Instagram is a social networking site or a social media platform that accentuates photo and video sharing via its app, i.e., Instagram app. People can take, edit, publish, and visualize content for their followers to interact with them through likes, comments and shares. With the time, Instagram has been among the fastest growing social media platforms. This social networking platform has gained over one billion active users in a very less time. Ove the time, this social media platform has changed itself from a simple photo sharing app to a powerful marketing tool that is used by most of the influencers and businesses to reach their target audience or potential customers. According to a survey conducted by Instagram business,
- almost more than half of the Instagram users, i.e., 60% use this social media platform to discover and launch new products and services.
- From these users, about 80% of them are following at least one brand.
- 200 million accounts of Instagram on a daily basis check out a business profile for them.
- Around 66% of the profile visited are from non-followers.
Instagram carousel or Instagram carousel posts are the ad(advertisement) variation of a hybrid kind of post of both such as image and video types which simply means multi-images or video posts. In one large post, an individual can add up to 10 images or videos. These can be used for personal posting or uploading as well as for posting the ad using Facebook’s business manager page because ads of Instagram are managed and controlled by Facebook only. The content can be used to attribute different types of products, brands and services along with certain events or vacations an individual has been attending or has to end in the future, for example! These types of posts engage larger numbers of audiences or simply engage more traffic for longer periods of time. Because active users of Instagram are only swiping through their images or videos, not only just by scrolling or viewing but they are involved in an individual content until they move further and go on.
According to several studies, it revealed that more than 22 million posts on Instagram find that carousels seem to be the most engaging kinds of posts that serve on Instagram. According to a current study that takes place, Instagram tends to be more successful if they comprise a carousel instead of a single photo or video. Social insider inspected more than 22 million Instagram posts of which 3 million Instagram posts were Carousels. Meanwhile, to search for those carousels that fosters the most engagement, the study simply deteriorates what the top accomplishing carousel posts have common among them. As the Instagram carousels allow the maximum of 10 photos or videos, it searches for the right balance of media that can be involved and appears to be quite challenging.
Instagram carousels at a glance:-
Over the time, Instagram carousels are gaining so much popularity among people. In the year 2017, only 3 to 4% of Instagram posts or content contains carousel posts which then increase to 19% in July 2020. An increase of around 15-16% has been seen. The average engagement rate of per Instagram carousel posts is 1.92%, which is 1.74% for images and 1.45% for videos. Also, the rate of engagement per Instagram carousel posts goes for more than 2% when all the 10 slides of a carousel have been used. Although, most of the carousels consist of between 2 to 4 slides. Apart from this, only 6% of Instagram carousel posts have been maxed out at a maximum of 10 slides of Instagram carousel posts.
Does the number of slides of carousels connect with engagement?
A study which was done on around 3 million carousel posts, it was discovered that the Instagram carousels having a maximum of 10 slides produced the higher rate of engagement of the audience. Engagement simply falls off just before the fourth slide, however intriguingly the engagement again picks up once again after the eighth slides or above. According to the data and information gathered, if an individual is going to upload a Instagram carousel post having more than three slides, then they may also go for better and make that 3 slides in between 8 to 10 slides.
Is it relevant to combine images and videos in a carousel?
If an individual mixes the images and videos in the same carousel to make a perfect combination is found to discover the highest rate of engagement per post which is about 2.33%. Carousel posts that are mixed with content are commonly under-used, with only 7% of carousels that contain both, meaning the combination of both images and videos. As compared, over 88% of carousel posts comprises only images and 4 % of carousel posts comprises only videos. So, the Instagram carousel posts that contain mixed content seems to be a lesser known strategy for the marketers that can be used to enhance engagement on Instagram. Carousels that contain only videos tend to generate a slightly higher rate of engagement than images alone, which is 1.86% vs 1.80%. Another interesting fact regarding video carousels posts on Instagram is that they tend to produce significantly more comments. Carousels that contain only videos accept an average number of 26 comments per post. Carousel posts that contain mixed content such as both videos and photos accepts an average number of 16 comments per post. In terms of comments, carousels that contain only images seem to be the least engaging which gives an average of 7 comments per post. All the data that has been collected so far offers mixed content carousel posts seems to be the most effective and efficient in producing more and more engagement.
Instagram marketing may be at the frontline of any digital marketing plan of action. Its visual pleasure generates the ideal setting for closer communication and relationship among the brands and its audiences. It also serves as the largest powerful platform that has the ability to generate more and more engagement among the users for which various brands change into great rates of conversion. These Instagram carousel posts are mainly used by influencers or marketers, giant corporations, small companies or organizations, firms, etc. to enhance their product, services or brand. There are many efficient carousel creators who earn well just by upgrading various products, services and brands on Instagram. The reason behind doing this is Instagram carousel content or posts attract users in several ways. That’s what makes the most strongest and powerful posts on Instagram. The attributes of carousel on Instagram was launched in the year 2017, since then only this feature has been appreciated by one and all. In the Instagram carousel posts or content, an individual can share a number of photos and videos just on a single post to engage a number of users. For over 600 million active users of Instagram, this carousel feature of Instagram has become a necessity for them.
Reasons why carousels serve as secret weapons for increasing engagement
- Instagram carousel posts serve as it’s organic engagement.
- It acknowledges creative and attractive brand storytelling.
- It provides adaptability to assimilate all types of content.
- It provides several moments and chances for interactivity.
- It has the ability to make a particular brand more creative and more visualizing.
Above mentioned are the main reasons supported by data or information which informs us why Instagram carousels serve as a secret weapon for enhancing brand loyalty and engagement.