You’re on a mission to find a photo on Instagram that you just saw. But suddenly, you stop scrolling. Your eyes are drawn to the writing below the picture.
It might not happen often, but when it does, you’re hooked.
This is why having great Instagram captions is key to your success on Instagram. The most captivating they are, the longer people will stay reading your content.
But how do you write captions that capture the attention of your audience?
Lucky for you, we’re covering everything you need to know about Instagram captions in this article! So stop scrolling and start reading!
Use Captions for Instagram as a Place for Microblogging
Microblogging is similar to blogging, but it is the use of shorter and more frequent posts. They are short messages that give some type of value to your audience. Whether this is about your life, your personal story, a day you just had, or tips for when you travel to Thailand, it’s still microblogging.
These captions are longer-form captions on Instagram that will stop users from scrolling. Instead, they want to read what you have to say and will more likely engage with your post.
Always Use a Call to Action
Your call to action may look different on every caption that you have, but having one is vital to the engagement of your post.
For instance, you may ask a question at the end of your caption, or you may tell your audience to do something. Here are a few CTA ideas for you:
- If you are talking about your day, you could then ask, ‘How are you feeling today?’
- Drop how you are feeling with an emoji
- Check out my latest blog post – link in bio
- Newest YouTube is up – go check it out
- Don’t forget to sign-up for my waitlist
Whether you are telling your followers to do something like signing up for a waitlist or asking them to comment on their feelings, you are creating more engagement for your Instagram. You may also get Instagram likes this way as well.
Provide Value
Value can look different to everyone, and it comes in many different forms.
For one person, providing value may look like giving tips and tricks. If you are a travel blogger, you could start your caption like this:
- 5 Tips for Visiting Bali for the First Time
- 10 Travel Hacks You Didn’t Know Existed
Just as with travel blogging, you could do the same if you were a makeup artist on Instagram:
- 3 Eyeshadow Colors You NEED to Try
- 10 Ways to Spruce Up Your Everyday Look
While that value is in the form of tips and tricks, there is something to be said about the value of a personal story. If you have something to say and think it will resonate with your audience, then say it! Here are a few instances in which case people will probably resonate:
- A Day in the Life During Vanlife
- The Worst Day I Ever Had Traveling
- Why I’ve Been Feeling Down Lately
With these captions, people want to keep reading. If they like you for you, they are going to be concerned about what’s happening or intrigued by your everyday life. To them, this is valuable.
Be Consistent
No matter what types of captions you tend to do (stories, tips, brand messaging, etc.), it’s important to stay consistent with your brand voice.
If you are constantly mixing up the way you talk or type a caption, then people who follow you may not always resonate. This can lead to less engagement and more unfollows.
So what does this mean for you?
If you write captions in a poetic way and then you suddenly write a caption that says ‘Yo,’ people may be a bit confused and lose interest.
Or maybe you’re used to telling stories about your life, and you suddenly take on the voice of someone who gives tips. This can also throw someone off.
It’s important to stay consistent!
Write a Killer First Line
The biggest thing you need to pay attention to when writing good Instagram captions is to have a killer first line. Since Instagram only usually shows the first line or two, if it doesn’t grab someone’s attention then, then it never will.
You want to make sure you give a hint into what you are going to be talking about in the caption while also keeping it interesting and attention-grabbing for your audience.
Here are a few killer first lines that you could use in any niche:
- You would never believe this…
- Guess what
- I failed today
- Best day of my life
- You’re doing this wrong
There are so many other options as well, but these ones capture the attention of anyone scrolling to make them stop in their tracks. Then, they’ll read what you have to say and engage with your post.
Instagram Captions: Hook ‘Em In
When writing Instagram captions, value is everything. You need to hook the Instagram scroller at first sight, which means your first line needs to be engaging.
Then, you need to provide a value of some sort to them. This could be in the form of storytelling, tips, and hacks for your specific niche, and then have a call to action at the end telling them to do something or comment on something.
With these tips, you’ll notice your engagement on Instagram go way up!
If you enjoyed reading about these tips, we have many more on our site! Go check them out!
