Published: May 26, 2025
Why This Matters Now
With over 2 billion monthly active users and more than 500 million logging in daily, Instagram offers massive visibility. But increased competition and content saturation make format strategy critical to success.
As explored in our 2025 Instagram trends analysis, niche creators are gaining more traction with thoughtful, informative content. That’s where Carousels come in: they give you space to build narratives, share how-tos, and educate your audience slide by slide.
Key Findings: Carousels Outperform Reels
ProflUp reviewed 11,200 Instagram posts from October 2024 to April 2025 across over 1,200 accounts in wellness, fitness, education, and travel. We analyzed content type, follower tiers, and engagement rates.
| Content Type | Avg ER (All Niches) | Avg ER (Niche Creators <20k) |
|---|---|---|
| Carousels | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Reels | 3.6% | 3.2% |
| Single Images | 2.4% | 2.6% |
“The algorithm may push Reels, but audiences still reward clarity and context,” said Elena Papadakis, Head of Data Science at ProflUp.
Trend Watch: Carousels Are Gaining Ground
We also tracked content format usage across the same time period. While Reels remain common, Carousel usage increased steadily — particularly among accounts focused on tutorials and long-form storytelling.
Why Carousels Still Work
Carousels allow creators to:
- Break down complex ideas slide-by-slide
- Combine images and explanations in a single post
- Encourage saves and return views
This aligns with [our broader engagement findings](https://proflup.com/social-media-reach-and-reach-rate-global-insights-and-statistics/): content with higher time-on-post generally performs better.
What About Deeper Engagement?
While this report focuses on surface-level engagement (likes, comments, shares), a future analysis will examine deeper signals such as saves, profile taps, and DMs — the kinds of interactions that signal real interest and long-term impact.
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
“This data helps validate what many creators intuitively feel,” said Yiannis Markou, CEO of ProflUp. “Not every audience wants quick entertainment. Some want depth — and carousels are built for that.”
If you’re building trust, teaching, or storytelling, don’t underestimate the humble Carousel. It might just outperform your next Reel.
This is the first post in our ongoing engagement insights series. Subscribe to ProflUp or follow us for the next report.
Owner & Writer at SocialMediaSlant.com | Expert in Social Media Strategy & Content Creation
