7–10 slides is the sweet spot. Instagram allows up to 20. LinkedIn carousels perform best at 8–12 slides. More slides only help if each one adds value.
Yes — carousels typically get 3x more reach because swiping signals engagement to the algorithm. Instagram shows carousels again to users who didn’t swipe all the way through.
The first slide is your hook — bold claim, striking visual, or a curiosity-triggering question. Think of it like a thumbnail: it has to stop the scroll before they read anything.