Creators Digest guide
Grow Audience with Instagram Carousels
Learn how to use Instagram carousels for growth, including a 7-slide structure and font sizes for mobile, to boost your audience
As a creator, you've likely seen the power of Instagram carousels in driving engagement and growth. However, using them effectively can be a challenge. In this guide, you'll learn how to use Instagram carousels for growth, including a unique 7-slide structure for educational, niche, and listicle carousels. Unlike other guides, we'll focus on the often-overlooked aspect of Saves and how carousels can help you rank in this metric. By the end of this guide, you'll be able to create carousels that drive slow audience growth that compounds over time.
1. Understanding Instagram Carousel Analytics
Instagram Insights is the primary tool for tracking carousel performance, providing data on reach, engagement, and Saves. To access Insights, open the Instagram app, tap the profile icon, then tap the three lines in the top right corner and select Insights. In the Insights dashboard, tap the Content tab and select the carousel post you want to analyze. Here, you can view metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement rate, and Saves.
To get a better understanding of your carousel's performance, look for the following metrics:
* Reach: the number of unique users who viewed your carousel
* Impressions: the total number of times your carousel was viewed
* Engagement rate: the percentage of users who interacted with your carousel, including likes, comments, and Saves
* Saves: the number of users who saved your carousel for later
In addition to Instagram Insights, third-party tools like Beehiiv can provide more detailed analytics. Beehiiv offers features such as trackable links, email support, and customizable analytics dashboards. To use Beehiiv, sign up for an account, connect your Instagram profile, and navigate to the analytics dashboard. Here, you can view detailed metrics on your carousel's performance, including click-through rates and conversion rates.
To take action on your analytics data, open Instagram Insights, tap the Content tab, and select a recent carousel post. Take note of the reach, engagement rate, and Saves, and compare these metrics to your previous posts. Use this data to inform your future content strategy, such as adjusting the length of your carousels or the time of day you post. You can also use Beehiiv to track the performance of your carousels over time, and adjust your strategy accordingly. For example, if you notice that your carousels with 7 slides are performing better than those with 3 slides, you can adjust your content strategy to focus on creating more 7-slide carousels.
2. Creating a 7-Slide Structure for Educational Carousels
Educational carousels are a powerful way to share knowledge and grow your audience on Instagram. A well-structured 7-slide carousel can engage your viewers and establish your authority in a niche. The 7-slide structure typically includes an introduction, problem agitation, solution, examples, testimonials, call-to-action, and final thoughts.
To create an introduction slide, use a clear and concise headline that grabs the viewer's attention, followed by a brief overview of the topic. For example, if you're creating a carousel about social media marketing, your introduction slide could read "Boost Your Online Presence" in a font size of at least 40 pixels to ensure it's readable on mobile devices.
The next slides should agitate the problem, present a solution, and provide examples or case studies to support your claims. For instance, if you're discussing the importance of using Instagram carousels for growth, you could include a slide with a screenshot from YouTube Studio, showing how to track engagement metrics for your videos, and explain how these metrics can be applied to carousels.
When creating your slides, use a tool like CapCut to design visually appealing graphics. CapCut offers a range of templates, fonts, and colors to choose from, making it easy to customize your slides to fit your brand. Open CapCut, tap the Template option, and select the Instagram Carousel template to get started.
To add social proof to your carousel, include a testimonials slide with quotes or reviews from satisfied customers or peers. This could be a screenshot from a review on your website, or a quote from a well-known creator in your niche, such as Gary Vaynerchuk or Neil Patel.
Finally, include a call-to-action slide that directs viewers to take a specific action, such as visiting your website or signing up for your newsletter. You could also include a link to your LinkedIn page, where you can repurpose your carousel content to reach a wider audience. To do this, open LinkedIn, tap on the Share an article option, and paste the link to your carousel.
By following this 7-slide structure and using a tool like CapCut to create engaging slides, you can create educational carousels that resonate with your audience and help you grow your presence on Instagram. Open CapCut now and start designing your first educational carousel.
3. Designing Carousels for Mobile Devices
When designing carousels for mobile devices, it is crucial to consider the smaller screen size and the way users interact with content on their smartphones. To ensure that your carousels are mobile-friendly, start by selecting images with a high enough resolution to remain clear on smaller screens. For example, if you are using a photo editing tool like CapCut, make sure to export your images at a resolution of at least 1080 pixels.
To create carousels that are easy to read on mobile devices, use font sizes that are large enough to be legible on smaller screens. A good rule of thumb is to use font sizes between 24 and 30 points for headings and 18 and 22 points for body text. You can use Instagram's built-in font sizes or adjust the font sizes in a design tool like Beehiiv before uploading your carousel to Instagram.
In addition to image resolution and font sizes, swipe-through rates are also an important consideration when designing carousels for mobile devices. To encourage users to swipe through your entire carousel, make sure that each slide is visually appealing and provides value to the user. You can use Instagram Insights to track your swipe-through rates and identify which slides are performing well and which ones may need to be revised.
To design mobile-friendly carousels, you can use Instagram's built-in design features, such as the "Carousel" template in the Instagram app. This template allows you to easily add images, text, and other media to your carousel, and it automatically adjusts the layout to fit the smaller screen size of mobile devices. Alternatively, you can use a design tool like Canva to create your carousel and then upload it to Instagram.
Open Instagram, tap the plus sign, and select "Carousel" to start creating a new carousel. Then, tap "Next" and select the images you want to use for your carousel. You can also add text, stickers, and other media to each slide to make your carousel more engaging. Once you have created your carousel, tap "Share" to upload it to Instagram. By following these steps and considering the unique challenges and opportunities of mobile devices, you can create carousels that are optimized for mobile and help you grow your audience on Instagram.
4. Using Niche and Listicle Carousels for Engagement
To create engaging niche and listicle carousels, start by researching trending topics in your niche using tools like TikTok Creator Marketplace or Beehiiv. Identify keywords and phrases that are currently popular and relevant to your audience. For example, if you are a fashion creator, you can use TikTok Creator Marketplace to find trending fashion topics such as sustainable fashion or streetwear.
Next, use these topics to create a listicle carousel with a clear and concise structure. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Determine the theme of your listicle, such as "5 ways to style a little black dress" or "10 must-have fashion items for summer".
2. Create a series of slides, each with a brief description of the item on the list, using a font size that is readable on mobile devices, such as 24-point font.
3. Use high-quality images or graphics to illustrate each point, and make sure they are optimized for mobile viewing.
4. Add a call-to-action to your final slide, such as "Double tap if you liked this post" or "Share your favorite fashion tip in the comments".
5. Use Instagram's built-in features, such as polls or quizzes, to encourage audience engagement and increase Saves.
To repurpose your carousel for LinkedIn, follow these steps:
* Open your Instagram carousel and tap the three dots at the top right corner of the post.
* Tap "Share" and select "Copy link".
* Open LinkedIn and create a new post.
* Paste the link to your Instagram carousel and add a brief description of the content.
* Use LinkedIn's built-in features, such as articles or documents, to share more in-depth information on the topic.
By following these steps and using tools like TikTok Creator Marketplace to find trending topics, you can create niche and listicle carousels that drive engagement and Saves. Open TikTok Creator Marketplace, browse the trending topics page, and find a topic that resonates with your audience. Then, create a carousel using the 7-slide structure outlined in the previous section, and repurpose it for LinkedIn to reach a wider audience.
5. Frequently asked questions
What is the ideal font size for Instagram carousels?
How many slides should I include in my carousel?
Can I use Instagram carousels for e-commerce?
How do I track the performance of my Instagram carousels?
Can I repurpose my Instagram carousels for other social media platforms?
How often should I post Instagram carousels?
What are the benefits of using Instagram carousels for growth?
In conclusion, Instagram carousels are a powerful tool for driving growth and engagement on the platform. By using a 7-slide structure, designing for mobile devices, and optimizing for Saves and engagement, you can create carousels that drive slow audience growth that compounds over time. Remember to track your performance using Instagram Insights and third-party tools, and adapt your strategy accordingly. By following these tips and best practices, you can unlock the full potential of Instagram carousels for your brand or business.