We’re all a little confused when it comes to Instagram, myself easily included. Between algorithm changes and shifts in what’s popular, it seems like only people who dedicate their lives to IG can keep up.
We pretty much all know that engagement is the name of the game on IG right now. (Well, so is IGTV and IG Stories.) That being said, the better your Instagram post captions are, the more likely your engagement efforts will pay off. If you’re writing great captions, people will be more likely to reciprocate that engagement and follow you.
Soooo, how do you write better Instagram captions? To be honest, it doesn’t have to be super difficult – there’s hardly a code to crack here. In fact, improving your captions is pretty much algorithm-proof.
The difference between a bad caption and a good caption is that well-written Instagram captions will do one of the following things:
- Create a deeper connection between you and your existing audience (Thus improving your “know, like, and trust factor” – super important!)
- Act as an effective/ interesting introduction to new followers who fit your ideal client/customer avatar
- Encourage your followers to take an action that benefits your brand or business (Joining your email list, subscribing to you on YouTube, or checking out a product on your website, for example.)
Here’s how you make that happen with every Instagram post caption you write.
1.) Show a behind the scenes look into your processes, daily life, or workflow
People love to see what’s going on behind the curtains. Whether you’re a blogger, a service-based business owner, or a product-based business owner (online or brick and mortar), your followers will enjoy getting a glimpse of what it’s like behind the scenes.
One of the best parts of Instagram is being able to create a more personal connection with your customers without one-on-one conversations. Make use of it!
Behind the scenes posts tend to get more comments and likes then your typical business-related post because authenticity and transparency are both highly valued on this platform.
Be detailed in your caption – here are a few ideas of what to talk about:
- A recent win you had (for yourself or a client)
- Something you’ve been struggling with, but pushed through
- A quick tutorial of how to make or do something related to your business
This post shows a quick and simple behind the scenes idea: Show off your workspace! Your followers will love this.
2.) Add a CTA (Call to action) in your caption
This is crazy important. Every single caption should have a CTA of some sort. Whether or not you’re asking for sales, likes, comments, opinions, follows, shares, or whatever it is. People are a lot more likely to do something if you ask them to do it! Make it easy for them.
It’s important to note here that your call to action doesn’t have to be something huge. Just a small ask, like one of these:
- “Save this post if you found it helpful!”
- “Comment below with your favorite coffee flavor.”
- “Check out my IG stories for a quick tutorial on this!”
Even small CTAs like this will get your followers engaging with your posts. Balance these smaller asks with larger CTAs that will help you move the needle more and convert some of your IG following.
- Click on the link in my bio to sign up for my workshop waitlist!
- Check out the link in my bio for more information.
- DM me if you’re interested in booking a call with me – only two spots left for Q4!
Here’s an example of a post with a great CTA at the end:
Big or small, make sure each post has a CTA of some sort so that you know that your social media efforts will always be moving the needle in your business.
3.) Be SUPER helpful
One of the best ways to write better Instagram captions is to make sure they stand out as incredibly helpful to your target audience. Post microblogs and mini-tutorials that go into depth regarding issues that frequently occur for your target audience.
If you solve people’s problems and give them quick wins through an Instagram caption, they WILL be impressed. And they will definitely want to follow you and listen to whatever else you have to say. The more value you give, the more people will be willing to listen to you.
They’ll stop their scroll when they see your posts because they know that you’re probably about to drop some major tips/facts in their feed.
Think about the Instagram posts that capture your attention. What type of posts would you normally save or comment on? What posts make you interested in the account posting them? Probably posts that teach you something or help you with something in some way.
Be helpful! Give value. Here’s a post by @thesocialstrawberry all about how to get your ideal clients to engage with your account:
4.) Reintroduce yourself and invite conversation!
As often as every week or two, reintroduce yourself to your followers! This might sound silly, but most of your followers won’t see your posts and chances are, they didn’t see the last “about you” post.
Doing this opens up new topics of conversation aside from your business’s offerings. It creates a little connection with new followers and helps you establish your individuality + communicate how and why you stand out. It also provides a way for current followers to get to know more about you!
Introducing yourself might sound weird to you, but it will open so many doors for you in terms of networking, follower growth, and engagement on Instagram. Here’s an example:
Those are four caption types that will help vastly improve the ROI of your Instagram efforts! To get any type of result from Instagram, you need to be posting intentionally, and this is how you do it. Hope you found this helpful and thanks for reading!
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