How to Create an Instagram Carousel “Slideshow Style Reel”
So many of you had questions about my two-part series on Instagram Carousel-Style Reels, so today I’m diving deeper into why you should test this post format in your Instagram marketing, how you can create your own, and answering your most-asked questions about making and publishing Instagram carousel-style Reels.
Make sure you watch until the end to get all your questions answered!
✎ Why You Should Test This Format — 0:27
It’s a low effort hack to leverage the benefits of Reels without creating one — you can stick to images with the one-step add-on to just add a trending sound to your carousel to potentially have your post fed in the Reels explore tab.
Carousels with audio get more reach.
You’re potentially accessing the all the benefits of both post formats: Carousels tend to get deeper engagement while Reels tend to reach newer audiences: best of both worlds.
✎ What exactly is a “Carousel-style Reel?” — 1:11
A carousel-style Reel is just an Instagram carousel post with music added.
I gave it this nickname because the moment you attach audio, Instagram can classify it as a Reel. And once that happens, your “normal” carousel suddenly becomes eligible for Reels-level reach/discoverability.
✎ “Carousel-style Reel” Tutorial — 1:40
1. Start by selecting your photos the same way you would for any carousel post.
💡 POST SIZING: Carousels will never fill the entire screen the way Reels do. The max size for carousel images is 1080×1350 (portrait), so your photos won’t display in full-screen 9:16 format. Keep that in mind as you design your visuals.
2. Add your audio.
Once your photos are in place, the magic happens when you add audio. This is what allows Instagram to potentially treat your carousel like a Reel behind the scenes.
When you tap “Add audio,” you’ll see four tabs: For You, Trending, Original audio, and Saved.
💡 RECOMMENDATION: Before you even start creating your post, search for the audio you want and save it. Just tap into any audio track, hit the bookmark icon, and you’ll find it later in the Saved tab. That way, when you’re ready to add audio to your carousel, you can grab it instantly without having to scroll or search.
Here’s a quick rundown of what each tab does:
For You and Trending: Instagram’s suggestions based on your account activity and what’s performing well platform-wide.
Original Audio: Audio uploaded by other creators.
Saved: Your personal library of bookmarked audio.
💡 BOOSTING YOUR POST: If you plan to boost your post, avoid commercial music. Instagram won’t approve boosted carousels that use commercially licensed audio.
✎ Frequently Asked Questions — 3:00
“Can I preview my carousel in the Reel format before posting?”
No, you can’t preview it as a Reel. It will only preview as a normal carousel.
“Why is my post showing up as a regular post instead of a Reel?”
Totally normal. On your profile, it will still appear as a standard carousel. But Instagram may distribute it on the Reels Explore page for other users, depending on how the algorithm classifies it.
“Can I submit this type of post as a Trial Reel?”
No. Even with audio added, it’s still technically a carousel, so it doesn’t qualify for Trial Reels.
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