How to Effectively Use Instagram Carousel Posts to Boost Engagement

Have you ever wondered why carousel posts on Instagram are so engaging? They boast a higher dwell time, meaning users spend more time interacting with them. How does this impact your Instagram strategy? Higher engagement leads to increased visibility and clicks through to your profile or links.

As of today, you can schedule and publish Instagram carousel posts directly from Willow. 🎉 This exciting feature will save you considerable time and ensure your content goes live exactly when you want it.

By using Willow, you can easily auto-publish engaging carousel posts on Instagram, allowing you to focus on what really matters: creating high-quality content. Are you ready to dive in?

What is a multi-image or carousel post?

What exactly is an Instagram carousel post? A carousel post allows for multiple images or videos—up to 10 in total—in a single post. This format is particularly effective for sharing multiple aspects of a story or showcasing products in a cohesive manner. Research shows that they outperform single-image posts nearly every time!

How can you measure the success of your carousel posts? Look at the data: 80% of Willow's top-performing posts over the past year have been multi-image posts. Interested in some examples? Scroll down for a selection of posts that stand out.

What makes carousel posts so great?

• How do carousel posts enhance engagement? They're one of the most stimulating formats on social media, encouraging users to swipe through.
• What about storytelling? Carousel posts enable you to narrate more complex stories in an engaging, scrollable format.
• Don’t forget the stress of manual posting. Wouldn't you prefer an automated system that frees up your time?

Getting started with carousel posts

So, how can you effectively use carousel posts on Instagram? They're incredibly versatile! You can give advice, share employee highlights, tell personal stories, or combine videos and images. The possibilities are virtually endless.

We’ve curated some of our best-performing carousel posts for your inspiration. Want to create your own? Check out these fantastic Instagram carousel templates on Canva.

Examples of carousel posts

To kickstart your journey into Instagram carousel posts, here are a few examples from Willow’s Instagram feed that you can draw inspiration from.

Educational content

Want to teach your audience something useful?
Break it down into 3 clear steps and post it as a quick carousel.

Just learned something valuable in a meeting or podcast?
Share one key takeaway and how it applies to your industry.

Got a frequently asked question?
Turn it into a quick tip post—answer it like you would in a DM.

Want to explain a complex concept?
Use a simple analogy or visual to make it stick.

Publishing a new blog post or whitepaper?
Summarize the most surprising insight in one sentence and link to the full piece.

Running a webinar or talk soon?
Share one tip from your slides to build interest and show value.

Want to highlight an industry trend?
Add your take on what it means and why it matters—keep it short and clear.

Have internal knowledge worth sharing?
Turn one internal slide or framework into a visual tip for others in your space.

What’s the secret to social media success? It starts with content pillars. Take a look at this post.

Another excellent example discusses how to use hashtags effectively. Check it out here:

Promotional content

Launching something new?
Post a product teaser image and one sentence about what’s coming.

Want to promote a feature?
Show how it solves one specific problem your audience has.

Running a limited-time offer?
Use a countdown post: “Only 3 days left to [benefit]. Don’t miss it.”

Just helped a happy customer?
Turn their quote into a post with a simple graphic and a link to learn more.

Want to drive sign-ups?
Share a clean screenshot of what they’ll get + a clear call to action.

New blog post or resource live?
Pull out one key insight as a hook, then link to the full version.

Releasing an update or improvement?
Post a “what’s new” card with 2-3 bullet points—make it scannable.

Want to encourage demos or meetings?
Use a short testimonial + “Book a free demo to see it in action.”

Employees & workplace content

How does your team work from home?
Showcase it effectively with some office photos.

Did someone just celebrate a work anniversary?
Congratulate them with a photo and a few kind words from their teammates.

Team offsite last week?
Post a snapshot of the team in action (or relaxing) and share what you did.

Just had your monthly team lunch?
Share a group photo and highlight one fun conversation that came up.

Is your team growing?
Announce it with a photo of the open laptop and a coffee cup—"We're hiring!"

Want to highlight a specific role?
Post a “day in the life” photo or video with one key task they own.

Did you launch a new internal initiative?
Let people know how you're improving the way you work, in one sentence.

Want to introduce your new team members?
Share a quick post with their name, role, and a fun fact. Here’s a brilliant post that highlights this:

Team trip to Ibiza

Ever wonder how to showcase team bonding effectively? This carousel from our trip to Ibiza does it perfectly.

Ready to use these ideas for your own posts? If you're looking for even more inspiration, visit our blog post on effective Instagram marketing strategies.