Last Updated 2 years by Emily Standley-Allard
Let’s think about Instagram. The first thing to pop our minds is the heavily visual aspect of the platform that includes images, videos, and infographics that catch the users’ attention. With so much visual content being shared around, it can be hard for any brand or business to stand out. This is why it’s crucial to write captivating Instagram captions to compel your audience to click through to your service or product.
Instagram captions are supposed to strengthen your visuals, add context to them, and ensure the audience has a proper reaction. They need to be designed to grab the audience’s attention and keep them focused on your post instead of scrolling away. That’s why you need to master the skill of writing brilliant Instagram captions.
This article breaks down the 7 essential tips for writing captivating Instagram captions to attract your audience.
. Show Brand Personality
This first step is a must and something you can never step away from.
Your captions need to be uniformed in terms of brand personality. This will make it easier for the audience to build an image of you and grow to like it.
Always apply the same:
- tone and voice
- writing style
- type of language
A professional writer from Gonerdify.com might help you polish your writing style in the beginning. You need to be recognized as consistent and authentic if you want your followers to believe what you’re writing.
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Kick it Off Strongly
Your followers are scrolling down their news feed, looking for something to make them stop. If your visuals get them to pause for a millisecond, your caption needs to seal the deal.
This is why the opening line of your caption needs to be powerful.
You can try different versions:
- addressing the audience e.g. Hey, coffee lovers!
- calling for attention e.g. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
- being humorous e.g. Monday already?!
- summarizing the post purpose e.g. Weekend Giveaway!
Experiment with caption opening lines to see what your audience likes the most.
Be creative, direct, and unique.
Use the Question Form
Questions are great for shaking up your followers and having them engage with your Instagram post. If you ask the right question, you can easily trigger communication between you and your followers.
These questions can be direct or rhetorical but need to hit the right buttons with the audience. If you know them well enough, you’ll know how to include their interests, pain points, needs, or dilemmas in those questions.
Here are some examples:
- So, what’s your favorite…?
- Would you share this with someone?
- How do you start your day?
- Iced Coffee or Macchiato?
- Which one would you choose?
- Have you ever been to the Maldives?
Interesting questions combined with the post visuals can be a truly winning combination.
source: Instagram
Try One-Word Captions
You don’t have to write an essay to make your captions stand out. If your visuals are strong enough, a one-word caption might be what you need.
The simplicity of it will reinforce the message of the visual, improve your post quality, and make it easy for the audience to understand your post’s purpose.
Here are some great one-word captions:
- Jealous?
- Flawless
- Moments
- Vibes
- FriYaY
- Yes
- Yummy
- Wild
- Perfect
- Everything
- LOL
Match the visual with a one-word caption to diversify your account and get your audience’s attention.
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Include CTAs
A call-to-action is the cherry on top of your Instagram caption and the most powerful part of the whole story. Here’s what it does:
- invites your audience to perform an action
- urges them to hurry up
- locks this idea in their minds
- helps you end the caption on a strong note
- helps you grow more followers
Your CTAs should be short, clear, and imperative. If you add some urgency and FOMO phrases to the mixture, you’ve got a winning combination:
- Grab your pair today!
- Book by midnight!
- Tag a friend you’d take along!
- Tell us in the comments below!
- Hurry up, grab your discount!
- Click the link in bio!
Always include a CTA that tells the audience exactly what to do and how.
source: Instagram
Mix it Up With Emojis
Who says that captions can’t be visually rich as well? Emojis are great for adding some fun to a longer caption or simply breaking it down to make it more readable.
You can use emoji as a substitute for a word or a cute addition to your caption story.
Just don’t stuff your caption with emojis since it can make it confusing and difficult to read.
Hashtags are perfect for Instagram captions and can boost your posts in multiple ways. You can add up to 30 hashtags per caption, but there’s no need to do this.
One wisely selected hashtag is more powerful than a bunch of weak ones.
You could:
- come up with a unique brand hashtag
- use existing, popular ones
From #momlife to #outfitoftheday, you should try and find the hashtag that best reflects the nature of your post and inspires your audience to share it with a friend, like it, or leave a comment.
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Final Thoughts
Writing Instagram captions is all about staying true to your brand and listening to your audience’s reactions. You want your captions to be simple and easy to digest, while also carrying a clear message- whether it’s fun, entertaining, or informative.
Use the 7 tips we’ve listed above to write truly captivating Instagram captions and make your Instagram account stand out from your competitors.
Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a copywriter and blogger at Writeload with a background in marketing and sales. She enjoys sharing her experience with like-minded professionals who aim to provide customers with high-quality services.
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