How to write good Instagram captions? What does a good caption even mean? Instagram is a perfect place to visually amaze your audience, but your captions are the big deal when it comes to creating real connection with your followers and attracting new ones. Wandering how to make your captions more engaging? In this article, I’m going to share with you 5 tips for writing more engaging captions. Let’s go!
The Role of Instagram Caption – Why You Really Need to Write Good Instagram Captions to Engage Your Audience
Since Instagram is a highly visual and brand-driven platform, you might be thinking… Captions aren’t worth my time, it’s all about great quality images, and that’s that. Outstanding images are for sure what grabs people’s attention on Instagram first, but your well- crafted captions are what makes them stay with you longer than 5 seconds. Your captions complement your imagery and should drive your followers or potential followers to take action:
- like
- comment
- share your content
- follow your profile
- buy your product, and visit your website.
There really are many ways to use them to your advantage. If you’re overlooking this part of your Instagram Strategy you’re missing out on a great opportunity to connect with your audience and give a little boost to your engagement.
So without any further ado, here are some practical steps you can follow to skyrocket your Instagram profile engagement through the power of your own words.
Tip #1 Strike’em with The First Line
Let’s be honest. Our attention span this time and age is absolutely horrible. So many studies have shown that people now generally lose concentration after a couple of seconds. Our brains are overstimulated, hence why getting people to read the entire block of text is a very impressive achievement. Mainly for this reason your first line of the caption is so crucial. Especially that this is all that Instagram shows to people before they hit the „more” button.
Make sure that this part of your caption is the most engaging. Don’t wait with the punchline till the very end and use it as a hook to intrigue your audience. If you’re solving a problem you might start with something like: Struggling with productivity? Here are 5 simple steps to work smarter not harder.
Your audience immediately knows that this post solves their productivity problems, a few steps solution might sound appealing to them, working smarter and not harder sounds great (at least to me), you got their attention so they click on the „more” button and read the rest of the caption, where they find the complete solution.
I know nothing about productivity skills but you get the whole point, right? Let’s move onto the 2nd tip for writing more engaging captions.
Tip #2 Let It Loose
Instagram is a way more forgiving marketing environment when it comes to communication than let’s say your business website. So if you’re still looking for your brand’s voice, keep in mind that your words have the power to evoke emotions, make people relate to you more and see your authentic side. Of course, the way you communicate with your audience will vary depending on the industry you’re in, but try to show your fun side because „fun” is usually what Instagram users look for and engage with on this platform. Tip number 3, to step up your caption game…
Tip #3 The Length of Your Caption
Is it important? If your audience comes to your profile for more than your imagery. Then, yes. The length of your caption makes a difference.
It doesn’t mean you need to write an essay to create something engaging for your audience, because again us humans aren’t great at staying focused for too long anymore, but let’s be honest – it is difficult to add value to your content if your caption is made of one or two words. You have 2 200 characters to use. Use them wisely. Keep your thoughts sharp and short to encourage people to read till the end, and if you’re confident that you’re writing about something that your audience cares about – don’t be scared to write a longer caption. Just make sure it provides context to your imagery and compels people to engage with you.
Tip #4 Include CTAs For Creating More Engaging Captions
To keep this point short. They are your best friends in the game of caption writing. CTAs – in other words Calls to Action – you probably heard of them before. And there’s a reason for that. They work! CTA in your caption can help you drive more website traffic, increase sales, improve your conversion rates, and it can tell your audience what to do on your Instagram profile. Whatever the action you want your audience to take, the words you use in CTA should be powerful and instructive so they know exactly how you want them to engage.
You can use common phrases like: hit the link in bio to purchase my new online course about xyz or “hit the link in bio to watch my new YT video about xyz” or comment below if you agree with something that you just wrote in the caption. You can also ask questions like: Can you relate to this growth tactic of yours or have you used this method before? Let me know in the comment below.
Your audience will more likely engage with your content if your caption will be encouraging them to do so.
Tip #5 Use Your Own Experience
There are creators whose captions draw us into their world so much that we read them religiously, every time they post, to the last dot. And on the opposite side are the ones you swipe through without thinking.
Why would it be?
If you didn’t get hooked on the first couple of words then you most definitely won’t tap on this „more” button to find out what this person has to say. You don’t feel like it’s going to bring any value to your life so you swiftly move onto the next post. Use your own User Experience to determine what’s so catchy about the work of some of your favourite creators. Ideally, in your niche. Go to their profiles, see how they communicate and engage with their audience. Is there anything that can be learned from their copywriting skills?
Chances are, the voice that speaks to you will be the voice which will speak to your audience as well.
Add a splash of your personality to it and you’ve just got yourself a recipe for captivating captions.
This would be it for today’s caption writing tips. Thank you so much for reading I hope that you found it helpful! If you’d like to read more content regarding writing engaging captions, let me know in the comment below. I’ll be happy to add more points to this list and help you step up your Instagram content strategy game.
