July 11, 2024
Make before and after posts shine on Instagram

Let’s take the example of posts published by @hansenottawa to see why they are effective and how we can enhance them even more.
What makes these posts effective?
- The company takes before and after photos from a similar vantage point to effectively illustrate the full transformation.
- The first slide of their carousel posts are consistent, using the same font and layout to improve brand recognition.
- They are published regularly. Repetition is key. This helps Instagram’s algorithm understand what your posts are about and refine which users see them in their feeds.
Enhance the experience:
- Don’t be afraid to write a long caption detailing what the client wanted, the challenges encountered and what made you particularly proud. On Instagram, you have 2,200 characters to tell a story.
- Tag suppliers. Brands will appreciate the support and might reshare your post. Plus, homeowners and professionals love to know exactly what products you used.
- Take a few in-progress videos to share on your stories alongside your post. You can also make a Reel out of them.
- Include a picture of your team, the designer or someone special involved in the project to add a human element.
- You can now add up to 15 pictures per carousel post, which is a series of images users can swipe to view. Share in-progress pictures as well or a short video that you took during the build.
- Make sure the second picture of your carousel is just as carefully picked as the first one: Instagram shows your carousel posts twice to your audience: once with the first image, then again with the second image.
- Instagram allows you to upload carousels that are 1350x1080 pixels in size — a bit taller than the typical square one. This allows your post to occupy more space on your audience’s screen and gives you a better chance of catching their attention.