✌️ Dig out the embarrassing photos. No, really

Metricooler, do you remember going to your grandparents' place, pulling out the family photo album, and spending the afternoon looking at how much everyone had changed?

Turns out the nostalgia hasn't just hit me, it's taken over social media too. A few weeks ago, we were talking about the trend bringing back the internet of 2016, and now our feeds are flooded with a format that recreates that feeling of sitting on the couch flipping through old photos, except instead of cousins Josh and Annie… it's your work team.

The idea is simple: introduce the people who make your business run day to day, your team. But not in any old way. We're going for the heartstrings here, leaning into nostalgia, so what better way to do that than with photos of everyone as kids? 

From idea to real examples

Many times, you see a trending format and no matter how long you think about it, you can't figure out how to make it work for your brand. This one couldn't be easier.

Pick the people on your team, describe what they do, and post the images on your social channels as a carousel.

→ More interactions and time spent on the post as people swipe through the whole gallery. 

→ A second chance for your brand: Instagram shows the same post again a few hours later, but leading with the second slide.

The data backs it up:

In our 2026 Social Media Study, we analyzed 39 million posts.

Use of carousels grew 126% compared to the previous year.

And the reason is clear: they work.

It's the format with the highest number of impressions and interactions, only topped by TikTok videos.

So it makes sense that brands are focusing their efforts on formats that tap into that potential.

That's why carousels are more alive than ever, just like… what soda brand Poppi is doing (posted literally on all their platforms):

Or coffee shop The Bean:

Working as a freelancer where the whole team is “me, myself, and I”? Lean into humor and join the trend anyway, and use a picture of yourself to show everything you do:

And even though this format was designed for carousels, you can also turn it into a video and share it on platforms like TikTok.

See how this dental clinic does it:

Or this dog groomer:

So what actually makes this format land?

#1 Everyone can take part, including the camera-shy ones. If you’re not really into being on screen, your 8-year-old self handles all of that for you.

More formats for people who'd rather stay off camera:

#2 It puts the spotlight on everyone at the company, including the people who rarely get public credit for what they do. This is the moment to show appreciation to Michelle, who signs off on payroll, Jane, who packs the orders, or Willy, the best barista on the team.

#3 It works for any industry. Stationery shop, accounting firm, gym, everyone had a childhood worth showing off.

This format works on any network that supports image carousels: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Threads. You create it once, and you've got content ready for multiple channels.

And if you want to squeeze even more out of it, turn it into a video 😉 (remember which format beats carousel's performance?).

To schedule everything without the headache (or the six different apps), use Metricool: pick up to 10 images, write your post, and schedule it for whatever day fits your calendar. For LinkedIn, you don't need to spend 20 minutes creating a PDF manually either; Metricool automatically creates the carousel for you.

Big news! The first video ever uploaded to YouTube is now in a museum (the Victoria and Albert Museum in London).

Though if you'd asked me, I would have put my money on "Charlie bit my finger"... because how could you not 💛

Which one would you frame?

If you’ve made it all the way to the bottom of this email, first, you're the best. Second, I’d love to hear your feedback so I can keep making these emails as valuable (and enjoyable) as possible:

😍 Loved it - 👍 Pretty good - 🤔 It was okay - 😕 I didn't like it