Instagram Carousel

---
name: instagram-carousel
description: Use when creating, critiquing, researching, or redesigning Instagram carousel posts, swipe-funnel educational posts, slide-by-slide carousel copy, carousel visual systems, or CTA/save-worthy carousel content.
---

# Instagram Carousel

## Core principle
A carousel is a **swipe funnel, not a slideshow**. Every slide has a conversion job: stop the scroll, prove the promise, keep swiping, deliver standalone value, create a save moment, and drive the CTA.

## Source library learned from high-performing Instagram posts
These rules come from high-performing Instagram posts worth learning from, especially a proven creator carousel system. Update this section whenever you find more high-signal creator posts.

### Swipe-funnel system
| Slide role | Job | Failure mode |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Stop the scroll with a sharp promise, tension, or visual contradiction | Pretty but vague cover; no reason to swipe |
| Slide 2 | Prove the cover was not clickbait | Slow setup; restates title without payoff |
| Middle slides | Each slide must survive alone as a screenshot | Dependent filler slides that only work in sequence |
| Save slide | At least one slide must be useful enough to save | Insight evaporates; no reusable framework/checklist |
| Final slide | CTA that fits the value delivered | Generic “follow for more” with no specific next action |

### Personal-experiment cover pattern
A high-performing reference used this pattern. Caption: “They said AI was done and then this happens in front of your eyes. Comment ‘PROMPT’ below and I’ll send you the steps to set this up.” The slide used huge cropped uppercase text, “I gave my Instagram … to Claude,” with “Instagram” highlighted in orange.

Reusable pattern:
- **Hook formula:** “I [unexpected action] my [asset/platform/business] to/with [AI/tool/person]…” Lead with a first-person experiment, not a generic tutorial title.
- **Curiosity gap:** make the viewer need slide 2 for the outcome, process, or proof. Examples: “I gave my content calendar to Claude,” “I let AI audit my startup idea,” “I rebuilt my pitch deck with one prompt.”
- **Platform/tool specificity:** name the recognizable asset/tool early (`Instagram`, `Claude`, `ChatGPT`, `Notion`, `Slack`) instead of vague “AI tips.”
- **Visual system:** white/cream background, giant bold uppercase type, black primary copy, one accent color for the key noun, intentional edge cropping, minimal/no imagery. Make the cover feel like a poster, not a template card.
- **CTA gate:** if the carousel teaches a setup/process/prompt, end with a keyword CTA tied to the artifact: “Comment PROMPT/AUDIT/WORKFLOW for the steps.”

### Oversized hook-library poster pattern
A high-performing reference used this pattern. Caption: “Comment ‘Hooks’ to get 1000+ hand-picked viral hooks.” The preview slide read roughly “10 hooks that stop …” with the word “stop” highlighted.

Reusable pattern:
- **Promise type:** sell a swipe-file/library, not vague advice. Examples: “10 hooks that stop the scroll,” “7 opening lines founders can steal,” “12 AI demo hooks that get saves.”
- **Category pill:** small black rounded label in the corner, e.g. `HOOK LIBRARY`, `STARTUP HOOKS`, `AI REEL HOOKS`, to make the carousel feel like a useful artifact.
- **Poster typography:** warm cream background, massive black bold sans text, one key verb/noun highlighted in a mustard/orange rounded rectangle (`stop`, `steal`, `save`, `copy`).
- **Intentional cropping:** let oversized headline text bleed past the frame edges. This creates scroll-stopping tension and makes the cover feel editorial, not templated.
- **CTA gate:** pair the post with a keyword tied to the asset: “Comment HOOKS for the swipe file,” “Comment SCRIPT for the AI founder hook bank.”
- **Use case:** when creating AI/tech/startup carousels, package generic hook education as a niche library: `10 hooks that stop AI founders mid-scroll`, then make each middle slide one reusable hook shell + an AI/startup-specific example.

### Soft-selling CTA library pattern
A high-performing reference used this pattern: “30 Soft-Selling CTAs That Don’t Sound Salesy but convert like crazy,” caption CTA “SAVE this magic + comment ‘strategy’...” Across 10 slides, slide 3 reads “Instead of saying: Buy Now” and reframes it into softer invitation CTAs.

Reusable pattern:
- **Promise type:** package a conversion problem as a phrase bank/swap list. Example: `30 Soft-Selling CTAs That Don’t Sound Salesy` rather than “How to write better CTAs.”
- **Contrast frame:** each slide starts `Instead of saying: [pushy CTA]` then `Say this:` with 4–6 warmer alternatives. This makes the post immediately useful and screenshot-saveable.
- **Soft CTA formulas:** replace commands with permission, curiosity, relief, or tiny-next-step language: `If this feels personal, my DMs are open`, `Maybe this is the push you’ve been needing lately`, `Take a look before you scroll away`, `You don’t have to figure everything out alone anymore`.
- **Audience-first tone:** make CTAs feel like helpful invitations, not pressure. Use empathy words (`if`, `maybe`, `when you’re ready`, `take a look`, `tiny upgrade`, `one small decision`) and avoid hard-sell verbs (`buy`, `sign up`, `click now`).
- **Swipe rhythm:** cover = big library promise; slide 2 = why hard CTAs repel; slides 3–8 = one bad CTA replacement per slide; slide 9 = principle summary; slide 10 = creator/follow CTA.
- **Visual system:** beige/taupe editorial background, elegant italic serif for the “Instead of saying” prompt, small sans bullet alternatives, sparse curved arrows pointing to “tap/follow/save,” tiny bookmark icon, minimal portrait on final slide. Looks like a refined note sheet, not a loud marketing template.
- **Use case:** for AI/tech/startup carousels, create “CTA/DM/comment banks” around low-friction actions: `Instead of saying: Try my AI tool`, `Instead of saying: Book a demo`, `Instead of saying: Join the waitlist`, then provide founder/operator-friendly alternatives.

### Product-card carousel system
A high-performing reference used this design system worth adopting. Caption begins “Comment ‘SKILLS’ to get all the links. Stop satisfying yourself with generic AI-generated UIs...” The post ran 7 slides.

Reusable pattern:
- **Best use case:** AI/tech resource lists, tool stacks, skill marketplaces, agent workflows, “save these” posts, and productized frameworks where the visual should feel like a clean design-system canvas rather than a loud marketing poster.
- **Cover composition:** light grid-paper background; large centered title in stacked clay rounded rectangles with white uppercase type (`4 CLAUDE / FRONTEND SKILLS`); compact subtitle beneath (`Replacing UI Designers`); floating UI/product cards around the title (`Taste Skill`, `Impeccable`, `UI UX Pro Max`, `Agent Skills`) with tiny pink star-count pills; small clay asterisk/starburst as the central visual anchor.
- **Slide structure:** each middle slide is a product/resource card: tiny clay section pill at top, huge black product name, pink star-count pill beside the title, 2–3 line explanation with 1–3 clay-highlighted keywords, a large screenshot/mockup in a soft-shadow rounded frame, then a pale pink `Best for:` note strip. Final resource slide becomes a save-worthy link bank; final CTA slide asks for a keyword comment and shows profile/social proof.
- **Typography:** bold geometric/grotesk sans for headlines; heavy black title case or uppercase; compact neutral sans for body; selective clay highlights behind key terms. Keep body copy short and high-contrast; this style fails if paragraphs get dense.
- **Palette:** off-white/very light gray paper, faint gray grid lines/dots, near-black text, clay/rust orange (#d56f50-ish) for primary bars/starburst/highlights, pale blush/pink badges and note strips, occasional dark navy/black screenshots for contrast.
- **Components/motifs:** grid canvas, floating cards, tiny star-count badges, screenshot windows, rounded pill labels, thin divider lines, soft drop shadows, small account handle bottom-left, tiny `Swipe` button bottom-right. Treat these as functional wayfinding, not decorative clutter.
- **Content hierarchy:** one resource per slide; title first, metric badge second, explanation third, proof screenshot fourth, `Best for` fifth. Put the practical takeaway in the `Best for` strip so every slide has a save reason.
- **Use case:** package AI/tech posts as tool/resource stacks: `5 AI workflow patterns replacing interns`, `4 agent skills for startup operators`, `7 Claude Code workflows to steal`. Use real screenshots/logos only when available and permitted; otherwise use original generic product mockups. Always turn one slide into a link/source bank when the post promises resources.
- **Pitfalls:** do not overfill the grid with too many cards; do not use tiny unreadable screenshots as the only proof; avoid exact brand/logo copying when restyling; make star/metric badges factual or omit them; keep the repeated bottom handle/swipe chrome subtle.

### Text-only command poster: “Don’t just tell it. Design it.”
A high-performing reference used this pattern: a square cream poster reading “DON’T / JUST / TELL IT. / DESIGN IT.” Bottom copy: “So next time you tell a story... Don’t just tell it. Design it. And watch how people stop scrolling and start listening.”

Reusable pattern:
- **Core principle:** the message itself becomes the visual. No icons, screenshots, gradients, or AI decoration required when the headline hierarchy is strong.
- **Hook formula:** `DON’T JUST [COMMON ACTION]. [BETTER STRATEGIC ACTION] IT.` or `STOP [LOW-LEVEL BEHAVIOR]. [HIGHER-LEVERAGE BEHAVIOR].` Examples: `DON’T JUST PROMPT IT. SYSTEMIZE IT.`, `DON’T JUST USE AI. DIRECT IT.`, `STOP COPYING PROMPTS. BUILD WORKFLOWS.`
- **Typography:** huge uppercase condensed black sans (`Anton`, `Impact`, `Bebas Neue`, `League Gothic`, `Druk`-like), tight line-height, left-aligned stack. Use a smaller neutral sans for the explanatory payoff.
- **Single-word hero:** pick one verb/noun (`DESIGN`, `SYSTEMIZE`, `AUTOMATE`, `WORKFLOW`, `CONTEXT`) and reverse it out in white/cream on a saturated accent rectangle. This is the only strong color on the slide.
- **Offset completion:** place the final word (`IT.`) to the right of the highlighted block to create movement and a visual pause.
- **Palette/layout:** warm cream background, near-black type, one red/orange/clay accent block, generous negative space on the right, bottom-left explanatory copy aligned with the headline column.
- **Caption payoff:** add one calm 1–2 line sentence at the bottom that turns the command into a lesson. Example: “So next time you use AI, don’t start with tools. Start with the workflow you want to improve.”
- **Use case:** ideal for AI/tech carousel covers, Reel title cards, or save slides where the idea is a strategic reframe rather than a factual news item.

## Carousel planning workflow
Before designing slides, write the **funnel map**:
1. **Cover promise:** What would make the target founder/operator stop?
2. **Slide 2 proof:** What immediately proves the promise is worth swiping?
3. **Standalone middle insights:** What 3–5 frames could be screenshotted alone?
4. **Save-worthy asset:** checklist, formula, decision tree, teardown, prompt, scorecard, or framework.
5. **CTA:** comment keyword, save prompt, or follow-up asset tied to the post.

## Recommended 8-slide structure
1. **Cover:** tension-first hook. Example: “Stop building AI assistants. Build the invoice chaser.”
2. **Proof/payoff:** show the pattern immediately. Example: “The labs are packaging jobs, not chatbots.”
3. **Evidence:** cite source-backed proof in simple terms.
4. **Framework:** turn the idea into a reusable formula.
5. **Examples:** concrete workflow names, before/after, product naming, buyer-recognized jobs.
6. **Market/context proof:** funding, adoption, customer behavior, or creator/buyer signal. Label reported claims.
7. **Rule/checklist/save slide:** one compressed principle people can screenshot.
8. **CTA:** “Comment WORKFLOW for the checklist,” “Save this before naming your AI startup,” etc.

## Daily tech digest carousel variant
Use this variant for “What happened in tech today” posts created from your AI/tech research pool. This is not the same as the selected-idea carousel: the selected idea still gets a full swipe-funnel post, while the digest turns other strong research signals into one idea per slide.

Suggested structure:
1. **Cover:** “What happened in tech today” + date/period + sharp subtitle.
2. **Topic slides:** 5–8 source-backed signals; each slide must state the event, why it matters, and the founder/operator implication in one readable frame.
3. **Pattern/save slide:** synthesize the shared trend across the signals.
4. **CTA:** ask to save/follow/comment for deeper breakdown.

Rules:
- Exclude or de-emphasize the main daily selected concept to avoid duplicating the script workflow.
- Do not use weak creator/search snippets as factual claims; label them as creator-pattern signal or skip them.
- A digest carousel still needs a swipe funnel: the cover sells the digest, slide 2 proves value fast, every topic slide survives as a screenshot, and the final pattern/CTA creates a save moment.

## Visual quality bar
Carousels should look like premium editorial/social design, not generated HTML cards.

For an Anthropic-inspired AI/tech look, see `references/anthropic-inspired-carousel-style.md`.

For Greg Isenberg/Hyperagent-inspired warm editorial product motion assets — off-white canvas, green/red/mauve system colors, serif + sans typography, stylized UI mockups, agent mascots, workflow diagrams — load `editorial-ai-product-design-system`.

Use:
- Strong cover composition with one focal idea.
- Tactile depth: paper, editorial collage, product mockups, screenshots, diagrams, texture, grain, shadows, tape, annotation marks, hand-drawn arrows.
- Large mobile-readable type with generous margins.
- Distinct slide rhythms; avoid repeating identical card layouts.
- One coherent visual system: palette, typography, motifs, spacing, and source tags.
- Source/citation text only if readable or nonessential.
- Full-bleed poster-like composition: do not add repeated top headers, bottom footers, slide numbers, date bars, brand bars, or template chrome unless explicitly requested. Instagram slides should feel like standalone designed posters, not presentation pages.

Avoid:
- Flat HTML/PPT card grids.
- Tiny paragraph blocks.
- Generic robot/AI imagery.
- Decorative chips that do not clarify the point.
- Slides that require previous slides to make sense.

## Production workflow for generated carousel assets

### Saving Instagram carousels as future video/source material
When the user sends an Instagram carousel/post and says to “save these,” “save the repos,” or “we might make a video out of it,” treat it as source capture, not carousel creation. Archive the post assets, extract the reusable list/ideas, verify links where possible, and save a concise Notion/source note. Use `references/instagram-carousel-source-capture.md` for the proven workflow, including the Instagram shortcode/Instaloader fallback, contact-sheet OCR, GitHub normalization, and deliverable shape.

When asked to find or send an already-created carousel:
1. Prefer carousel output folders before generic asset-pack folders: `~/content-os/carousels/`, especially names containing `codex`, `aesthetic`, or the topic/date.
2. If the user mentions “created with Codex,” search prior sessions and local PNGs by mtime/name before assuming the daily asset pack is the carousel.
3. Send slides by numeric filename order (`slide-01.png`, `slide-02.png`, …), not README asset-list order unless the README explicitly defines carousel order.

When asked to create a carousel:
1. Load this skill and `instagram-reels` if the carousel supports a Reel/script.
2. Resolve the source concept before writing copy. If the request is in a thread reply and says “this,” “out of this,” or similar, build the carousel from the referenced parent/thread concept and saved script. Do **not** substitute a daily digest, rejected/non-winning ideas carousel, or alternate research bucket unless the user explicitly asks for those.
3. If the user provides an external Instagram carousel and asks for “exactly this content” in our style, follow `references/remixing-external-carousel-content.md`: capture the source slides, preserve slide count/order/content roles, verify live repo/link metadata when relevant, then restyle into your warm editorial system rather than copying the source aesthetic.
4. Draft slide-by-slide copy using the swipe-funnel roles.
5. Use **Codex CLI native image generation** (`$imagegen`) as the preferred image-generation method for aesthetic carousel slides. In the Codex prompt, explicitly say not to write Python/SVG/HTML/CSS/Canvas unless a deterministic fallback is needed.
6. For product-card/grid carousels or other text-heavy resource decks, use `references/product-card-grid-carousel-production.md` as the deterministic fallback playbook: fixed 1080×1350 PIL/Canvas generator, reusable grid/pill/card/mockup components, automated layout checks, contact sheet, and individual-slide QA.
7. Default AI/tech carousel visual direction: Anthropic-inspired warm editorial/product-strategy design — ivory/cream paper, charcoal ink, clay/orange accents, sand/tan cards, muted olive states, simple line icons, tactile collage/sticky notes, workflow cards, connector diagrams, approval-gate motifs, grain, and soft shadows. Use original/generic icons only; do not copy logos or proprietary brand assets.
8. Save ordered PNG slides (`slide-01.png`, `slide-02.png`, …). If native Codex produces a non-Instagram size, keep the original and resize/crop only as a transparent post-processing step if needed.
9. Generate a contact sheet.
10. QA with vision for mobile readability, cropping, spelling, story order, and whether it looks premium rather than HTML.
   - If slides are generated programmatically, run an automated layout pass before visual QA: every text draw should have a known bounding box; report `VIOLATIONS 0` for overflow/overlap and `TRUNCATIONS 0` for accidental ellipses/cropped copy.
   - QA the full contact sheet *and* spot-check dense individual slides. Contact sheets can hide small overflows; do not rely on a zoomed-out glance.
   - Treat user-visible text overflow, clipped titles, cramped boxes, tofu/square glyphs, unintended ellipses, decorative lines crossing body copy, and bottom notes that run into the footer/off-canvas as blockers. Regenerate with larger boxes, smaller fitted fonts, wrapped notes, more whitespace, or fewer decorative elements before delivery.
11. Fix issues before delivery. If the user says the design is “not clean” or text is overflowing, prioritize layout hygiene over visual flourish: simplify cards, increase padding, reduce font sizes, and re-run both automated and visual QA.
12. Deliver individual slides in exact carousel order first. Include a contact sheet and caption/CTA. Do not make the user download a zip just to review the post; a zip/archive is optional only as a secondary backup when useful.

## QA checklist before sending
- Does Slide 1 stop scroll without needing context?
- Does Slide 2 prove the promise fast?
- Can each middle slide stand alone as a screenshot?
- Is at least one slide genuinely save-worthy?
- Is all main text readable on a phone?
- Does it avoid HTML-card/PPT-template aesthetics?
- Are source-backed claims labeled accurately?
- Is the CTA specific to the value delivered?

## Evolving this skill
When you find a new high-performing Instagram carousel/post worth learning from:
1. Use `social-link-summarization` to extract metadata, caption, preview image, and accessible slide lessons.
2. If it is a carousel/content strategy pattern, patch this skill with the distilled rule and source note.
3. If it is about Reels/hooks/scripts, patch `instagram-reels` instead.
4. If it teaches a new standalone system, create a new skill and cross-reference it.
5. Keep persistent memory minimal; prefer skill updates for reusable Instagram knowledge.