Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide as of 2024. A key feature that sets Instagram apart is its focus on visual content – photos and videos. But for users looking to share multiple images at once, a common question arises: How many photos can you actually post on Instagram?
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Individual Photo Post Limits
Let’s start with the basics – as of 2024, there does not appear to be any limit on the total number of individual photo posts you can make to your Instagram feed over time. Some of the most prolific accounts have posted millions of individual photos without hitting any ceiling imposed by Instagram.
For example, the account “@niepsclub” currently holds the record for the most posts, coming in at a staggering 38,866,644 posts as of early 2024. Other top accounts like “@myfacewheno_o” and “@trolls_official” have posted millions and hundreds of thousands of times respectively. So for all practical purposes, regular users don’t need to worry about any lifetime limits on total posts.
Posting Multiple Photos At Once – Carousel Posts
While there’s no limit on total lifetime posts, Instagram does restrict how many photos you can include in a single post. This is where the carousel feature comes in. Introduced a few years ago, the carousel allows you to combine up to 10 photos and videos in one post that users can swipe through.
This is a great option when you want to share multiple related images, like highlights from an event, step-by-step instructional content, or showcasing different angles of a product. Carousels appear in your feed with small dots or dashes under the first photo to indicate to users that there is more content to swipe through.
As of March 2024, the carousel limit remains at 10 photos or videos max per post. Instagram has not indicated any plans to increase or decrease this limit in the near future. It seems to strike a good balance – allowing for robust multimedia storytelling within a post, while not overwhelming users with too much content to scroll through.
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How To Create An Instagram Carousel Post
Creating a carousel post is a fairly straightforward process:
- Tap the “+” icon at the top of your Instagram feed to create a new post
- On the post creation screen, tap the icon of stacked squares to select multiple photos/videos
- Choose up to 10 photos/videos from your phone’s library. You can tap and hold to drag and reorder them.
- You can tap to edit individual photos/videos or apply a single filter to all of them
- Add your caption, location, tags and other details that apply to the whole post
- Tap “Share” and your carousel post will appear in the feed with dots/dashes to indicate multiple images
It’s important to note that all photos/videos in a carousel will be cropped to the same aspect ratio – square (1:1), portrait (4:5) or landscape (16:9). So it’s best to choose visuals that have a consistent orientation and crop style for a more cohesive look.
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Best Practices And Strategies For Carousel Posts
Now that we’ve covered the technical details of posting multiple photos, let’s discuss some best practices and strategies to get the most engagement and impact from your carousel posts:
Tell A Cohesive Story
The most compelling carousels take the user on a journey, with each successive photo building on the narrative. Use your images to tell a mini-story with a clear beginning, middle and end. This could apply to event recaps, product demos, behind-the-scenes content, and more.
Be Intentional About Sequence
The order of your photos is important to guide the user experience. Put your strongest photos first to grab attention and encourage swiping. Use the middle photos to expand on your narrative and include important details. End on a high note with a strong visual or call to action.
Aim For 3-5 Photos
While carousels allow up to 10 photos, most experts recommend sticking to 3-5 for optimal engagement. Data shows that user drop-off increases the more they have to swipe, with many abandoning the carousel before reaching the end. A few strong photos is better than 10 mediocre ones.
Watch Total Video Duration
If you’re mixing photos and videos in your carousel, be mindful of total playtime. It’s recommended that each video clip be around 5 seconds max, with a total video playtime across the carousel of no more than 25 seconds. Short and punchy videos mixed with photos tend to perform best.
Consider The Two Second Rule
Research indicates that the average Instagram user spends just a couple seconds on each post before scrolling away. Make those first two seconds count by leading with an eye-catching visual and placing important text or graphics early in the carousel.
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Conclusion
In summary, while Instagram allows you to post an infinite number of photos over the life of your account, you are limited to 10 photos/videos per individual carousel post as of 2024. Carousels are a powerful tool to combine multiple visuals to tell a richer, more engaging story – but it takes some strategy to get it right.
Focus on curating 3-5 high-quality, cohesive visuals that take the viewer on a purposeful journey. Put your strongest content first, use the middle to build your narrative, and end with a clear call to action. Mix video and photo content thoughtfully, keeping clips short and the total duration under 30 seconds. And always consider the fast-paced nature of Instagram browsing – those first two seconds are critical.
By understanding the technical constraints and following these best practices, you can create compelling Instagram carousel posts that stop the scroll, boost engagement, and expand your brand storytelling capabilities. Stay creative, experiment with different formats, and keep delivering value to your audience!
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