How to Make an Instagram Carousel

A carousel is a set of slides people swipe through. It works best when it reads like a short story with a beginning, a middle and an end.

Use this structure: a hook slide first, then one slide for each idea, then a closing slide that tells people what to do next. Most useful carousels need between five and eight slides, but let the content decide. If an idea takes three slides, use three.

Before you open any editor, write the carousel as plain text: one line for the hook, one line for each idea and one line for the close. If the outline reads well, the slides will too. If it feels long, cut the weakest idea.

The first slide decides whether anyone sees the rest. State the promise or the question in a few words, and make it specific to your audience.

• A clear promise: 5 ways to keep bread fresh.
• A problem people recognize: Why your cake sinks in the middle.
• A small teaser: The mistake we made for a year.

One idea per slide keeps the text short and the pace quick. If a slide needs two ideas, split it into two slides.

Use a short headline of a few words, then one or two lines of support at most. Put the same elements in the same place on every slide so the carousel feels like one piece. A photo or simple background behind the text keeps it visual without clutter. Photos should support the idea, not compete with it, so a close, simple image behind a headline is usually enough.

The last slide should tell people exactly one thing to do. Ask them to save the carousel for later, send it to a friend, visit the shop, order, or message you. Do not give three choices, because people then do none of them.

Repeat the call to action in the caption so it is also there for people who read before they swipe.

Make the action match the goal of the post. A tips carousel suits a save or a share, while an offer carousel suits a message or an order.

Most people will see your carousel on a phone, so design for a small screen. Make the main text large enough to read at arm's length, and avoid long paragraphs.

• Use big headlines and short lines. If you need to squint, the text is too small.
• Pick light text on a dark area or dark text on a light area. Avoid text that blends into a busy photo.
• Use a photo overlay to darken or lighten the image behind the words.
• Choose one or two fonts and stick with them on all slides.
• Leave empty space around the text.

1. 1Set up your brand kit once: colors, font and tone of voice.
2. 2Choose the carousel option and type a topic, for example, 5 ways to keep bread fresh.
3. 3Let the AI write the caption and hashtags and draft up to 10 slides, each with a photo from the free stock library or your own uploads.
4. 4Edit in the full editor: change any text, pick one of the 50 templates, 10 fonts, color schemes or backgrounds, and adjust text size and photo overlay.
5. 5Check the live preview, which is exactly what will be published.
6. 6Publish now after the confirmation step, or schedule it for a date and time.