How to get more likes on Instagram carousels?

This blog post has been written by the person who has mapped all the strategies and examples in our cheatsheets

Instagram carousels have become the secret weapon for creators who understand engagement metrics beyond surface-level vanity numbers.

While most creators chase Reels for reach, the smartest ones leverage carousels for deeper engagement that translates into measurable business results. And if you need to fast-track your growth on X, check all our cheatsheets.

What content types deliver the highest like-to-reach ratios across different niches?

Educational carousels consistently outperform promotional content across all verticals, with tutorial-style posts achieving 2.3x higher like-to-reach ratios than product showcases.

Higher education and alcohol brands report the strongest carousel performance, often exceeding 2% engagement rates compared to the 1.7% average. Personal development and fitness niches follow closely, with transformation stories and step-by-step guides generating the most double-taps per impression.

Behind-the-scenes content and case studies perform exceptionally well in B2B niches, while lifestyle and travel accounts see peak engagement with location-specific tips and hidden gem reveals. The pattern holds across industries: value-first content that teaches, inspires, or solves problems consistently outperforms purely aesthetic or promotional carousels by 40-60% in like-to-reach metrics.

Not sure what content to post? We've already collected what works in our cheatsheets.

How critical is your first slide for driving engagement?

The first slide determines whether 72% of users will view your entire carousel, making it the single most important element for engagement success.

High-contrast visuals with bold, readable text perform 3x better than subtle designs, while curiosity-driven headlines like "5 Mistakes You're Making" or "The Secret Behind..." generate 45% more swipe-throughs than straightforward titles. Directional cues such as arrows or "Swipe →" increase slide progression by 23%, but the visual promise of value must be immediately apparent.

Color psychology plays a crucial role—red and orange accents for urgency, blue for trust-building content, and high contrast between text and background colors. The most successful first slides combine a compelling visual hook with a benefit-driven headline that creates an information gap users need to fill by swiping.

Split-testing reveals that first slides with faces or pointing gestures increase engagement by 18%, while text-heavy slides without clear visual hierarchy see 34% lower progression rates to slide two.

What's the optimal slide count for maximum likes in 2025?

Data from over 2 million carousel posts reveals that 3-5 slides deliver peak engagement, with diminishing returns beyond this range.

What caption strategies drive the most likes on carousels?

Captions that balance storytelling with direct engagement prompts generate 23% more likes than purely informational or overly casual approaches.

The most effective formula combines a hook question, brief context, value delivery, and a specific call-to-action. Opening lines like "Which one surprised you most?" or "Save this if you've ever struggled with..." immediately engage readers and set up the carousel's value proposition.

Formatting matters significantly—short paragraphs of 1-2 sentences, strategic emoji placement for visual breaks, and bold key phrases increase readability by 40%. The sweet spot for carousel captions sits between 150-300 words, providing enough context to build trust while maintaining attention span compatibility.

Direct like-driving phrases such as "Double tap if you agree," "Heart this if it helped," or "Like if you're going to try this" convert 35% better than indirect CTAs. Ending captions with engagement questions about which tip users found most valuable creates a comment loop that boosts algorithmic distribution.

How much does posting timing affect carousel likes?

Strategic timing can increase carousel engagement by up to 67%, with specific windows offering significantly less competition and higher algorithmic favor.

Analysis of posting data reveals Tuesday at 5 AM local time as the peak performance window, when engagement rates jump to 2.1% compared to the 1.7% average. The broader optimal window spans 3-6 AM across weekdays, capitalizing on reduced creator competition and Instagram's algorithm preference for fresh content in quieter periods.

Weekend timing shifts slightly later, with Saturday 7-9 AM and Sunday 6-8 AM performing best. Industry-specific variations exist—B2B content peaks Monday-Wednesday mornings, while lifestyle content performs strongest on weekend mornings when users have more leisurely browsing time.

Consistency within optimal windows matters more than perfect timing. Accounts posting regularly during their identified peak hours see 28% higher average engagement than those posting sporadically, even if occasionally hitting "perfect" timing. Don't waste time guessing what converts. Steal all the proven strategies instead.

How important are hashtags for carousel reach and engagement?

Hashtags remain crucial for carousel discoverability, with the optimal strategy involving 20-30 carefully selected tags that balance reach and relevance.

The most effective approach combines 5-7 high-volume hashtags (500K+ posts) for broad reach, 10-15 medium-volume tags (50K-500K posts) for competitive positioning, and 5-8 niche-specific tags (under 50K posts) for targeted engagement. This mix maximizes both immediate reach and long-term discoverability in hashtag searches.

Placement strategy significantly impacts performance—core hashtags should appear in the caption for immediate algorithmic recognition, while supplemental tags work better in the first comment to maintain caption readability. Hashtags placed in subsequent comments show 40% lower effectiveness for reach expansion.

Industry-specific tags outperform generic ones by 45% for engagement quality. Instead of #photography, use #portraitphotographytips or #weddingphotographyguide. Recent algorithm updates favor hashtags where the account has previously received engagement, making consistent hashtag communities more valuable than constant experimentation.

Which calls-to-action generate more likes versus other engagement types?

Strategic CTA placement across carousel slides can manipulate specific engagement behaviors, with like-focused CTAs performing best on slides 2-3 rather than the final slide.

• For maximizing likes: "Tap ❤️ if this resonates" or "Double-tap if you've experienced this" on slide 2 creates immediate emotional connection while users are still engaged
• For driving comments: "What's your biggest challenge with this?" or "Which tip will you try first?" placed on the final slide capitalizes on completion momentum
• For increasing saves: "Save this guide for later" or "Bookmark this checklist" works best on slides containing actionable content or reference material
• For encouraging shares: "Tag someone who needs to see this" performs optimally when placed after particularly insightful or relatable content
• For profile visits: "More tips like this in my bio" should appear on the final slide to convert engaged viewers into followers

How does Instagram's algorithm currently rank carousels?

Instagram's 2025 algorithm prioritizes three primary signals for carousel ranking: time spent on post (including swipe and dwell time), likes per reach ratio, and shares per reach ratio.

Time spent carries the heaviest weight—carousels that maintain user attention for 8+ seconds through compelling swipe-through experiences receive significant algorithmic boosts. The platform measures both individual slide dwell time and total carousel engagement duration, rewarding content that creates genuine user investment.

For connected reach (existing followers), likes per reach slightly outweighs other engagement metrics, making double-tap optimization crucial for feed visibility. However, for unconnected reach (new audience discovery), shares and saves become critical ranking factors, often determining Explore page placement more than like counts.

The algorithm also considers engagement velocity—carousels receiving concentrated engagement within the first 30-60 minutes post-publication receive extended distribution windows. This creates a compound effect where early engagement drives broader reach, making strategic posting timing and initial audience priming essential for viral potential.

Which analytics tools provide the best carousel performance insights?

Instagram's native Insights provides essential baseline metrics, but third-party platforms offer deeper carousel-specific analytics that drive optimization decisions.

How do carousels compare to Reels and static posts for engagement in 2025?

Carousels generate 12% more total interactions than Reels and 214% more engagement than static posts, making them the highest-converting format for relationship building and community engagement.

While Reels achieve 1.36x broader reach than carousels, they suffer from lower engagement depth—users typically scroll past after viewing rather than meaningfully interacting. Carousels create forced engagement through the swipe mechanism, leading to higher save rates (3.2x more than Reels) and comment quality (longer, more thoughtful responses).

Strategic content distribution should leverage each format's strengths: Reels for brand awareness and trend participation, carousels for education and community building, and static posts for simple announcements or aesthetic consistency. The most successful accounts use a 40% carousel, 45% Reels, 15% static post ratio for optimal algorithm balance.

ROI analysis reveals carousels drive 67% more profile visits and 43% more link clicks than Reels, making them superior for conversion-focused objectives despite lower reach numbers. If your engagement feels flat, we've mapped all the formats that get traction.

What role do saves and shares play in carousel visibility?

Saves and shares have become the most powerful signals for Explore page algorithm placement, often outweighing likes in determining long-term content distribution.

Instagram's algorithm treats saves as high-intent engagement, indicating content users find valuable enough to reference later. Carousels that achieve 3%+ save rates receive extended algorithmic distribution, often surfacing in feeds weeks after initial publication. This creates a compound growth effect where valuable content continues generating engagement long after posting.

Shares carry even greater algorithmic weight, particularly to Instagram Stories, as they indicate content compelling enough for users to associate with their personal brand. The platform interprets shares as strong social proof signals, boosting content in both the original audience's network and broader community discovery algorithms.

To optimize for saves and shares, create content with inherent reference value—checklists, templates, step-by-step guides, or comprehensive resource lists. Including explicit save CTAs like "Save this for your next project" or "Bookmark this guide" can increase save rates by 56% compared to carousels without direct prompts.

What are the biggest carousel mistakes that limit likes?

The most damaging mistake creators make is overloading carousels with too many slides without clear value progression, leading to 70% drop-off rates after slide 3.

• Weak first slide hooks: Generic or unclear opening slides fail to communicate immediate value, resulting in 60% lower swipe-through rates compared to curiosity-driven hooks
• Inconsistent visual design: Jarring style changes between slides disrupt user experience and decrease completion rates by 43%
• Poor text hierarchy: Difficult-to-read fonts, low contrast, or cluttered layouts reduce engagement by 35% and increase bounce rates
• Missing or weak CTAs: Carousels without specific engagement prompts see 28% fewer likes and 45% fewer comments than those with strategic calls-to-action
• Neglecting mobile optimization: Text too small for mobile viewing or images that don't display properly on phone screens lose 52% of potential engagement
• Irrelevant or excessive hashtags: Using trending but unrelated hashtags or exceeding 30 hashtags can trigger algorithmic penalties and reduce organic reach
• Ignoring analytics feedback: Failing to analyze slide-by-slide performance data prevents iterative improvement and maintains sub-optimal posting patterns

Still struggling to grow? We mapped hundreds of accounts that cracked the code.

Conclusion

Sources

1. Sprout Social - Instagram Statistics
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11. Pano Collages - Carousel Hashtags Niche vs Popular
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