5 Creative Carousel Ad Examples in 2025 (and Why They Work)

Carousel ads are a great place to start if you want inspiration to level up your ad creatives. They’re versatile, eye-catching, and packed with potential to sell (when done well).

In this guide, we’ll walk through real carousel ad examples for marketers and share simple tips to help you improve yours in 2025.

In this article, we’ll cover: 

• What carousel ads are and why they work
• The best examples of carousel ads across platforms
• Tips on making great carousel ads
• Analyzing your carousel ads performance

Let’s start by looking at what carousel ads are.

What are carousel ads?

Carousel ads are a multi-card ad format that lets you showcase multiple images or videos within a single ad unit. It’s a flexible way to tell a bigger story, highlight more products, or test different angles — all in one place. 

Each card has its own headline, link, and call to action, which gives you more room to get creative with your message. The format stays consistent, but the tone and creative style should shift depending on where your ad runs and who you’re trying to reach.

You’ll find carousel ads across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Each platform has its own strengths:

• Facebook: Often used to feature product catalogs, tutorials, or promotions
  
  
• Instagram: Great for visual storytelling, UGC, and creator-led content
  
  
• LinkedIn: A go-to for B2B marketers showcasing product features, case studies, or insights

What makes carousel ads unique

Most ad formats, like static ads, limit you to one frame to land your message. Carousel ads give you multiple chances to connect since each swipe feels like a new opportunity to win someone over. That makes carousel ads useful when you’ve got more to show than what fits in a single square. You can:

• Tell a story card by card
  
• Feature a range of products or benefits
  
• Mix and match videos, images, and copy styles to test what clicks

What’s better: carousel or video ads?

Video ads are great for storytelling and emotional hooks, but carousels often perform better in direct response campaigns.

That’s because carousels give people more ways to engage. Each card has its own message and link, so users can swipe through and interact with the content that speaks to them. Instead of relying on one creative to do all the work, you’re offering multiple chances to connect and convert.

In short, the answer is — it depends on your goal.

How many cards should a carousel ad have?

Most platforms require a minimum of 2 cards, but let you use up to 10 cards. But that doesn’t mean you need to use all 10. The sweet spot is usually 3 to 5 cards. That’s enough to build a narrative or showcase multiple items without overwhelming the viewer. If the message calls for more, just make sure every card earns its place.

Why carousel ads work

Carousel ads stand out by turning a simple scroll into something more interactive. That small shift gives marketers extra space to share their message without pulling people away from the feed. Here are a few reasons why they work:

• They encourage more interaction: The swipe mechanic feels natural, especially on mobile. It turns a passive scroll into an active experience, which leads to longer engagement and higher click-through rates.
  
  
• You can tell a story: Carousels are great for walking someone through a sequence, like problem → solution → product. Each card builds on the last, keeping people curious and moving forward.
  
  
• They showcase multiple products or features: Instead of squeezing everything into one frame, you can highlight different products, features, or variations. Each card can link to a different page, which is ideal for ecommerce or multi-step offers.
  
  
• You get better creative insights: Because you can track performance by card, you’ll quickly see what’s working and where people are dropping off. That makes it easier to test and improve your creative without running five separate ads.

What’s a good CTR for carousel ads?

It depends on the platform. If your click-through rate (CTR) falls below average ranges, it’s a good idea to revisit your hook, card sequence, or call-to-action clarity. Here’s what recent benchmarks tell us:

• Facebook and Instagram: According to Lebesgue’s 2024 FB benchmarks, median click-through rate for carousel ads in the U.S. is around 0.9%. That’s similar to single-image ads (about 0.88% to 0.91%), but carousels tend to drive more engagement overall, especially on mobile. Catalog carousels showcasing multiple products perform even better, often reaching 1.49% CTR. The median conversion rate for carousel ads is around 1.5%.
  
  
• LinkedIn: Average CTR for carousel ads in the U.S. sits at 0.37%. That’s lower than Meta platforms, but still better than LinkedIn single image ads.
  
  
• TikTok: TikTok doesn’t provide a platform-wide average for carousel CTR, but U.S.-based advertisers generally see CTRs between 0.5% and 1.3%, depending on creative quality and targeting. According to Lebesgue’s 2024 benchmarks, strong-performing ads on TikTok tend to include bold visuals, fast motion, and a clear hook in the first second. 

Examples of carousel ads that actually work

There’s more than one way to run a strong carousel. Let’s look at a few types that consistently perform well, with real brand examples and ideas on where each one shines. Here’s what you can try:

Product-first carousels

These ads showcase multiple items from a product line, making them ideal for ecommerce brands trying to drive clicks straight to purchase pages. This type of carousel is great for Facebook and Instagram product campaigns, especially for home goods, fashion, or beauty.

Brooklinen’s ad is one of many great Facebook carousel ad examples because it’s clean, consistent, and focused. Each card highlights one product with soft visuals and simple copy, making it easy to swipe through and shop. The clear layout and direct CTAs help guide viewers from interest to action without any distractions.

Narrative carousels

These ads tell a short story across cards, moving someone from awareness to interest in just a few swipes. What makes it work well is that it’s a complete story in carousel form. Each swipe adds context, builds empathy, and naturally leads to a call to action.

Lyft’s carousel walks voters through how to redeem a discount for rides to the polls on 2024’s Election Day. The first card highlights the offer (“Get in, America. We’re going voting”), the next shows where to preload the promo code, and the final card confirms how it applies automatically during booking.

It’s structured like a quick tutorial, but still tells a story: what’s happening, what to do, and what to expect. Each card adds new info without feeling repetitive.

Educational breakdowns

These carousels walk users through a product’s features, often card by card. They’re great for services that need a little explanation, such as in healthcare, finance, or B2B.

Canva’s ad for its Background Remover tool shows exactly how it works, frame by frame. Each card focuses on a different benefit, like removing clutter, making the subject stand out, and finishing with a polished result. The visuals are consistent and easy to follow, and the messaging stays clear without overwhelming the viewer.

Social proof and testimonials

When trust is the goal, carousel ads featuring real feedback can do a lot of heavy lifting. Whether it’s customer reviews, quotes, or success stats, dedicating a card to each piece of proof builds credibility quickly.

This carousel ad for Talroo on LinkedIn highlights different client success stories, showcasing how their solution improved the clients’ workflows. Each card features a specific benefit, accompanied by a direct quote from the client, making the value proposition clear and relatable.

How to make carousel ads that sell

You don’t need flashy animations or fancy effects to make a great carousel ad. You just need strong creative choices that guide people from the first swipe to the click. Here’s how to get there:

• Start with a strong hook: Your first card is like the front door to your ad — it needs to invite people in. Keep it simple, punchy, and clear. Whether it’s a bold claim, a surprising stat, or a question that makes someone stop scrolling, your first card should make people curious enough to swipe.
  
  
• Keep your message consistent: Each card should feel like part of a larger whole. Whether you’re showing off products, walking through a story, or sharing reviews, the tone and voice should match across the ad.
  
  
• Use one CTA per card: Give each frame a clear purpose. What should someone do after reading it? Keep it simple and direct, whether it’s “Shop now,” “See how it works,” or “Start free trial.”
  
  

• Stick to a unified look: Use the same font, color palette, and layout style across all cards. This helps the ad feel intentional, not like five different ideas stuck together.
  
  
• Use progression to build momentum: Think of your carousel like a slideshow or mini-landing page. Lead with the hook, then build up details, and finish with a strong closing card or offer.
  
  
• Design for the swipe: Make sure key visuals and text don’t get cut off or feel cramped. Use white space, center your text, and keep each card clean, so users can move through them smoothly.

How to analyze carousel ad performance

Carousel ads give you more to work with, but that also means more to measure. Instead of only looking at clicks or impressions, dig into how each part of your ad performs. Here’s what to pay attention to:

• CTR per card: Don’t just rely on the overall click-through rate. See which card drives the most clicks to understand where your message is strongest.
  
  
• Swipe-through rate: If people stop swiping after card two or three, that’s a sign your flow might need tightening or reordering.
  
  
• A/B testing by card: You don’t need five versions of the same ad. Try changing the headline, image, or CTA in just one card and compare results.
  
  
• Card-by-card value: Every card should do something useful. Is it adding new info, showing a different angle, or prompting action?
  
  
• Creative insights: Digital ad intelligence is a great way to spot which visuals, hooks, and layouts are actually driving results. Tools like Bestever break down performance frame by frame, so you can improve your carousel ads before spending more.

Frequently asked questions

Do carousel ads work for B2B?

Carousel ads can be very effective for B2B when done right. For example, on LinkedIn, they’re a great format for breaking down complex products or showcasing multiple benefits. You’ll often see LinkedIn carousel ads examples that walk users through product demos, compare pricing tiers, or highlight customer testimonials. They give brands more space to explain without overwhelming the viewer.

How do I design a swipe-worthy first frame?

Treat your first frame like a billboard by making something clear, bold, and scroll-stopping. You want something that sparks curiosity or quickly shows value. A good hook could be a powerful start, a bold image, or a question your audience is already thinking about. Keep text minimal and make sure your visuals work even without sound.

How does Bestever support carousel ad strategy?

Bestever gives you frame-by-frame breakdowns of your creative ads, so you can see what’s driving engagement (and what’s not). It doesn’t stop at basic metrics, it flags weak visuals, repetitive copy, and pacing issues across your carousel. Whether you’re testing new concepts or scaling what’s working, Bestever helps you make data-backed creative decisions without wasting ad spend.

Can I use UGC in carousel ads?

Absolutely. In fact, some of the best carousel ads use lo-fi, user-generated content to feel more native and trustworthy. This approach works especially well on Instagram, where people are used to casual, authentic visuals. If you’re looking for Instagram carousel ad examples that convert, many successful brands use real customer testimonials or influencer content across multiple frames.

What tools help improve carousel ad performance?

You’ll want tools that do more than just track clicks. Look for ones that break down performance by frame, so you know which card drives the most action. Some tools also let you A/B test different versions of individual cards. Creative analysis (and creative analytics) tools like Bestever help you quickly spot what’s working and where you're losing people so you can adjust faster.

Can AI help create carousel ads?

Yes, and it’s already happening. AI tools can generate ad concepts, write headlines, and even suggest visual directions based on what’s worked before. If you’re looking to speed up the process or get unstuck creatively, an AI ad generator can be a helpful starting point.

How Bestever can improve your carousel ads

Looking at carousel ad examples is a good starting point, but turning that inspiration into better performance is a little more complicated. Even well-designed carousel ads can fall short if the flow, messaging, or visuals don’t connect. That’s where a second set of eyes and the right tools can make a big difference. That’s where Bestever can help.

Bestever breaks down each card in your carousel to show what’s working and what’s not. You’ll see where users are clicking, where they’re dropping off, and how each frame holds attention. It also pulls insights from your past ad performance and surfaces real, data-backed suggestions to improve your creative before you spend more.

Here’s how:

• Analyze your ads' effectiveness: Bestever’s Ad Analysis Dashboard gives you instant feedback on an ad's visual impact, brand alignment, sales orientation, and audience engagement. It’ll even break down each element in detail. 
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• Get suggestions to improve every frame: If an ad isn’t hitting the mark, ask Bestever to tell you what’s wrong and get instant, actionable suggestions on what to do to fix it. No more guessing or wasting time — your team can start fixing those issues asap. 
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• Understand your audience: Bestever’s audience analysis tools go beyond sharing standard demographics, helping refine both targeting and messaging. You can share your website URL or integrate it with your ad manager, and it’ll quickly let you know who wants to hear more from you. 
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• Rapid asset generation: Fetch AI-generated images, stock photos, and video clips that all fit your brand voice. Then you can share the creatives with your team to make multiple ad variations faster.

• Instant feedback loop: Know immediately why an ad variant underperforms, then pivot before wasting your budget.

Ready to level up your carousel ads? Let our team show you how Bestever can break down your creative and help you improve before you scale.

Schedule a free demo of Bestever now.