We’re all drowning in data and hot takes. It’s super easy to skim past content – even content from people and brands we genuinely like. One of my fave ways to stop the scroll? Slideshows!
Slideshows (sometimes called “carousels”) are a multi-slide post format used on LinkedIn and IG. They let readers swipe through up to 10 slides. On IG, they’ll show up multiple times on a feed, each time with a different “slide” being shown.
Slideshows offer tons of benefits, including:
- An opportunity to repurpose blog posts, interviews, and “deep dives”
- A chance to get your material on your fans’ feeds multiple times
- A way to explore fun and creative ways of sharing information
- Ability to mix and match media types – including text, vids and images
- Up to 10x engagement over regular posts!
The Basics: Creating your Slideshow Post
Creating a slideshow post is easy. You can do it natively in Instagram or LinkedIn, or pre-design it in Canva and then upload it. But there are a few things to remember:
- The first and last images matter most! Make #1 a “scroll stopper” and use the last slide as a summary or call to action.
- Ensure each slide can stand alone. Remember, IG will automatically show different slides from your slideshow when your fans refresh their feeds.
- You can mix media, but your videos or images must have the same dimensions.
- Simple is good! Think headlines and subheads vs a full article.
- Keep it cohesive by using on-brand typography, graphics, and even slide numbers.
- Don’t forget to tag products and users (great for outbound engagement), geotag your location, and of course add image alt-text to make sure your slideshow is accessible.
Brainstorm me This: Slideshow Content Ideas
You’re loving the idea of a slideshow, but where to start?
Here are some of my faves that can easily fit across your various content buckets.
- Before and afters. These are a great way to show the value you bring to the table. Home renovations, hair, fitness transformations – whatever your thing is, a before and after can really drive home your process and what you deliver.
- How-tos. A how-to is a great way to walk people through some of your top tips or the basics of what you do. These are great for chefs, artists, dancers, or just about anyone with cool skills or insider knowledge! Just make sure you don’t give away all of your trade secrets!
- Overviews and summaries. Give your fans insight into key ideas, concepts or relevant news in your field. Break your slides down into a quick 411, with one basic statement per slide – then ask your followers to chime in with questions in the comments. (If you’ve recently done a presentation, just convert it over in Canva!)
- Multiple product shots. Released an amazing product that deserves to be shown from all angles? A carousel is a great way to show it in all of its glory!
- Vote on this! The meme accounts are all over this approach – just cobble together some related images or videos around a theme, and have fans vote on which number photo/video they like best. It’s a great way to get people commenting and sharing as well.
- Tease or reveal something. About to launch something cool? Use image snippets to tease what it is.
- Reviews and testimonials. Received some great feedback recently? Bundle up those reviews and testimonials into a slideshow as a way to celebrate your hard work.
Ready to get on the slideshow bandwagon? Book a Pulse Check with me, and I’ll help you build a strategy to maximize your visibility on social – slide by slide!