How to Use Multi-Image Posting Effectively on Social Media [updated 2024]
Updated: Oct 19
Photo by Hookle
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Bonus Tip 💡: Schedule Your Carousel Posts with Ease
Social media is more visual than ever, and no business can fully leverage its potential without incorporating images into posts.
Most platforms now allow multiple images in a single post, known as carousel posts, enabling you to share more visual content at once. Many platforms, like Instagram, also allow other media such as videos and music, as explained by Instagram's chief, Adam Mosseri.
But should you post multiple photos, and if so, when and how?
Social media is more visual than ever, and no firm can use it to its full potential without including images in their posts.
First, if you don’t have a good reason to post multiple images at once, sticking with one per post should be your go-to play.
Only the first image is typically shown to your followers when they are browsing the social platform, which means that the rest are only seen by those who actively go look for them. Many people are passive browsers and won’t be bothered going through the image carousel – and many people may not even notice that there is more than the first photo to see.
Multi-image posting can give you new, effective ways to engage with your followers
However, when used correctly, multi-image posting can give you new, effective ways to engage with your followers. A good rule of thumb is that the images should in some way work together to provide more engaging content than they would in isolation.
Below are five great ways to use multi-image posting to increase your engagement.
1. Show Multiple Facets of an Event, Product, or Person
Post by Hookle on Instagram
This is the most common and straightforward way to utilize the multi-image functionality. Simply take several photos of what you want to share with your audience - whether it's an event your company attended, a new product or product line you wish to highlight, or a person you want to introduce - and add them to the carousel.
Multi-image post gives more visual information than a single photo and increases their engagement
A multi-image post provides interested followers with more visual information than a single photo, increasing their engagement while preventing your feed from becoming cluttered with similar content.
2. Use the First Image to Get the Attention, Subsequent Explains
Post by wishuponacupcake_ on Instagram
The bakery Wish Upon a Cupcake effectively demonstrates this strategy by grabbing attention with their first image and then elaborating further with subsequent photos, as seen above.
If you want to communicate something more complex, such as a new product or service that isn’t easily conveyed in a single photo, it’s essential to provide some context for your audience to fully appreciate it.
Instead of overwhelming your followers with a wall of text, start with a “teaser” photo - something that piques their curiosity and encourages them to explore further. Then, follow up with additional images containing text and visuals that deliver the full story, providing all the details you want them to know.
3. Show the Progression of an Exciting Process
Above, Bark & Bubbles, the pet service business, provides a great example of showcasing the grooming process. Many businesses have loyal customers eager to see how their favorite products are made, so take advantage of multi-image posts to highlight this process.
Loyal customers would love to see how their favorite product is made
The first image can introduce what you’ll be showing, followed by subsequent images that illustrate the process from start to finish. You can also highlight other transformations, such as before-and-after photos of your services or how your store changes with the seasons. The only limit is your imagination!
4. Guide Your Followers, Step by Step
Post by lli_construction on Instagram
LLI Roofing & Construction has provided simple, high-level step-by-step guidance on the home renovation process, as seen above.
A multi-image post is the perfect solution for presenting a step-by-step guide on your socials
Sometimes, the process you want to showcase is one that your customers need to learn. For example, if your website has a new and exciting booking feature, or if your audience needs to understand how easy your product is to use, a multi-image post is the perfect solution for presenting a step-by-step guide on your social channels!
5. Engage Your Followers’ Brains with Quizzes
Post by linguazad on Instagram
In the image above, LinguaZad, an Arabic language teacher, prompts students to fill in the blank, cleverly asking them to provide the answer in the comments of the following image. A great way to engage audience!
A great way to promote active engagement with your content is to encourage your followers to think. Ask an intriguing or thought-provoking question related to your business in one image, and provide the answer in the next.
Ask a question in one image, and provide the answer in the next
This approach gives your audience a reason to engage with your content. Be sure to keep the quiz relevant to your business, and conclude on a high note - perhaps with a call to action.
Schedule Your Carousel Posts with Ease
Scheduling your carousel posts can streamline your social media strategy, ensuring that your content is consistently engaging and visually appealing.
By using a scheduler app like Hookle, you can effortlessly plan and automate your posts, allowing you to focus on other essential aspects of your business. This way, you maintain a well-organized feed without the last-minute scramble.
Ready to take your social media game to the next level? Download Hookle for free and start scheduling with ease today!
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