A picture is worth a thousand words, but you’ll need a few more to make it on Instagram. Instagram captions can engage your audience, help expand its reach, and give more context to your photo. If your Instagram is dedicated to photography, how can you write a genuinely impactful caption? This article will help you brainstorm ideas on how to make a fantastic caption. Also, learn how you can boost your profile by buying Instagram mentions.
#1. The First Line Matters
When writing a caption, the first line is the most vital. After all, most of your caption will be hidden, with users having to tap “more” to read its entirety. People will keep scrolling if the first line does not get the audience’s attention. Think of an attention-grabber. For example, if your photograph has an interesting story behind it, tease that.
#2. Break it Up
Writing a wall of text will make your readers scroll to the bottom without reading everything you have to say. Or, they may just move on to the next post. If your caption is longer, use paragraph breaks to make the writing much more digestible.
#3. Brainstorm a Few Drafts
Some people do not give their captions too much thought, as they feel like they’re just a caption. While you don’t need beta readers and editors for your caption, you should create a first draft and consider how to tweak it. The last thing you want is to write a caption and then realize you could have added something clever or missed your CTA. While you can edit your caption, it’s not good form and can hurt you in the algorithm.
#4. Don’t Go Overboard on the Hashtags
Hashtags are vital to getting discovered, but some people overload their captions with them. When this happens, your message may get lost in the caption. Not only that, but you may be penalized by the algorithm if you use too many. To avoid this, you should never go too overboard with them. Use up to four, and make them count. Have a couple dedicated to your niche, a few broader hashtags, and add any trending hashtags, if applicable.
Also, put your hashtags at the end of your caption, never the beginning. People may believe there’s nothing more to your caption if they only see the tags.
#5. Tell a Story
People love a good story behind a photo. If your picture has one, tell it in the caption. You can always spice it up with your voice, making the story seem even more exciting than it was. With that said, brevity is the soul of wit. Your story shouldn’t be one where people must pull out bookmarks while reading in the middle because it’s too long.
#6. Develop Your Voice
Developing a voice is always important when you’re writing a caption. You want to have your own writing style and quirks to stand out among other captioners. You may have one already, and it captivates your audience. But if your writing feels dull, you should find your voice and be consistent with it.
#7. Have an Obvious CTA
Your photo should have a call-to-action (CTA), if applicable. For example, if you’re a photographer, you may be accepting new clients. Your CTA may give people an incentive to book a shoot with you. It can also tell people where to go if they want to order prints. You may remind your audience that there’s a link in your bio or to read the first comment. Some people will pin a comment in the comments that give the CTA.
#8. Evolve Your Captions
Your captions will always be a work in progress. A particular style may work well in one instance but not the other. You may trim out your caption length or expand on it. The point is that your captions, along with your Instagram marketing strategy, should constantly be evolving. This way, you can be ahead of the competition.
#9. Final Thoughts
You can use several tips to beef up your Instagram captions. With that said, there is no shortcut to success. You must find your voice, refine your captions, and post great photographs.