How to Write Good Instagram Captions
Make a connection š¤
One of the reasons Instagram
captions were created, was to allow users to provide more context on an image or video they post, so, it is important that your āsupporting wordsā
connect with the content you share. Not only does this make sense, but it also helps from an
SEO-perspective. Since Instagram places a large focus on categorizing content to make searching easier,
the more accurate and descriptive you are in your caption, the more likely it will appear when someone searches for something related on Instagram.
This can sometimes be easy, and sometimes challenging. For example, if part of your content strategy is to share inspirational re-grams or imagery from other artists, you might not initially think to write a caption related to the image. Try and consider this throughout your entire strategy in order to keep your page consistent. Hereās an example of a creative way to link an inspirational post with a relevant caption:
Be candid šāāļø
One of the best ways to write good Instagram captions is by treating the text a little like a diary. Sometimes it can be hard to get your personality across on the platform because the majority of the content is still either static or artistic, rather than āsitting down for a chatā. Also, as Instagram is so saturated, itās important that you stand out within your niche and give people a reason to follow you. An effective way to do this is by creating a human connection with someone by sharing something they find relateable or ādifferentā ā and communicating your thoughts, feelings, etc. in a caption can do this. Instead of posting a one-liner, you might share a story, talk about something personal or give a more descriptive paragraph of context for your image/video.
Give value š²
Besides telling a story and getting personal, you can also add value to your posts by teaching your followers something only you can share. For example, because people are so-fast paced on Instagram, they may not watch an entire video youāve posted (in fact most people donāt). A way to make sure they still get all the value you want them to is by creating an informative caption that details everything in segments. It might encourage them to continue to watch or explore some of your other content but itās a little more engaging than a simple āCTAā. Letās compare:
āI just posted a new video, check it out!ā
vs.
āIn todayās video, I will share my top hashtag tricks, including:
How to pick hashtags that match your account.
How to rank on hashtags.
How to find out which hashtags are working.ā
See what we mean? The second option tells the follower a little more, in case they wonāt watch the whole video, and itās a lot more clickable.
Write your caption on another platform like Word, Notes, or Pages, and then copy and paste them into your Instagram post. This is beneficial because it is less distracting and can keep your marketing goals and targeted audience when you draft a caption. In addition, many formatting benefits come with using a third-party tool that is not native to Instagramās UI. For instance, you can add line breaks and even add unique fonts.
If you are writing a caption for a business post, first understand the types of caption and the action it drives. Then come up with several alternative ideas for your caption. For example, a product caption should grab the readerās attention with an emotional sentence and offer a benefit in an inspirational or educational form. You can use Flick to draft up your captions first before posting online in our scheduling tool, plus Flick can help you come up with relevant hashtags which you can use as inspiration for your caption. Tell a Story š
Caption writing is more like narrating a story. Avoid being neutral and add personality to spice up your caption. Make use of sensory phrases or anecdotes to paint the picture you want. If you are posting in a series or consistent format, make sure that every Instagram caption works together with the others as a cohesive unit.
If you can, try to āteaseā the coming content in each Instagram caption without giving away any spoilers or details about the content itself. Instead, tell a relatable story to help your audience understand you beyond your product or services. Remember to share helpful tips and tricks within these stories, or even be funny where you can. This will help attract potential customers to your product or service, making them more receptive to your paid offers.
Want to learn more about Instagram captions? Take our Instagram Caption course and get a FREE 30-days of caption templates!
Consider Caption Length š
Posting a short yet tantalizing comment is a must for any successful Instagram account. Be concise with your comments, use your Instagram strategyās primary aims, and allow them to guide you before diving into Instagram caption writing. This is essential for businesses as they have to entice Instagram users to engage with your post.
However, generally speaking, itās best to keep it simple when you start writing an Instagram caption. Tell a compelling story concerning your product or brand using relatable anecdotes. Consider using an introductory sentence when writing a product caption to include an explanation or background information that has nothing to do with the post itself but is relevant enough for the audience or viewers of your post.
Instagram hashtags are crucial since they make your posts searchable as their function resembles keywords in blog articles. Therefore, a keyword-rich hashtag will help you expand your reach with the help of Flick. For example, when writing a caption for a business post, you can sprinkle some relevant hashtags about the post and associated product for better engagement with the audience to give the cation a dimension. The best hashtags include popular related ones like your brand, location, and descriptive words that are relevant to your post. Always aim for a mix of branded, product, community, and relevant trending hashtags. There are no complex rules regarding how many hashtags you should use. Just make sure you do not use too many hashtags as it might break the flow of the post itself (you can always add some of them in the comment section).
Do not include unrelated or unnecessary hashtags to fill space because this will only drive away potential customers. Adding a hashtag to your Instagram caption enables users to follow your posts through different social media platforms easily and boots your ranking. You can even link hashtags to specific Instagram posts and captions for greater accountability. Make the Most of the First Sentence āļø
Use your first sentence as a hook to entice your target audience into clicking through and scrolling down your post. If you have too much content in your caption, try to limit yourself by keeping the first sentence short and sweet. Treat the initial line of your caption as more of a headline than an actual caption, then tell your whole story as a series of captions after that.
Treat the opening copy of your Instagram text caption to how you treat marketing email subject lines. The content may not be all about the product or service itself, but it should be interesting and contain an offer you can use to promote your business.
If you are writing a follow us on Instagram caption the first sentence of your caption could be a summary of what is coming in your post. This will attract more readers because they will get a sneak peek into what they can expect from the rest of the post and feel confident and eager to click on your other post. Remember to include the phrase āfollow usā in your caption.
Including a CTA š±ļø
An Instagram caption is used to get people to take action in some way since each post should have an intention and purpose. Use the caption to lead each post to its goal and allow the aim to determine the call-to-act you should include. For example, if you want Instagram users to give more comments on your posts, you can consist of a question and encourage them to post their replies in the comment section.
The main focus of the caption is to create a sense of dialogue and conversation by boosting commitment, as engagement is the metric that Instagramās algorithm checks to serve your posts to followers. For a follow us Instagram caption, promoting engagement increases the likelihood of your posts appearing in other usersā feeds. Some of the suitable call-to-action you can utilize in your text caption are:
Leave a comment
Tag a friend
Follow me for more
Click the link in the bio
Double tap if you agree
Swipe to learn more
Save this for later
Consider the Type of Caption to Use š¤
Understanding how to write your status on Instagram requires you to learn the type of Instagram caption and how to use it. There are various Instagram caption types you can use in your status on Instagram, including short, sassy, long, funny, bio, seasonal, and selfie captions. What kind of caption to utilize depends on the product you are promoting or the purpose of your post.
For instance, consider using a short and sweet Instagram caption when you post a photo that says it all. Suppose the tone resonates with your audience, products, or the brand you are promoting, utilize a bold and sometimes sassy Instagram caption.
There are some business posts where it is okay to go with the usual bio-style caption as they do not have many followers. Below are some guidelines and considerations to write your status on Instagram to help you use the relevant caption style.
Type of business of the company
Specialty
Links to other social networks
Contact details and other data
Hobbies and favorite activities
Use Emojis and Have Fun š
Make it fun by using emojis and other fun images in your Instagram caption, such as pictures of food or animals. To add flavor to the text caption, you can use emoticons that let you convey a more personal message. Relevant emojis at the end of sentences serve as aesthetics that break up long strings.
Using Flick and including emojis or images in your caption allows you to let your imagination run free. A funny or animated caption can help promote your businessās unique selling proposition by making people laugh and share it with their friends. They are also an excellent method of driving users to take a particular action, such as following for more. However, it would be best if you do not overuse them by mixing multiple emojis in the middle of your sentences. If you are writing a caption for a business post, determine a set of relevant emojis to keep it on the brand and be consistent.
Use Analytics
You can use Flickās Content Analytics feature to understand how well your content resonates with your target audience. To do this, simply go through your top-ranking posts and analyze whatās helped them succeed on various measures, including on the captions. Do your questions highly engage with your target audience? Or is it your hot takes? Which topics are conversion starters and others that provide disappointing results?
Donāt forget the details š
Captions can be a great way to amp up your discoverability and increase your chances of getting shared. Here are some things you shouldnāt forget, and some ways to keep your captions clean and readable.
Always add tags! If you feature a specific brand in your post, make sure to tag them in the caption, so that they will see it and potentially comment or reshare.
Use line breaks. Recently, Instagram made it possible to add line breaks in their captions, facilitating longer-form writeups. If you are creating lists or writing a long caption, make it more visually appealing and less overwhelming by using line breaks.
Use hashtags. You can use these in your caption on your comments, but either way, make sure you are using them to ensure your posts have the best chance of reaching a new, audience.
Keep it visual. Make sure to include emojis in longer captions, which will also help break the text up, visually.
Always include a CTA (call to action) at the end of your captions to encourage further engagement, for example, ālink in bio,ā ācomment your thoughts below,ā āfollow for more,ā or āvisit our Instagram shop to buy!ā