How to Balance Video, Carousel, and Photo in 2025

Introduction

Coming up with great topics is only half the job.
The other half is deciding how those ideas should appear on social media.
Different formats—video, carousel, single image—perform differently depending on your audience and goals.
The 40/40/20 rule is a simple, data-driven framework to create a balanced content mix that keeps followers engaged and algorithms happy in 2025.

1. What the 40/40/20 Rule Means

The rule divides your publishing output into three strategic buckets:

• 40% Audience Favorites
  Prioritize the format your audience already engages with most.
  This might be short-form video on Instagram Reels or quick carousels on LinkedIn.

• 40% Competitor Gap
  Use formats your competitors neglect.
  Posting where others are quiet lets you capture attention and new followers.

• 20% High-Effort, High-Impact
  Reserve a smaller slice for time-intensive content that can deliver outsized results—think professional video shoots, interactive livestreams, or detailed data-driven carousels.

This balance prevents overreliance on one format and ensures constant variety.

2. Identify Audience Favorites

Before planning posts, check your analytics:

• Instagram Insights—Compare reach and saves by format.

• TikTok Analytics—Review average watch time for short vs. long videos.

• LinkedIn Analytics—Track impressions and interactions across article, carousel, and video posts.

Look at the past 60–90 days to see which format consistently performs best.
That format earns the first 40% of your schedule.

3. Find the Competitor Gap

Research the top accounts in your niche:

• Scroll their feeds and note the proportion of videos, carousels, and single images.

• Use tools like BuzzSumo, Social Blade, or Not Just Analytics to verify which formats they use least.

Where competitors post less, you post more; that’s your second 40%.

4. Choose High-Impact Content for the Final 20 %

This is the place for projects that require extra effort but create a “wow” factor:

• Professionally produced brand videos or mini-documentaries

• Interactive live sessions

• Comprehensive multi-slide guides packed with data

These posts build authority and attract new audiences, even if they take longer to produce.

5. Build a Balanced Calendar

Once you know your percentages:

• If you publish ten posts per week, plan four in the top audience format, four in the competitor-gap format, and two high-impact pieces.

• Rotate topics from your content pillars to maintain variety while staying on-brand.

• Reassess every month; if audience preferences shift, adjust the ratios.

6. Measure and Evolve

At the end of each month, review:

• Engagement rate by format

• Follower growth linked to each category

• Conversions or traffic generated

Shift resources to the formats delivering the highest return.

Conclusion

The 40/40/20 rule transforms random posting into a strategic content mix.
By focusing on what your audience loves, exploring spaces competitors ignore, and investing in a small but powerful slice of premium content, you keep feeds dynamic, algorithms satisfied, and growth consistent throughout 2025.

Find more practical social media insights and strategy updates on Instagram at @stefanravram.