A single post that holds several photos or videos which people swipe through. It is used for step-by-step guides, product ranges and before-and-after content.
Example
Meera posts a carousel of six slides, one outfit per slide, for the festive collection.
How you'll hear it
“Turn this tips list into a carousel; it will get more saves than a single image.”
Don't confuse it with
- Carousel ad: the paid ad format with several cards, each with its own link.
Related terms
Want to use this at work? AI-led Social Media Excellence is aFactor's 16-week program for social media work.
Sources
- How to make the most of Instagram carousels, Hootsuite, 2025