What is a social media carousel?
Quick answer
A social carousel is a single social media post made of several images or slides that people swipe through, usually 3 to 10. On Instagram slides are often 4:5; on LinkedIn carousels are usually uploaded as a PDF. A good carousel opens with a hook, gives one idea per slide, and ends with a call to action.
Last updated
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Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
Carousels keep people on a post longer than a single image, and they suit launches: one slide per product, then the price and where to buy.
In a real lesson: Make an Instagram Launch Carousel for Your Products using Runable
In the Runable carousel lesson, Harbor & Pine (made up) makes a 5-slide launch carousel: a cover, one slide for each of three scents, and a price slide. Runable built the cover first for approval, then the rest, and one slide's small header came out misspelled as HARBOR & PIN2.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Carousel vs single-image post
A single-image post shows one picture. A carousel holds several slides in one post that people swipe through.
Tips
- Write the words for every slide before you design.
- Check every slide's small text if an AI made the images.
- Export images for Instagram, a PDF for LinkedIn.
Related terms
More Business terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- Make an Instagram Launch Carousel for Your Products using Runable (Runable, 10 min)
Frequently asked questions
- What size should an Instagram carousel be?
- Portrait 4:5 is common for Instagram carousels. Check the platform's current guidance, because sizes change.
- Can AI make a carousel for me?
- Yes. Tools such as Runable's Carousels build slides from your words. Read every slide before posting, because AI images can misspell small text.