Why are captions important?

Because if you get enough engagement, you could end up on the Explore Page. And what does that mean for you? More reach! More engagement! More followers! More of everything you want. And that’s what we’re all here for. 

However, one of the biggest (and best!) reasons to make sure you have a great caption is to connect and grow a stronger online community. While, yes, engagement is incredible. It’s an even better feeling when you can build a strong rapport with your audience and build trust with them.

From there, when and if you decide to sell or promote something, there is a higher chance of them actually engaging with it because they trust you. They respect you. They want the thing that you like!

So moral of the story: Captions are important. Don’t discount them. Use them well because they could be just the thing that takes your content strategy to the next level.

What is the anatomy of a good Instagram caption?

Before we get into how to create a good caption, it’s important to understand the ingredients it takes to make a good caption—because there are a few! When it comes to writing a caption, think of it as making a really delicious sandwich (okay, I’m really hungry here so bear with me). You need the base, the meat, the various toppings (for some spice!), and the final slice of bread to pull it all together.

Now, how does that make sense when it comes to a caption?

With a caption, you’ve got:

• The base: A great opening line

• The meat: Descriptive caption and on-brand voice

• The toppings: Emojis + hashtags

• The final slice of bread: Call-to-action

The 30 Days of FREE Instagram captions we've created for you at the end of this course incorporate all the elements of the Instagram anatomy.

What makes a good Instagram caption?

The most basic understanding of a good Instagram caption is that it provides context to the post, shows off the personality of you, the brand, or business, and makes your followers engage in some way. 

Show off your personality!

What makes Frank Body’s captions so good? Because you immediately know the personality of the brand. They’re cheeky. They’re funny. They use puns. It’s engaging. They know who their audience is and what will make them want to click the like button or share their post. 

Be real and personal!

The reason Glennon Doyle’s posts always do so well is that she makes sure to keep every caption honest, personal, and inspirational. Like Frank Body, she knows her audience and why they follow her. They want the rawness. The realness. And she makes sure to keep each post as real as she can get.

Make your captions human

Social media is the number one way that people connect to others, as we all know. And the best way to connect with others on any platform is by being as authentic and human as possible.

Whether you’re a brand, small business, or Content Creator, you have to remember that people are seeing your posts alongside their friends’ and family’s content. Being approachable, real, and as if you could be their friend is going to resonate way more with people than being a robot online (I mean, even the robots seem real—Lil Miquela, anyone?). 

How do you humanize your Instagram Captions?

• Be natural! Talk how you’d talk to a friend. If you’re not using business-style jargon with a friend, why in the world would you use it in an Instagram caption?

• Your approach depends on who your audience is. If your brand is sassy, be sassy! If you’re more educational, make sure you’re using educational language. Whatever your brand and voice are, make sure that it’s something approachable for your audience that’ll resonate with them and feel as if they are following a friend online.

• Bring your audience into the caption. Don’t act like there isn’t someone on the other side of the screen you’re trying to connect with—talk to them! Ask them questions. Engage with them. But make sure you’re always keeping them in mind and using words like “you” to bring them into your world. They’ll feel more connected to you and your Insta.

Your first assignment ✨

So now you understand the different elements that make up a great caption, it’s time for a little bit of homework! 

Homework: Go through your Instagram and find people in a similar niche as you that you think have good captions. Get out a piece of paper (or your notes on your computer—I'm old school!) and make a list:

1. What makes them good?
2. What do you think they could improve upon?
3. Do you notice a certain pattern they have when writing the captions?

See which areas of our Instagram caption anatomy you're utilizing. All? None?

1. Write down your caption on a piece of paper or on your computer. Highlight each of the sections with different colors. If you don't have five colors on your caption, you're not using the full anatomy of the caption. Take a step back and figure out how you can incorporate all five components of the anatomy and rewrite your caption.

Now, pick 5 accounts to follow in your niche that you think have good captions and/or are doing well on social media currently. Start paying attention to their captions and how they get people to engage.