Instagram

Instagram is visual first and relationship driven. Reels reach new people; carousels get saved and shared; Stories and DMs keep existing followers close. Shares (especially via DM) and saves are strong signals that a post is worth showing to more people.

Current facts (as of September 2026 - re-check with web_search if a number matters)

• Hashtags: up to 5 per post or Reel (Instagram announced the limit in December 2025).
• Caption: up to 2,200 characters; roughly the first 125 characters show before "more".
• Reels: can be up to 20 minutes long, but recommendations to non-followers favor short Reels (commonly reported: under about 3 minutes). 9:16, 1080x1920.
• Carousels: up to 20 images/videos in the app (third-party schedulers using the API may be limited to 10). Feed images 4:5 (1080x1350) take the most screen space.

Audience and what performs

• Lifestyle, creators, local business, e-commerce, food, travel, fitness, design, education in bite-sized form.
• Performs: Reels with a strong first frame and a clear payoff; carousels that teach (step by step, mistakes, before/after, checklists); relatable or aspirational content; consistent visual identity; content people send to a friend.
• Does not: text-heavy single images, stock photos with captions, watermarked TikTok reposts, engagement pods, hashtag walls.

Reels script

1. Hook, 0-2 s: strong first frame + on-screen text + spoken line. Movement or a result in frame one.
2. Body: one idea, quick cuts, each beat earns the next.
3. Payoff: deliver the promise.
4. End: loop, punchline, or a reason to share/save ("Send this to the friend who...").

• Text overlays inside safe zones (keep clear of the bottom UI and the right-side buttons); captions on for muted viewing.
• Cover image: choose a frame or custom cover that reads well in the grid (4:5 crop).

Carousel

• Slide 1: the hook - a promise, a bold claim or a problem, big text, minimal words.
• Slides 2-(n-1): one point per slide, consistent layout, readable in 3 seconds.
• Last slide: summary or CTA (save, share, follow, comment a keyword).
• 5-10 slides is a practical sweet spot; use more only if each slide adds something.
• The caption adds context, it does not repeat the slides.

Caption

• First line: a hook or the key sentence (it is what shows before "more").
• Body: context, story or steps; short paragraphs.
• CTA: one clear ask.
• Up to 5 hashtags, specific over broad (e.g. #sourdoughbeginner beats #food).
• Keywords in the caption help Instagram search; write naturally.

Stories

• Behind the scenes, polls, questions, quizzes, countdowns, links to new posts.
• 3-7 frames per sequence, one message; use stickers to invite taps and replies.
• Highlights for evergreen info (FAQ, prices, reviews).

Cadence

• A sustainable baseline: 3-5 feed posts per week (mix of Reels and carousels) and Stories most days. Consistency beats volume.
• Reply to comments and DMs quickly; conversation feeds reach.

Repurposing

• TikTok -> Reels: re-export without watermark, rewrite caption, 5 hashtags max.
• X thread or blog listicle -> carousel.
• YouTube long-form -> 2-4 Reels + one summary carousel.
• LinkedIn carousel (PDF) -> Instagram carousel with lighter tone and visuals.

Avoid

• More than 5 hashtags (over the limit as of Sep 2026; generic tags also dilute topic signals).
• Buying followers, engagement pods, follow/unfollow.
• Undisclosed sponsorships (use the paid partnership label).
• Misleading before/after or health claims.
• Publishing anything without the user's explicit approval.

Output

Use templates/reel-and-carousel.md.