Why Instagram Carousels Are a Secret Weapon for Any Social Media Agency in Dubai

Instagram carousels are quietly becoming one of the most effective formats for organic impact. They outperform static images in terms of saves, comments, and time-on-post - essential signals in Instagram’s evolving algorithm.

According to Socialinsider, carousel posts in 2025 average 0.55% engagement, making them the top format for saves and deep interaction. Sprout Social reports that in some verticals, carousels hit 1.7% engagement, compared to 1.17% for photo-only posts. Instagram’s algorithm also gives carousels a second chance: if a user scrolls past them initially, the post may reappear in their feed, increasing visibility.

If you’re working with a social media agency in Dubai, leaning into carousels means embracing content that holds attention, earns saves, and surfaces repeatedly in busy feeds.

What Makes Carousels Work (and What the Data Says)

Carousels succeed because they engage viewers with depth. Users swipe through, processing each slide as part of a larger narrative, which leads to better retention and stronger engagement signals.

Here’s what the research shows:

• In a study cited by Sendible, carousel posts deliver 5.13% higher engagement than single-image or single-video posts.
• Historical data from WARC shows carousels overtook video posts in brand use, making up nearly 20% of brand content in earlier years.
• SearchEngineJournal data suggests carousels with 10 slides can push their average engagement over 2%, and that mixing images & video within a carousel further improves performance.
• Moreover, nudging users to “swipe left” can lift engagement from ~1.83% to 2%.
  
  

Taken together, the data confirms what many marketers suspected: carousels combine visual storytelling, user control, and algorithmic favour.

How a Social Media Agency in Dubai Can Maximise Carousel Performance in 2025

Below are practical steps, refined for 2025’s algorithm and user behaviour:

1. Begin with the result you want
   Decide the takeaway before anything else - then reverse-craft the story to drive toward that outcome.
2. Hook the first slide
   Use a compelling stat, teaser, question, or promise. If the first slide isn’t attention-grabbing, users won’t swipe.
3. Treat the carousel as a narrative
   Structurally plan: introduction → context → insights or steps → recap → call to action.
4. Blend formats intelligently
   Incorporate short video clips, motion graphics, or animated transitions among stills for variety and surprise.
5. Overlay concise text
   Keep overlay text short, legible, and action-guiding (e.g. “Swipe for X,” “Tip #2”).
6. Make slide count strategic
   Not all carousels need 20 slides - research shows engagement dips after slide 3, then often rises again after slide 8. 
7. End with a saveable slide
   A checklist, framework, or summary encourages users to save and revisit your content.
8. Optimise caption & metadata
   Use relevant keywords in the caption’s first lines, alt text, and image names. Instagram’s search is improving - captions help surface your post. (e.g. include “social media agency in Dubai” organically.)
9. Encourage swiping
   Explicit cues like “swipe left” boost interaction - but many skip this. Making it part of the design lifts performance.
10. Repurpose high-performing slides
    Extract top slides to use as standalone posts, Stories, LinkedIn content, or email visuals - multiply impact from one core set.
11. Test, iterate, repeat
    A/B test your first slide, CTA slide, or even slide order. Performance insights should drive your next carousel draft.
    
    

Comparing Carousels, Reels & Photos in 2025

• Carousels excel when you need to teach, explain, or take users on a journey.
• Reels dominate reach - apps favour short video for discovery surfaces. Reels reach at ~30.81% average, while carousels hover at ~14.45%.
• Photos still serve branding, quick updates, or aesthetic consistency, but often fall behind in engagement metrics.
  
  

Thus, the best approach is a blend: use carousels for depth, Reels for reach, and photos to maintain brand tone.

Also, in 2025, Instagram expanded carousel limits: now you can use up to 20 slides per post. This gives you more room to tell longer stories - but only use it if you truly have content worth the expansion.

Final Thoughts

Instagram carousels are no longer “nice to have.” They’re a fundamental engine in the content machine - especially for brands aiming to build authority, engagement, and momentum. In 2025, the ones who do it well will stand out.

If you want carousel campaigns engineered for performance - swipe after swipe; Blue Beetle is ready. We can help you design, test, and optimise sets that amplify your voice and move the metrics that matter.