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Instagram is testing a new analytics feature that shows like counts for each individual image within a carousel post. Each frame now displays its own engagement total based on what was visible when the user tapped the like button, offering a more granular breakdown than traditional post-level insights.

The feature follows Instagram head Adam Mosseri’s earlier assertion that carousels often outperform single-image uploads in reach. He attributed this to two factors: more interaction opportunities within multi-slide formats, and Instagram’s practice of resurfacing later slides to users who didn’t engage with the first. With the new frame-wise visibility, the platform appears to be giving creators and brands more precision in measuring which creative decisions actually landed.

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/instagrams-data-dive-why-frame-level-insights-can-be-a-game-changer-for-creators-and-brands-76086.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Instagram's data dive: Why frame-level insights can be a game changer for creators and brands</a>

For marketers, this could represent a shift from blunt metrics to surgical diagnostics. “It’s a big win for marketers,” says Sindhu Biswal, CEO and Founder of Buzzlab. “Finally, brands can stop guessing which slide in a carousel worked and which was just there for filler. This moves Instagram from being just a ‘post and pray’ platform to something far more surgical. It gives marketers clarity on what visuals, formats, or messages actually drive engagement, not in aggregate, but frame by frame.”

This change is also likely to transform how performance is interpreted and acted upon.

“It shifts the mindset from ‘Did the post work?’ to ‘What within the post worked?’” Biswal continues. “Creators and brands can now dissect performance with a scalpel, not a hammer. It’s no longer about total likes, it’s about understanding what specific creative choices resonated most. That means sharper content strategies and better creative decisions moving forward.”

Still, not everyone is convinced that better analytics will boost the format’s standing in the algorithm. “Carousels may earn more likes per impression, but Reels are delivering 30 to 40 percent more views,” notes Sreeram Reddy Vanga, CEO and Co-Founder of Kofluence. “And when brand managers are reporting up to their CMOs, it’s reach that justifies the spend. Even if carousel performance improves by another 15 to 20 percent through better optimization, the format is still losing ground in distribution compared to short-form video. We are essentially optimizing for engagement on a format the algorithm is actively deprioritizing.”

For creators, however, the feature introduces a new dimension of clarity. “This is a great step towards a more targeted way to measure content performance,” says Sahil Chopra, Founder and CEO of iCubesWire. “Compared to just seeing how a content piece performed, creators will now know what bit of their content people loved the most. This feature will eliminate guesswork, with creators knowing what works for their audience and what doesn’t.”

That granularity could also inform broader campaign planning, including A/B testing and ROI attribution. “If brands and creators can tell which frame got them the most love, they can connect the dots between specific visuals and conversions,” Chopra adds. “It will be interesting to see how brands and creators decide to leverage their engagement-driving content to generate ROI.”

“It makes perfect sense to use it for A/B testing,” he continues. “Compared to going live with multiple separate posts for testing, brands and creators can now just use multiple versions of a post in one carousel and see for themselves which has got more engagement.”

That ability to test and analyze within a single asset is where the storytelling layer becomes even more relevant. “In multi-frame creatives, not all slides are equal, some drive discovery, others carry the CTA,” says Ambika Sharma, Founder and Chief Strategist at Pulp Strategy. “Frame-level like data gives us a new lens to decode scroll-drop behavior, fatigue points, or even where the narrative peaks. It’s not just about creative quality, it’s about narrative sequencing and attention flow.”

“There’s real potential to correlate individual frame engagement with deeper funnel metrics, swipe-ups, link clicks, even bounce rates on landing pages,” she adds. “If Frame 2 gets the most likes but Frame 4 drives action, your storytelling logic needs to adapt. This kind of insight brings us closer to intent mapping within the same asset.”

That intent mapping is exactly where performance marketers and media planners are now placing their bets. Yasin Hamidani, Director at Media Care Brand Solutions, says, “By mapping frame-level like metrics to click-through data, tracked via UTM parameters or analytics, you can identify which specific frames spur deeper funnel actions. For instance, a seventh slide with a product demo might get fewer likes but more clicks, revealing that engagement type, not like count, better predicts funnel movement.”

Beyond that, he sees potential for deeper integration. He adds, “Frame-level likes can feed into dashboards as separate KPIs, like Slide 1 Likes or CTA Frame Likes, to augment traditional metrics. They can be incorporated into media mix models or creative mix models to weight each frame’s contribution to conversion. Over time, A/B testing of frame sequences refines carousel ROI and informs efficient creative sequencing strategies.”

Whether or not carousels reclaim algorithmic favor, Instagram’s latest experiment puts more power into the hands of those willing to look closely, not just at the content they publish, but at the micro-moments that shape how audiences respond.

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/instagrams-adam-mosseri-on-india-setting-global-benchmarks-in-social-media-habits-64230.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Instagram's Adam Mosseri on India setting global benchmarks in social media habits</a>

Instagram's frame-level likes promise precision, but can they outrun reels?

In a platform long dominated by short form video content (SFVC), Instagram’s latest experiment with frame level analytics for carousel posts marks a significant shift. The feature, currently in testing, breaks down like counts by individual frames within a carousel, providing creators and brands with granular insights into what exactly resonates with their audience.

While carousel posts already offered greater reach than single image uploads, with Instagram’s strategy of resurfacing unengaged frames, this new feature introduces a more precise feedback mechanism. And with it, a new set of opportunities and challenges.

“Creators can now highlight specific high performing frames,” says Shudeep Majumdar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Co-Founder, Zefmo. “That makes data driven analytics easier for brands and agencies, strengthening brand trust in influencers. From a pitching and reporting perspective, it’s excellent.”

By isolating frame level engagement, creators can tailor their pitches more effectively, focusing on what worked rather than relying on generalized metrics. But this sharper lens may also reshape how compensation models evolve.

“Brands might start compensating based on high impact frames only,” Majumdar adds. “It could lead to a pay per performance model similar to how digital ads are priced. That means more negotiation power for creators, but also more micromanagement from brands.”

“The best creators will command more. Brands will invest with purpose. It’s no longer about the whole, it’s about the parts that move people,” says Bhushan Kadam, Creative Director Art at White Rivers Media. “This shifts negotiation from vague averages to clear value.”

From Flat Fees to Frame Fees?

Some believe this level of insight could redefine how carousels are valued. “Eventually, it will evolve into something like old school YouTube CPM rates per geography, per watch time,” says Anirudh Sridharan, Co Founder and Head of Product at HashFame. “Not all frames are equal. The smart brands will start slicing budgets per content unit, not per post. A carousel becomes a storyboard, more like a funnel.”

Sreeram Reddy Vanga, CEO and Co Founder at Kofluence, agrees that while it’s early days, such metrics are already feeding into hybrid payment models. “We’re increasingly seeing base flat fees with performance incentives,” he notes. “Frame level insights will likely add value to existing models rather than replace them.”

“We expect to see performance based compensation models starting to include these metrics as ancillary data points and not just primary payment drivers,” Vanga adds. “These metrics will add value, but not define deals entirely.”

The Double Edged Sword of Data

Yet more data does not always mean more clarity. “There’s a risk of data overload,” warns Majumdar. “We don’t currently have robust tools that help interpret this kind of frame level performance. And creators might prioritize attention grabbing visuals over authentic storytelling, what we call algorithmic gaming.”

That tension between optimization and authenticity is particularly relevant in vernacular markets. “Indian consumers may prefer cultural relevance over polished, templated frames,” Vanga notes. “If every frame is over optimized, you risk alienating your audience and losing that genuine connection.”

“Expect to see thoughtful frame optimization emerge from elite creators and in verticals like finance, wellbeing, and education,” he adds. “But it will not necessarily serve as a primary strategy across the board.”

Gaming the System or Building With Intent?

Still, many see creative sequencing as a natural evolution of platform savvy design. “Do I expect creators to start optimizing frame sequences to game engagement, like YouTube thumbnails? Yes. And they should,” says Kadam. “Attention is earned, not assumed. Smart creators will build with intent. Flow is everything.”

According to Kadam, this kind of clarity brings with it a new kind of accountability. “With data revealing what holds a viewer and what loses them, arranging the strongest visuals or messages at key points becomes a common strategy,” he says. “The platform’s algorithm may eventually factor in this granular engagement. The algorithm may reward it, but the audience demands it.”

Instagram’s frame wise analytics signal not just a technical upgrade but a shift in the nature of storytelling, compensation, and collaboration on the platform. As Majumdar puts it, “This has the potential to revolutionize how creators work with brands. Over time, we will see more precise and collaborative campaigns.”

Read More:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/instagrams-adam-mosseri-on-india-setting-global-benchmarks-in-social-media-habits-64230.htm" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Instagram's Adam Mosseri on India setting global benchmarks in social media habits</a>

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Instagram's data dive: Why frame-level insights can be a game changer for creators and brands

ADAM MOSSERI