Reels vs. Carousels: Which is the most effective owned social media post style?
When considering what to post on your brand’s owned social media channels, you may have heard, “Post more Reels.” With their vertical video format and ability to live on your brand’s feed (unlike Stories, which disappear), Reels are one of the most popular post styles right now. But are they better than multi-image carousels?
The short answer: yes and no.
We analyzed two months of Instagram and Facebook data to compare these two popular content formats—and the results might surprise you.
We analyzed 23 Instagram posts and 26 Facebook posts that went live between June and July, comparing how Reels and carousel posts performed across reach, engagement, and view.
What we found was that instead of one format being the clear winner, they both excelled at accomplishing different goals.
If your goal is to get your audience to slow down and swipe through your content, interacting with your brand in the process, then carousel posts are hard to beat.
Our data showed that four out of our five most engaging Instagram posts during this period were carousel posts. These consistently encouraged more likes, comments, and overall engagement than many of our other posts.
Why do they work so well?
Carousel posts easily invite your audience to spend more time with the content. Instead of communicating one idea with a single image, you can tell a story, explain a process, or break down something into smaller pieces. Every swipe is a reason to keep your audience more interested.
Unlike video Reels, image carousels allow the viewer to experience them at their own pace, lingering on an image before going to the next. GA Content and Social Media Director Molly thinks this is “an added bonus with carousels.”
“If they’re set to carefully curated music, you can subtly encourage people to swipe to the beat, which is inherently more interactive than passively watching a video—and it feels more fun, too.”
Carousels are best used for:
Not every Reel needs to go viral to be valuable. Sometimes, simply reaching a new audience is a win.
In our data, while carousel posts generated more engagement, Reels consistently helped expand our visibility. A couple of our highest-viewed Instagram posts were Reels, showing their ability to reach a greater audience, and push content towards new viewers.
Reels are quick, visual, and easy to watch. Whether you’re sharing behind-the-scenes content, introducing your team, or jumping on a new trend, Reels provide a fast introduction to your brand’s personality and style.
Reels are commonly thought to be prioritized by algorithms, and Meta is testing a new episodic Reels feature that could make it easier for your brand to categorize and draw visibility to related content.
Reels are best used for:
It depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is to educate your audience, tell a story, or encourage engagement, a carousel could be your best choice. If you’re hoping to increase visibility, reach new audiences, or highlight your brands personality, a Reel may be the better fit.
Instead of asking, “Should I post a Reel or a carousel?” ask, “What do I want this post to do?”
At the end of the day, the best content strategy is not around what’s trending. It’s built around your audience, goals, and data supporting what works best for your brand.
