While the popularity of Instagram reels has exploded recently, there is another form of post you should not ignore: scrolling posts. Also known as carousel posts, these may be the key to preventing people from scrolling past as it helps to boost engagement. 

According to a study by Social Insider, scrolling posts have an engagement rate between 1.65% and 5.4%, which is more than other posts that have an engagement rate of 1.66%. This makes them good posts for pinning on Instagram. This article will guide you on creating scrolling posts and using them to drive engagement.

What is a Scrolling Instagram Post?

Carousel Instagram posts consist of several images that users can view simultaneously by swiping the button on the left. Therefore, an Instagram carousel post works like a slide show. By using carousel posts, users can pause to engage with your content, particularly if they find the first slide engaging. This is why carousel posts are usually more engaging than normal images and videos. 

Areas Where You Can Use Scrolling Posts

With their unique nature, Instagram carousel posts can be a good choice for creating strategic content on Instagram. You can use them to create a wide range of content such as:

Tutorials

Assuming you want to post a reel on Instagram featuring a how-to tutorial, you might find that the tutorial is too long to fit in a reel. Thus, you might consider putting the reels in a carousel. This will enable you to add step-by-step instructions. The instructions could be in a carousel short video, image, or a combination of both.  You can then add audio to your stories before posting them.

Education Content and Data Points

While Instagram captions can work for providing explanations and other long-form content, they aren't as eye-catching as images. Even when your data is very interesting, you will struggle to have people read it. An Instagram carousel post can be a good way to share explanations and other texts to make people view your post. You can also create a series of images to provide a guide on a particular educational content.

Spotlights

You can also use Instagram carousel posts as a way to showcase your products or services.  For instance, an animal shelter can use Instagram carousel posts by showing the available animals for adoption.

User-generated Content

If you want a deeper connection with your followers, one of the options you should consider is user-generated content. Remember that social media isn't meant to be a one-way conversation. 

To give your fans a shout out, you can use carousels to round up the best user-generated content. Using images of your customers using products and services would be great. This is because customers trust other users to give a review of a product than someone paid to advertise it.

Brand Storytelling

Instagram carousel posts are effective if you want your Instagram followers to trust your work enabling you to become an Instagram influencer. This is because it allows you to post several slides showcasing your work. You can also use these posts to tell the story behind your brand and products.

Before and After Images

The before and after images have been noted to be effective in showcasing transformations. Rather than splitting an image into two, carousel posts can help to showcase the transformation. Whether you are in the beauty industry or home remodeling project, you can use before and after images as proof of the effectiveness of your product or work. 

Repurposed Content

If you have put much effort into your work, you may want to use it several times. Whether it's blog posts or webinars, carousels are great for repurposing content. This is particularly true for blog posts which can be tricky to promote. 

Repurposing the highlights of the blog posts in images and sharing them as carousels can help to solve the challenge. Therefore, repurpose that whitepaper or book into carousels and share it with your family.

Other ways you can use a carousel post include:

• Events highlights
• Product reveals
• Brand storytelling
• Product reveals
• Education content
• Data and infographics, etc.

Selecting the Dimensions of an Instagram Carousel Post

Like other normal posts, you can post Instagram carousel posts in different formats, such as square, horizontal, and portrait. However, you must ensure that all individual images on the posts are uniform. If you choose a certain shape for the first image, you must use the same for all other images.

Therefore, when creating an Instagram carousel post, you must ensure it is the right size to appear good on the platform. The recommended image size of Instagram carousel posts are as follows:

• Square: 1:1
• Vertical: 4:5
• Horizontal: 1:91:1

When posting images, you should go with the Instagram recommended resolution of 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels. If you post videos, you can go with the recommended resolution of 600 x 600 pixels and 1080 x1080 pixels.

The specs for Instagram video carousels are:

• A length of between 3 and 60 seconds.
• An MP4 or MOV format.
• Same aspect videos for images above.
• A video with a maximum length of 4 GB.

Besides the sizing needs, Instagram requires that your carousel post be less than 125 characters. If you are creating an Instagram carousel ad, you can add a maximum of 30 hashtags. You can also include a landing page. You can add between 2 and 10 images to your Instagram scrolling post. The maximum file size for your post should be 30 MB or a 4 GB video.

Benefits of Instagram Carousel Posts

These are the reasons why Instagram carousel posts will work for your brand.

Great for Instagram Engagement

We have already mentioned this but it's worth repeating. With many businesses turning to Instagram ads to grow their brand, you need to create top-notch content if you will compete organically. One key factor affecting the engagement rate is the type of content.

Having well-planned, captivating, and scheduled content will help you grow your engagement. One of the types of content that will bring in more engagement is the Instagram carousel. Therefore, a carousel post is key to bringing in more engagement.

Adding Different Kinds of Content

Carousel posts allow you to combine different kinds of content such as images and videos in a single post. If images aren't bringing a lot of engagement, you can use videos or a combination of the two. However, videos can help to drive the message home more strongly than images. 

A combination of images also helps to attach the user to the post. If they don't like the first image, they will see the second one, which may draw their interest. This is something that normal posts will not do.

How to Create an Instagram Carousel Post

The first step toward creating an Instagram carousel post is developing a concept. You should consider why Instagram carousel posts are the right option for you. Why will they work better than an Instagram story, video, or collage video? 

After determining that it is the right content to create for Instagram marketing, you can put your ideas on a sketch board. The sketch board will help you determine the number of frame rates you need. Consider creating an Instagram carousel with a single image or panoramic effect. You can follow these steps to add the carousel image on Instagram:

• Go to your photo gallery and add all the photos you must include.
• Open the Instagram app and click on the + sign.
• Beneath the post review, click on the layered square icon.
• Select a maximum of ten images or videos from your gallery. Ensure that the images are in the order you want to upload them.
• On the top right corner, click on Next.
• You can now add filters to your videos or images by clicking on the icon marked by two overlapping circles. Make sure you apply the same filter throughout all images to create harmony. After you have finished editing, click on Next.
• You can add account tags, geotags, captions, and hashtags. Choose a good caption that will help you drive engagement. When adding hashtags, make sure to go with popular ones on Instagram. This is also the section where you will tag people, add a caption, and a reminder similar to the usual post.
• If you need to add some alt text, go to Advanced Settings. You can then make changes regarding preferences, such as commenting, view counts, and likes.
• Tap on Share and your first carousel post will go live.

Be sure to counter check if all your frame rates are in the right order before you can publish. This is possible if you delete individual slides after posting the carousel.

How to Schedule an Instagram Carousel Post

If you post your carousel posts manually, the process can be pretty straightforward. However, it can also take a lot of your time, especially if you are trying to maintain a consistent posting schedule. Scheduling your carousel posts is a good way to overcome the challenge. You can use Facebook Creator Studio to do that. Here are the steps to follow when scheduling a carousel post:

1. Go to your Facebook Creator Studio and choose Schedule Your Instagram Post. You will see the Instagram button located at the top.
2. Click on Create Post. This button is located at the top right corner. You can then select to post to your Instagram Feed. This is a great option for those who want to share their Instagram carousel posts or videos that aren't more than 60 seconds.
3. You can now click on Add Content. You will see the caption window allowing you to add the image or video for your carousel post. Once you choose the first content, the Add Content window will appear at the top of the caption window. To add more images and videos to the button, click on the button.
4. After adding the content and including all the images, you will see a drop-down menu next to the Publish button. Choose the date and time you would like your post to go Live. Click on Schedule. The Instagram carousel post will now be ready to go Live.

However, you should remember that while the tool is very helpful, you can only use it on a desktop as it's unavailable on mobile devices. All in all, it's still among the best tips for growing an Instagram account.

Creating an Instagram Carousel Post Template

A good Instagram trend is having a consistent feed of high-quality images. That means you should choose the visuals of the Instagram carousel post to create a cohesive post. To achieve this, you should apply an Instagram carousel post.

A template will guide you in creating an Instagram carousel post. It can help you have consistency in your choice of colors, fonts, and other design elements. This will ensure that all your designs have a consistent look. You can customize the templates using photos, graphics, and texts for your new carousel post.

Final Thoughts

Instagram carousel posts can add unmatched beauty to your post as each image brings a little beauty to the overall post. Besides, they increase engagement as the swiper asks themselves: What is that next image? They keep on swiping, improving the engagement level of your posts.

However, you should understand how to post Instagram carousel posts for the best results. With the help of our guide, you can easily create posts that add value to the viewers and at the same time, take your account to the next level. We also recommend you read our guide on how to see who viewed your Instagram highlights.