers’ feeds and the Explore page.
What is the limit of photos or videos on an Instagram carousel?
An organic carousel post can contain a maximum of 20 images or videos. Meanwhile, a carousel posted as an ad can contain a maximum of 10.
How do you schedule Instagram carousel posts?
To schedule an Instagram carousel post, select “Advanced Settings” instead of tapping “Share.” Then toggle “Schedule this post” and choose the date and time. Tap the back button and then “Share” to schedule your carousel.
