How to write Instagram captions

Most people like to keep them short whilst others prefer longer, more detailed text; either way, try to base your captions on one main focus and stay on that topic.

Here are our top tips that will help you write great Instagram captions:

• Always include a call to action

This means prompting your audience to engage with your content, rather than allowing them to scroll past. You could ask a question in your caption and encourage people to share their responses via the comments; you could direct them to a link in your bio, ask people to tag their friends, and so much more. The possibilities are endless.

• Create a few draft captions for each post

A great way to make sure you’re 100% happy with each Instagram caption you create is to write several drafts for each post. Come back to them a few days later—you may have different thoughts about the captions and feel the need to edit them, or you may think that one of your drafts is much more suitable than the others to use because of current events/news/developments that have arisen since you wrote them. This helps you to keep the key points you wish to include whilst also ensuring your captions are engaging, current and relevant to your audience.

• Be consistent with your brand and voice

Authenticity is the most important thing to consider when building your brand…try not to write like a generic robot that’s fishing for likes. Instead, create a voice that reflects your brand and team's personality; this will make you more relatable and people will resonate with your brand better.

• Add value to your audience

Try to avoid talking too much about yourself. Clients like to feel involved and valued by your brand; give them top tips and tricks so that they feel like they’re receiving exclusive content by simply following your account.

• Keep your captions to the point

Instagram, as a social media platform, is highly visual. You should therefore focus on your imagery and create relevant captions/content to accompany your pictures. Try to keep your message to the point. If required, direct people to a separate link to find out more and include a ‘link in bio’ call to action.

• Remember to HAVE FUN

Reflect your personality through your Instagram captions. This is a platform where you can show the friendly and humorous side of your business. Brands are often looked upon to uphold a more professional look and feel to their brand; however, ‘The Gram’ is a place where you can take a more relaxed approach and have fun.

• Hashtag it!

Hashtags enable you to categorise your content. Using hashtags is a great way to join an ongoing conversation, such as #StartUps. Your content will then be shown with other posts that include the #StartUps hashtag. You can even create your own hashtag, which you can use to gather user-generated content (UGC), and for social listening. A great way to find valuable hashtags is to look at those your competitors use; incorporate some of their hashtags into your strategy.

Let us know if you’ve found these tips useful; tweet us at @intheknowemag.