Creating Eye-Catching Instagram Carousels: Tips and Tricks

Instagram carousels are a unique and powerful tool to share multiple stories, images, and information in a single post. A carousel made by blending creativity, design, and arrangement can increase engagement on your account. They should be designed to captivate the viewers at every slide.

From influencers to brand owners, everyone can benefit from carousels. This article will guide you in making exciting carousels. We will provide many tips to make your unique carousel that works as your brand identity.

Image source: canva.com

Why Use Instagram Carousels?

Instagram carousels are an easy tool that allows us to post up to 10 pictures/videos in one post. These carousels help you add a variety of stories and ideas collectively in one post. Carousels can be advantageous for:

• Increased Engagement: When you post more than one post, users have to swipe through each post. As a consequence, they spend more time on a single post. This is particularly beneficial to enhance your engagement and visibility. Instagram’s algorithms show those carousels on the explore page get more engagement from users.
• Creative Storytelling: Carousels may immerse your viewers in the stories by guiding them through each step.
• More Information, Less Clutter: Carousels allow us to convey detailed information without too many pictures and captions at one time.

Let’s understand various tricks to make your Instagram carousels more interesting.

1. Plan Your Carousel Layout

The layout of your carousel works as its base. Planning it before posting your content is essential. Each slide should relate to the next to keep the viewers engaged while providing the details.

• Storyboard Your Carousel: The content should be planned for every slide. A picture, animation, or quote should be prepared carefully. You can also visualize each slide through the storyboard.
• Create a Narrative Flow: For stories, the starting slide should contain a hook to build curiosity among the viewers. The middle slides should contain the details about the content. You can add a call to action in the last slide to boost engagement.

2. Design an Attention-Grabbing First Slide

The first slide must be designed in an attention-grabbing way. This is because it is a slide that attracts the audience to swipe. It works like a book cover that impels the readers to buy it. It should look bold and interesting to viewers.

• Use Bold Fonts and Clear Text: For informational content, the title should be easy to read for the viewers. Use bold letters and contrasting colors. Text overcrowding should be avoided. It must look clean and simple and not divert attention.
• Incorporate Eye-Catching Colors: Bright colors catch the attention of the users. Your first slide may be bright to grab viewers. However, keep in mind the concept of your brand and align your posts with it.
• Include a Question or Teaser: Asking questions or using impelling phrases can enhance engagement. For instance, you can write “ Top 5 ways to boost Productivity” or “How to make your content go viral? Swipe to know”.

3. Maintain Visual Consistency

We’ve all heard that consistency is the key. Likewise, in carousels, it is an essential factor to consider. To make your slides smooth and creative, they must look cohesive. Here’s how you can do it:

• Stick to a Color Palette: First, you need to select the color that reflects the identity of your brand. It must be selected carefully because it will be used in every slide. By doing this, you can make your account look professional and clean.
• Use Similar Fonts and Icons: You must stick to one font and icon throughout the slides. Using different fonts will make it look chaotic and overwhelming. Therefore, select one font and use it carefully.
• Incorporate Brand Elements: Add your brand’s unique logo/watermark on each slide. This will make your carousel an identity of your brand.

4. Take Advantage of Visual Transitions

The exceptional transitions between the slides are a remarkable feature of Instagram carousels. The seamless swiping of slides makes it look like a story rather than multiple slides on your screen.

• Design for a Continuous Flow: To give a continuous feeling, add little elements from the previous slide to the next one. The elements may be background, emoji, or patterns.
• Use Overlapping Elements: Place different elements including shapes, text, and pictures on the coming slides to make them look overlapping. This is a great trick to encourage your viewers to swipe up to the last slide.
• Experiment with Panoramic Images: Split one image into multiple slides. This creates an immersive panoramic image. Users are likely to swipe through the whole carousel to view the complete picture.

5. Use High-Quality Images and Graphics

While high-quality visuals can attract viewers, low-quality images will take them away. Your images should be engaging enough to catch the attention of viewers. Design your carousels in such a way that does not bore your audience.

• Invest in Quality Photos: Use high-resolution, good-quality images in tour carousels. The message should be depicted in the pictures. Blur and low-resolution images can make your content less valuable.
• Leverage Vector Graphics: Use vector graphics to maintain consistency in the quality of pictures. They help make icons and graphics according to your requirements. Canva and Adobe Illustrator are some of the tools utilized for this purpose.
• Balance Visuals and Text: Avoid complicating the message by adding too many elements. A clean and simple design should be opted to convey the message potentially.

6. Add Informative and Valuable Content

Your carousels should be made to provide valuable information to your audience. Entertainment, educational, and inspirational content should have something meaningful in it. Make your slide stand out from the crowd by providing value to your target audience.

• Break Down Complex Information: For sharing tips or a step-by-step guide, utilize one slide for one step/Too. This will make the information clear to your viewers. The viewers will easily get their desired knowledge without getting distracted.
• Use Infographics: To make the data more easily digestible for viewers, add infographics. They not only make the information easy but also make it look interesting. Statistics, timelines, and comparisons can be illustrated by using infographics.
• Include Actionable Takeaways: Each slide should include an action to be taken by the viewers. Whether it’s a tip or some suggestion. For instance, a productivity carousel will include an action such as “Make your urgent tasks a priority” or “Set clear goals”.

7. End with a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

If you’ve designed your carousel effectively, add a CTA at the end to make your audience take any action. The CTA can be like, comment, share, or open the link.

• Use CTAs like “Save for Later” or “Share with a Friend”: These CTAs are used for informative content. Your audience might want to view the information later.
• Encourage Comments: Ask a relatable question from your carousel. For instance, you can ask them about their favorite tip or how they stay active. This will encourage your viewers to comment on your posts.
• Direct to a Link in Bio or Website: If your carousel is designed to promote your brand or product, mention it in the final slide. Impel the users to open the link and buy from your website. You can also ask them to visit your website for information.

Final Thoughts

A well-designed Instagram carousel includes strategy, storytelling, and value. You can make a great carousel by implementing different strategies such as a great layout, engaging visuals, and elements in your post. It is an excellent way to boost engagement on your website.

Moreover, you will be able to convey the information/message in a detail-oriented method. Experiment with our provided tips and see how your Instagram account grows.