Instagram Tests New Carousel Insights That Show Creators Which Specific Photo or Video Frame Was On Screen When a Post Was Liked
Instagram is testing a new analytics feature that shows exactly which frame in a carousel post received the like.
How it works: According to screenshots shared by creative Shannon Evans and Socialinsider founder Adina Jipa, a new section in Insights called When people liked your carousel displays a like count for the specific photo or video that was on screen when the Carousel was liked.
Why it matters: This gives creators and brands more granular performance data, which is especially valuable for carousels, one of Instagram’s most widely used formats for how-tos, storytelling, educational content, and commentary. This format relies heavily on sequencing, pacing, and structure.
Being able to see which specific frame drove the like means creators can better understand what content is resonating and why.
Here are a few key ways this new insight can be used:
Does the hook work? If a majority of likes happen on the first frame, it shows the hook is doing its job and that the first photo or video is compelling. This also enables creators and brands to test different first frames to optimize first impressions.
Is retention high? Likes on later frames signal strong retention and engagement throughout the Carousel, validating creators making full use of Instagram’s allowance for up to 20 frames. It also reveals if any mid-carousel frames are weaker and need improvement to maintain interest.
What type of content is best? Patterns in which frames get the most likes, whether it’s the orientation, who’s in the frame, the photography style, use of text overlays, or whether it’s a photo or video, help creators better understand audience preferences. This becomes especially valuable in brand partnerships, informing creative briefs on what resonates most for example, a lifestyle shot featuring the product versus a close-up showing key details.
What should be the order? Frame-level data enables a better understanding of which parts of a Carousel drive engagement, helping creators understand what order of their photos and videos might be best for the viewing experience.
What can be repurposed? Frames that drive the most engagement are prime candidates for repurposing as static posts, Reels, or Stories, giving high-performing content a longer lifespan and wider reach.
This isn’t Instagram’s first update around frames within Carousels. Last year, the platform tested letting users mention specific frames in comments, as spotted by lifestyle creator Brent Colmer, making it easier to identify which image or video a user was referring to. This new test builds on that.
What should come next: Carousels have seen several upgrades recently, from supporting mixed size orientations to becoming eligible for the Reels tab. Instagram has steadily improved its insights for creators, and a natural next step would be adding even deeper Carousel insights and functionality.
This could include view counts per frame, similar to Instagram Stories, and the ability for creators to add unique captions or interactive elements to individual frames. That kind of functionality could also serve as a lightweight alternative to the now-retired Guides feature, which some creators have been asking to bring back.
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