What is a carousel post?
Definition
A carousel post is a single social media post with several images or videos that people swipe through, often used to teach a topic step by step or tell a short story.
Why it matters
Carousels hold attention longer than single images and give room for a full idea: a tip list, a before-and-after or a product walkthrough.
How to do it
- Open with a strong first slide that states the promise.
- Give each slide one idea, with short text.
- End with a clear next step, like saving the post or visiting a link.
Example
A five-slide Instagram carousel: “5 ways to brew better coffee at home”, one method per slide and a final slide with a call to action.
FAQ
How many slides can a carousel have?
Instagram allows up to 20 photos or videos in the app. Limits through publishing APIs and on other platforms can be lower.