Best Practices for Instagram Carousel Posts 2025
If you’re wondering how to make your posts stand out, Instagram Carousels are a great choice. According to the Metricool Social Media Study 2025, Carousels (along with Reels) are some of the hottest formats on the platform.
Why? Because they let you share multiple photos or videos in one post, which makes them ideal for telling a story or showingcasing more of what you love. Plus, Instagram Carousel posts get way more engagement than single images.
But maybe you’re asking yourself: What exactly is an Instagram Carousel? How do you create one that actually works? And how can you schedule them so you don’t have to post manually all the time? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in!
What Is an Instagram Carousel Post?
An Instagram Carousel post is when you share more than one photo or video in a single post. Instagram lets you add up to 20 photos, videos, or a mix of both, all in one go.
Here’s an example we posted about ‘Tips for Content Planning.’ In that Instagram Carousel, we shared three handy tips to help our audience improve their content planning, and wrapped it up with a final slide promoting our Masterclass. It’s like education and marketing in one post.
Instead of hitting your audience with just one image or a wall of text, Instagram Carousel posts let people swipe through several slides. It makes your post more interactive and keeps your followers engaged longer.
How to Create a Carousel Post on Instagram
After we’ve covered the basics, let’s jump right into the practical part. Here’s a quick step-by-step:
- Open Instagram on your phone or computer.
- Tap the + icon, then hit the ‘Multiple Media’ icon.
- Choose the photos or videos you want to include.
- Tap ‘Next,’ add your caption, tags, location — whatever you like.
- Hit ‘Post,’ and you’re done!
You might be wondering: how many slides can you add to an Instagram Carousel? Instagram has increased the limit, so you can now post up to 20 images or videos in a single Carousel post. That gives you plenty of space to tell your story and boost engagement even more.
How to Make a Carousel Reel on Instagram
Here’s how to create one (if it’s available to you):
- Open Instagram and tap “+” > Reel
- Select multiple videos or images
- Arrange them in your desired order – viewers will swipe through
- Add music, text, or effects to each slide
- Post as usual
💡 Pro tip: Use the first slide as a strong hook to grab attention – just like a regular Carousel post.
5 Instagram Carousel Post Best Practices
Now that your Instagram Carousel or multi-slide Reel is ready, here’s what to focus on to get more engagement.
1. Create a Seamless Carousel Post
A seamless Instagram Carousel post reads and flows like one continuous visual story. For example, if you’re launching a new product, use each slide to build up the problem it solves, and end with a clear call to action (CTA).
Design-wise, make sure each slide transitions smoothly into the next. Tools like Canva are great for this. If you’re wondering how to make a seamless Instagram Carousel or how to design one in Canva, start with a template, set the size to 1080x1080px, and keep your visual elements consistent across slides.
2. Highlight Your Favorites
Use Instagram Carousel posts to showcase your top-performing content, favorite products, or personal highlights. Think monthly product roundups or yearly photo dumps.
Hot trend: Photo Dumps! These are casual, engaging Instagram Carousel posts made up of random snapshots collected over time.
3. Educate Your Audience
Instagram Carousel posts give you the space to break things down step by step. They’re perfect for explaining complex ideas in an easy, swipeable format.
People love it when you turn complicated processes into clear, actionable steps. And Carousel posts are the perfect tool for that.
4. Show Before vs. Afters
Instagram Carousels are also useful for transformation content – hair makeovers, interior redesigns, fitness journeys, and more.
Pro tip: placing the after photo first can have a stronger visual impact.
5. Use Strong Captions and CTAs
Don’t forget the caption! Use it to add context, tell a story, or ask a question that encourages people to engage. A good CTA like ‘Swipe to see the result’ or ‘Which one’s your favorite?’ can trigger valuable reactions from your followers.
NEW: Instagram Carousel Insights You Should Know
In case there’s still a little voice in your head questioning whether Carousels are worth it: Instagram’s latest updates say yes. The platform keeps investing in this format, adding more insights to help creators understand what’s working.
One of the newest features being tested: advanced Carousel insights. You’ll be able to see which specific slide got the like — and when. That means more clarity on what’s grabbing attention and driving engagement.
Why is this exciting?
If you’re a creator or brand, this small insight can give you a better understanding of what content truly resonates with your audience. Was it the hook in slide 1 or a later frame that kept them engaged?
You’ll soon be able to:
- See which frame drives likes to improve your slide sequencing
- Spot drop-off points in longer Carousels
- Repurpose top-performing slides as standalone posts or Reels
This update builds on other recent Carousel upgrades like mixed orientation and Reels tab visibility for Carousel posts.
With Carousels becoming more interactive, you can expect even deeper insights soon — possibly even frame-level view counts or custom captions per slide.
Keep an eye on your Insights tab!
Schedule Instagram Carousels Automatically with Metricool
Ready to save time and boost engagement? With Metricool, you can schedule your Instagram Carousels (up to 20 images or videos) and let the platform post them automatically for you.
Here’s why it’s worth it:
- Plan directly from the Metricool calendar or through Canva
- Add tags, locations, and preview your post before it goes live
- Enjoy hands-free publishing with automatic posting
🔥 Stop posting manually. Start scheduling your Carousels with Metricool today and free up time for what really matters.
Instagram Carousel Posts FAQ’s
If at this point of the blog, you still have some lingering questions in regards to posting Instagram carousels, we will be answering some frequently asked questions below!
What are The Recommended Sizes for Instagram Carousel Posts?
Image Carousel Specs:
- Landscape: 1080 x 566 pixels
- Portrait: 1080 x 1350 pixels
- Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels
- Aspect ratios:
– Landscape: 1.91:1
– Square: 1:1
– Vertical: 4:5 - Recommended image size: Width of 1080 pixels; height between 566 and 1350 pixels depending on orientation
Video Carousel Specs:
- Length: 3 to 60 seconds per video
- File types: .MP4 or .MOV
- Aspect ratios: Same as image carousels (1.91:1, 1:1, 4:5)
- Maximum video size: 4GB
💡 Tip: Stick to the recommended sizes for best visual quality and to avoid cropping or black bars in your posts.
What Is the Max Video Length for Carousels?
Each video in a Carousel can be up to 60 seconds long.
You can include up to 10 videos, which means up to 10 minutes of total content in one post.
What Is an Instagram Carousel Splitter?
An Instagram Carousel Splitter is a tool (often found in third-party apps like Planoly) that slices a single image into multiple parts to create a seamless, scrollable effect across your carousel slides.
Now that you know how to go about Carousels, it’s time to experiment!
Try different styles like before-and-after posts, educational tips, or tutorials.
To stay consistent and save time, use a scheduling tool like Metricool to plan and automate your Instagram Carousels like a pro.
