BlitzReels Carousels (Instagram)
This skill is a convenience wrapper around blitzreels-carousels with Instagram defaults:
platform: "instagram"- Recommended aspect ratio:
4:5(feed portrait) - Safe area preset:
instagram_4_5
Use it when the user explicitly wants an Instagram feed carousel.
Instagram Platform-Specific Guidelines
Danger Zones (Absolute Pixels)
For 4:5 Portrait (1080x1350):
- Bottom: Avoid bottom 420px (username, caption preview, like/comment/share buttons)
- Edges: Keep text 80px from all edges (safe margins)
For 1:1 Square (1080x1080):
- Bottom: Avoid bottom 380px (captions, profile link)
- Edges: 80px margins on all sides
Safe Text Positioning
Normalized Coordinates (0-1 scale):
- Top-center safe:
position_x: 0.5, position_y: 0.15(titles, hooks) - Middle-center safe:
position_x: 0.5, position_y: 0.45(body text) - Bottom safe (max):
position_x: 0.5, position_y: 0.6(before caption zone)
Best Practices:
- Always center text (
position_x: 0.5) — Instagram's feed is symmetrical - Use consistent vertical positioning across all slides (e.g., always
position_y: 0.18) - Leave generous bottom margin (users expect captions below image)
Caption & Hashtag Strategy
Captions:
- First 125 characters visible without "more" tap
- Front-load value: "Swipe to learn..." or "Save this for later..."
- Use line breaks for readability (blank lines between sections)
- Call-to-action on last line: "📌 Save this post" or "👉 Follow for more"
Hashtags:
- Max 10-15 hashtags (30 max, but less is more)
- Mix sizes: 3 broad (500K+ posts) + 5 medium (50K-500K) + 2 niche (5K-50K)
- Place in first comment OR at end of caption after line breaks
- Example:
#digitalmarketing #marketingtips #contentcreator #socialmediatips #instagramgrowth
Visual Consistency Patterns
Color Palette:
- Cohesive feed aesthetic (e.g., all slides use same color scheme)
- Instagram users prefer clean, polished visuals (less chaotic than TikTok)
- Popular styles: minimalist white, pastel gradients, bold brand colors
Typography:
- Clean sans-serif fonts (Inter, Poppins, Manrope)
- 64-72px for titles, 48-56px for body
- Always enable text stroke for legibility (6px black/white)
Slide Timing:
- 3-4 seconds per slide (Instagram's default auto-advance)
- Keep total carousel under 20 seconds (5 slides max recommended)
Slide Count Sweet Spot:
- 3-5 slides: Optimal for engagement
- 10 slides: Max allowed, but engagement drops after slide 5
Quickstart
export BLITZREELS_API_KEY="br_live_xxxxx"
bash scripts/instagram.sh \
--aspect 4:5 \
--name "My Instagram Carousel" \
--images "https://.../1.jpg|https://.../2.jpg"Full Workflow Example
Goal: Create a 5-slide Instagram feed carousel explaining "How to Start a Podcast."
Step 1: Prepare slide backgrounds
- Slide 1: Gradient background (purple → pink) with podcast microphone icon
- Slides 2-4: White backgrounds with colored accent bars (consistent branding)
- Slide 5: Dark background with CTA
Step 2: Run script
bash scripts/instagram.sh \
--aspect 4:5 \
--name "How to Start a Podcast" \
--slide-duration 3 \
--images "url1|url2|url3|url4|url5" \
--titles "How to Start a Podcast\n(5 Simple Steps)|Step 1: Choose Your Niche\nPick a topic you know well|Step 2: Get Equipment\nMic + headphones = $200|Step 3: Record & Edit\nUse Audacity (free)|Step 4: Publish\nAnchor, Spotify, Apple|📌 Save this guide!\nFollow @YourBrand for more"Step 3: Verify layout
bash scripts/blitzreels.sh GET "/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/context?mode=timeline"Step 4: Export slideshow
export BLITZREELS_ALLOW_EXPENSIVE=1
bash scripts/blitzreels.sh POST "/projects/${PROJECT_ID}/export" '{"resolution":"1080p","format":"mp4"}'Step 5: Upload to Instagram
- Upload as carousel post (not Reel)
- Caption: "Starting a podcast is easier than you think. Swipe to see the 5 steps I used to launch mine →"
- Hashtags (first comment):
#podcasttips #startapodcast #podcasting #contentcreator #podcaster - Tag location if relevant (boosts reach)
- Post at peak times (11 AM - 1 PM, 7-9 PM user's timezone)