Keeping your Instagram looking fresh and interesting is not easy, especially when you're posting every day. But it's even more difficult when there are no captions to go with the pictures! Sometimes all it takes is a few witty words to make your followers laugh or think about something in a new way.
We've collected our top 7 tips for writing click-worthy Instagram captions.
Tease Your Audience
First off, a good rule of thumb is to think about the caption as a teaser for a longer story or blog post.
For example: If you were going to write a blog post called "How To Make The Perfect French Toast", your Instagram caption could be something like...
"There is nothing more delicious than a perfectly cooked slice of French toast. (Swipe now to see the recipe I use). "
Now your followers will want to go and read the blog post you've written, as your Instagram caption has already piqued their interest!
Add A Little Humor
Humor can make people feel good about themselves and each other. And Instagram is all about positive vibes!
So, if you can sprinkle in some humor or make your followers smile with your words, they will enjoy following along with your feed.
For example: Instead of "Sunset stroll.", you could write "Sunset stroll...because running is for chumps."
Create A Story With Your Caption
One of the most popular types of Instagram captions is the "story" caption.
In this case, you can take a very simple photo or video and write a few sentences that elaborate on the story behind it.
Use images from your own personal life, as well as inspirational quotes to bring your feed together.
Instead of writing "Brunch with friends.", you could write:
"Catching up on life with my girls. Good food, great company, and all the avocado toast I can eat."
The more humorous your story, the better! It all depends on your style and how you want to come across!
Even better, if you wanted to create a sequence of posts over several days for a trip youve just been on - there are services like
Inflact (used to be called Ingramer) which allow you to easily schedule posts to be published whenever you want automatically.
Add A Caption To The Perfect Pic
The way the photo is taken can change everything. Sometimes, it's what you don't say that counts.
For example: If someone took an Instagram of their outdoor workout in the mud, the caption could go from "15 minutes in the mud. #Strong #FitnessGoals" to "Even when I'm not feeling motivated, I get out there."
So instead of telling your followers about something you did or just describing what's happening in the photo, try making it about how you feel. Don't be afraid to get vulnerable.
ArXe Ventures found their clients more than doubled engagement by creating relatable captions which ask questions of their followers.
Don't Be Self-Promotional
When writing a caption, you always want to keep your own brand in mind. As a general rule of thumb, your first sentence should not end with a mention of your company name or product.
People aren't following you because they want to hear about what's going on at your business, they are following you because they like YOU and what you have to say.
And if all of your captions end with links or hashtags about your latest product, they will start to tune you out.
Instead of writing "Our new leather backpacks are coming in soon! Check them out now.", you could write "Our new leather backpacks are coming in soon! I've heard they're amazing. (Swipe to check them out with me!)"
Or even better... "Can't wait for our new leather backpacks to come in! Maybe I'll wear it with this outfit...what do you think?"
Connect With Your Audience
If you want to build a relationship with your followers, the best way is just to be yourself.
People want to know that you're a real person behind your feed and captions are the perfect time to show them!
Instead of "All our new designs have arrived!", you could write: "There are so many new designs today... I don't know where to start! (Swipe to see them all!)"
Or even better... "Cannot get over our latest collection by x, y, z. Love it! (Swipe)"
Use a Call To Action
If you want your followers to do something in response to your Instagram, include a call to action with your post.
You can ask them questions, tell them their opinions matter and that they should comment below if they have anything to say.
Or better yet, give them a link where they can buy the product you're advertising!
Lets say you provide a link to a new cute skirt, available in 10 different colors, at your shop. Instead of simply announcing, Check out these cool new skirts for fall in 10 different colors!", you could write "Okay, I need some help, friends. Which one is your favorite color? (Swipe) Let me know below!"
Conclusion
You do not have to be a professional writer or even have a lot of time in order to create amazing captions. As long as you are being yourself, remember the tips listed here and try to always keep your followers in mind, you can't go wrong!
How do you come up with your Instagram captions? Did we miss anything? Let us know below in the comments.