While it’s true that compelling visuals are key for Instagram, it’s also important to remember that a great caption can help your engagement to skyrocket, with more comments and likes than ever before.

With the recent updates to Instagram’s algorithm, posts are now ranked based on how likely they are to attract the audience’s attention. This means that a video or photo with many likes or comments is more likely to appear at the top of the feed.

Writing a great caption can grab your audience’s attention and help you in getting Instagram followers. We believe it’s a good idea to share some tips on what makes a fantastic caption and how you can create your own.

Step 1: Know your Audience

There are around 500 million users on Instagram, and they’re not all desperate to be your customer. That means that if you want to make the right connections, you need to understand who your prospects and customers actually are.

The best way to do this is to build up a buyer persona that you can use to inform your Instagram marketing efforts, as well as any other social media strategies you might use.

Since it’s impossible for you to know everything about every prospect when you’re getting Instagram followers, come up with a few key details about your target customers, their pain points, and their goals, and go from there.

Ask yourself:

  • How old is my audience – will they get this reference?
  • Where do they live?
  • What kind of jobs do they have?
  • Can I use netspeak or emojis here?
  • Can I add more context to this photo?
  • What do my followers enjoy?

Step 2: Blend your Voice with the Instagram Atmosphere

The more time you spend in the world of social media marketing, the more you’ll realize that different networks have different tones that work best for them. While jargon-heavy and serious copy is often better for people on LinkedIn who are looking to make professional connections, Instagram is better served by softer, more informal content.

Usually, the most appealing Instagram posts have a fun and lighthearted tone that show the human and approachable side of your brand. Just remember to be consistent with your voice wherever you use it. The more consistent you are, the more you will build your brand in a reliable and trustworthy way.

Step 3: Use Hashtags Carefully

Instagram posts that have a minimum of one hashtag generally get around 12.6 times more engagement than posts without any hashtags at all. That means that hashtags matter.

However, you should only use them when they’re relevant and valuable to your audience. Don’t use so many that they end up crowding out the rest of your caption.

If you want to use plenty of hashtags but you don’t want to clutter your posts, use a couple of methods to hide your hashtags, including:

  • Separating your hashtags from your caption by putting them underneath line breaks and periods. After you’ve written your caption, hit return, and enter a dash, period, or asterisk. Because Instagram stops captions after 3 lines, the hashtags you write will be invisible.
  • Don’t use hashtags in your captions: Instead, post them in the comment section beneath your post. As soon as other people start leaving comments, your hashtags will be hidden.

Step 4: Write Several Drafts First

The good thing about social media in comparison to real life, is you can practice your conversations before you have them. That means you have enough time to really think about the words that you’re putting out there, and decide whether or not they’re going to have a good impression on your brand.

When you’re writing your captions, rewrite, proof-read, and edit a number of times so that you can make sure that you’re saying the right things. If you’re not sure about how a particular word or sentence sounds, ask your team to read through them first.

Also, place the most important words or elements of your post towards the beginning of your caption. Captions are cut off in feeds after a few lines so convey the key point of your message immediately, and put any hashtags or mentions at the end.

Step 5: Include a Call to Action

Increase the engagement and shareability of your posts on Instagram by using call-to-actions in your captions. Use phrases and verbs that encourage people to do something for you, rather than just looking at your picture and scrolling on by.

For instance, you might ask people to share information in the comments, or double-tap if they find your picture funny or inspiring.

Alternatively, you can:

  • Ask questions: Encourage people to become a part of the conversation on Instagram by asking them a question and allowing them to respond with their own experiences. Use the information that people share on your social media pages to shape your future strategies for Instagram and come up with fresh ideas for content.
  • Link in your bio: Clickable links on Instagram aren’t permitted anywhere but in the single “website” box in your bio. This is one of the reasons why the best Instagram profiles frequently update their URL so that they can point out their latest deals or blog content. Direct people towards your clickable link in your captions. For instance, if you’re running a competition, then change the link and post a photo that mentions your latest link in the caption.
  • Invite people to tag their friends: Finally, encourage your followers to share your content for you by asking them to comment mentioning or tagging their friends. You can even make it into a competition where people share photos in a situation related to your company or brand.

Posting on Instagram

Posting on Instagram and getting Instagram followers can be a lot of fun, and a great way to upgrade your social media marketing efforts. However, as you post different types of content on Instagram, you’ll need to keep track of how different posts work to your advantage. Look at the way you’ve crafted your captions in combination with your images, and learn from what you do.