How to Create an Instagram Carousel Post Tutorial

Instagram carousel posts are one of the best ways to stop the scroll and build a real connection with your audience. This guide walks you through the entire process, from coming up with share-worthy ideas to designing slides that flow seamlessly and writing captions that spark conversation. We'll cover everything you need to know to create swipe-worthy content that gets results.

What is an Instagram Carousel Post (And Why Should You Care)?

An Instagram carousel is a single post containing multiple photos or videos - up to 10 - that users can swipe through. Think of it as a mini-story, gallery, or presentation, all packed into one post. Engagement rates show this format works, carousels consistently outperform single-image and video posts on average engagement per post. Why? Because they hold attention longer.

As users swipe through your slides, their time spent on your post increases. This tells the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable, which can lead to greater reach. Moreover, carousels are incredibly versatile, letting you share more information, tell deeper stories, and provide more value than a single image ever could.

Part 1: Brainstorming Your Carousel Content

Before you open a design app, you need a solid idea. The best carousels have a clear beginning, middle, and end. The first slide hooks the reader, the middle slides provide the value, and the final slide often includes a call-to-action (CTA). Here are some proven concepts that work for almost any niche:

1. Educational Step-by-Step Guides or Tutorials

This is the classic carousel format for a reason - it’s extremely valuable. Break down a complex process into easy-to-digest steps. Each slide represents one step, making the information feel manageable and straightforward.

• Slide 1: The title of the tutorial (e.g., "5 Steps to Brew the Perfect Pour-Over Coffee").
• Slides 2-6: One step per slide, with a supporting image or graphic.
• Slide 7: A summary slide or a clear call-to-action ("Save this for your next brew!").

2. Data dumps, Myths vs. Facts, and Infographics

Turn data or dense information into a visually appealing narrative. Instead of just stating facts in a caption, use each slide to highlight a specific statistic, debunk a common myth, or build a piece of a larger infographic.

• Slide 1: A provocative question or bold statement ("What You Don't Know About Sleep").
• Slides 2-5: Presenting stats or busting myths one by one.
• Slide 6: The main takeaway and a CTA asking followers for their biggest learnings.

3. Tell a Story (Brand, Customer, or Product)

Carousels are perfect for storytelling. Walk your audience through the behind-the-scenes of building your brand, share a customer success story, or show how a product comes to life from conception to creation.

• Slide 1: The story's hook ("How a simple idea sketched on a napkin became our best-selling product").
• Slides 2-9: The journey, showing highs and lows with real photos and text overlays.
• Slide 10: Your brand's evolution and a question for your audience ("What's your proudest creation?").

4. Before and After Transformations

This format is instantly compelling. It shows a clear, tangible result. It’s perfect for fitness trainers, home organizers, designers, beauty experts, and anyone else who provides a transformational service or product.

• Slide 1: A split screen of the "Before & After."
• Slide 2: A full-size "Before" shot.
• Slides 3-6: Detail the process of how you got from A to B.
• Slide 7: The full-size "After" shot and a proud description of the result.

5. Curated Lists and Recommendations ("Photo Dumps")

A "photo dump" is a more casual but highly effective way to use carousels. It feels authentic and provides a glimpse into your personality or brand. You can share a recap of a recent event, a curated list of your favorite books, or photos from a recent trip.

• Slide 1: A powerful hero image and a simple title ("October Moments").
• Slides 2-9: A mix of photos and videos that capture an emotion or theme. No need for over-designing here, the raw feel is part of the appeal.
• Slide 10: A simple closing thought or a question related to the content dump.

Part 2: Designing Your Carousel Post (Step-by-Step Tutorial)

Once you have your concept, it's time to bring it to life visually. You have two main options: using the Instagram app for a simple photo gallery or using a design tool like Canva for a more polished, branded look. Let's cover the more professional Canva approach.

Step 1: Set Up Your Canvas in Canva

To create a "seamless" carousel where graphics flow from one slide to the next, you need to set up a custom canvas. Standard Instagram post sizes are:

• Square (1:1 aspect ratio): 1080px by 1080px
• Portrait (4:5 aspect ratio): 1080px by 1350px

Portrait is generally preferred as it takes up more screen real estate. To create your seamless canvas, multiply the width (1080px) by the number of slides you want.

Example for a 5-slide portrait carousel:

• Height: 1350px
• Width: 1080px * 5 = 5400px

In Canva, click "Create a design" → "Custom size," and enter your custom width and height.

Step 2: Turn on Rulers and Guides

This is the most important step for getting your guides right. Once your blank canvas is open, go to File → View settings → Show rulers and guides. Now you can set vertical guides to mark where each slide begins and ends so your design stays within the right frames.

Drag a line from the left ruler and place it at every 1080px mark:

• Guide 1 at 1080 px
• Guide 2 at 2160 px
• Guide 3 at 3240 px
• Guide 4 at 4320 px

You now have your 5 slides perfectly measured out on a single design.

Step 3: Design Your Slides

Now for the creative part. Keep these design principles in mind to create a scroll-stopping carousel:

• Create a Strong First Slide: Your first slide must grab attention. Use a bold headline, an interesting question, or a powerful image. This is your ad for the rest of the carousel.
• Maintain Visual Consistency: Use a consistent set of fonts, colors, and iconography throughout your slides. This makes your post look professional and reinforces your brand identity.
• Use "Seamless" Elements: Place some graphic elements or images across your guides. When a user swipes, the element will appear to slide smoothly from one frame to the next. This creates a satisfying, connected experience.
• Add a Call-to-Action on the Last Slide: Don't leave your audience hanging. The last slide is your chance to encourage action. Make it clear and direct: "Save for later," "Share your thoughts below," "Tag a friend who needs to see this," etc. Add a visual cue like a hand swiping to let people know they should get to the end!
• Don't Overcrowd the Slides: White space is your friend. Keep each slide focused on one main point. Break up large blocks of text into smaller bullet points or use images and icons to convey your message.

Step 4: Slice and Download Your Images

Once your design is done, you need to slice it up into individual images for uploading. You'll need a free third-party online image-splitting tool.

1. Download your entire design from Canva as a single PNG file.
2. Search online for a tool like "Image Splitter" or "Pinetools Split Image."
3. Upload your large PNG file.
4. Choose to split the image "Horizontally" into the number of blocks you designed (e.g., 5).
5. Download the resulting .zip file, which will contain your five individual slide images, perfectly cropped and ready for Instagram.

Part 3: Writing a Caption That Converts

Your visuals will draw people in, but the caption keeps them there and drives them to act. A great carousel caption adds context and continues the conversation.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Carousel Caption

• The Hook (First Line): The first 1-2 lines are all anyone sees before clicking "...more". Pose a question, make a relatable statement, or create intrigue that mirrors the title on your first slide.
• The Body: Don't just repeat what's on the slides. Use the caption to add more detail, give personal anecdotes, or expand on the points you made visually. This is your chance to sound like a human, not just a content machine.
• The Call-to-Action (CTA): A strong caption always tells the reader what to do next. Encourage comments, saves, shares, or link clicks in your bio. A CTA tied to the carousel's topic works best (e.g., for a tutorial, say "Let me know if you try this!").
• Hashtags: Use a mix of broad and niche-specific hashtags to expand your reach. You can place them at the end of the caption or in the first comment immediately after posting. Try using between 5-15 relevant hashtags.

Part 4: Posting Your Carousel on Instagram

You have your visuals and your caption ready. The final step is posting it all together.

1. Open Instagram and tap the "+" icon to create a new post.
2. Tap the "Select Multiple" icon (looks like stacked squares) on the right.
3. Select your images in the correct order (1 through 10). You can tap and hold an image to reorder them if you make a mistake.
4. Tap "Next." Here you can apply a filter to all images at once or tap an individual image to edit it separately. (Typically, if you designed in a tool like Canva, you'll skip this).
5. Tap "Next" again.
6. On the final screen, paste in your prepared caption.
7. Optional steps: Tag accounts, add a location, and set up other advanced options.
8. Tap "Share" to post your carousel to your feed.

Final Thoughts

Creating a high-quality Instagram carousel takes more effort than a single photo post, but the payoff in engagement and audience growth is well worth it. By combining a great concept, clean design, a compelling caption, and a clear call-to-action, you create a powerful piece of content that builds your brand and serves your audience.

After you’ve mastered creating carousels, consistency is the next step. At Postbase, we designed a simple and visual calendar to help you plan and schedule your brilliant content without complexity. You can see your entire content plan laid out, drag and drop posts to reschedule, and trust that posts like your beautiful carousels will publish reliably, every single time.