Ep. 02: How to write better Instagram captions.
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In this episode, we’re gonna talk about Instagram captions.
When it comes to Instagram, I’ve got a lot to share with you. We’re going to chip away at it. I will be sharing strategies that I learned myself as a travel blogger, through trial and error. I will also be sharing tips that are backed by industry leading studies.
Today, we’ll begin with the art of the Instagram post. Specifically, how to craft a great Instagram caption.
It used to be that Instagram was all about the photos. They were also supposed to be instant, but that’s a story for another day.
It used to be that photos were everything on Instagram—that a gorgeous photo was enough to get you lots of engagement.
But in a study released by Later and FOHR in December 2019 shows that captions may have a lot more to do with a post’s performance than you think. According to the study, Instagram posts with longer captions have better engagement.
Okay, so captions it is. Because we all want better engagement right?
But wait.
What the heck are you supposed to write about? I mean, we all want better engagement, right? That’s what we’re gonna talk about today.
How to write a better caption.
Okay, number one.
1. Plan ahead.
The number one thing you can do to write a better caption is to plan ahead. Be thoughtful when you’re posting, don’t just wing it. The really good, juicy captions are written ahead of time.
There are a few different ways to do this.
Instagram has a “drafts” option, you can start creating a post and hit the back button before hitting publish, and select “Save Draft.” Even more simple, you can write in the notes section of your phone, in a word doc on your computer, or scribble your ideas in a note book. This all counts as planning ahead.
If you’re a little more tech savvy, or looking to post several times a week, an Instagram scheduling tool is key. Some of my favorite scheduling tools are Later and Planoly. Both of these tools have a free option and paid subscriptions that unlock additional features. Whichever planning tool or method you choose, stick with it: write and review your posts before you’re ready to publish.
I personally use Later—I love the preview option that allows me to see how my photos will lay out in my Instagram profile once published. I tend to get a little obsessive making sure my “grid” looks cohesive in terms of its color scheme. To give you a sense of time, I spend about two hours every weekend planning eight posts for the week. I have a larger editorial calendar that guides my content from month to month. Finally, I keep a running list of ideas that come to me at odd times—I use notes in my phone to jot down the ideas that might have potential to turn into a caption or content.
Remember, when you plan your posts in advance, they can be more thoughtful, more fluid, and they can help you tell a story from one 2” square to the next.
When you plan your content in advance, truly sit down and write a few posts at once—you’ll have fewer moments of panic—and you’ll create content that’s far more engaging for your audience.
Okay, number 2.
2. Use your own voice.
A simple thing that you can do to improve your caption is to use your own voice. Lots of people overthink this by playing the compare game. Sure, you can find inspiration from other travel bloggers, people outside of the industry, even a mentor, but when it comes to writing your own posts, write in your own unique voice.
Think about how you might speak with a close friend or family member. That’s the voice I’m talking about here. Before you hit publish, read your caption out loud and make sure you sound like yourself, not like some all knowing narrator or like some weird spin off fan fiction of your favorite Instagram account.
A rule of thumb: use contractions to sound more natural.
“We are going to Mexico. We will be staying in a beachfront hotel.”
versus
“We’re going to Mexico. We’re staying in a hotel on the beach.”
Write the way you speak.
Another good example that gets me…using too many descriptive words. It’s Instagram—it’s a small format—so be concise and don’t get too fancy.
For example, you’re sharing a sunset photo, you can write something like:
“The radiant sunset was absolutely, incredibly stunning that evening, it turned the sky magnificent colors of gold, pink and purple.”
versus
“I’d never seen a golden hour quite like this.”
As you can see, the first version uses a lot of words but really doesn’t get specific. The better option is “I’d never seen a golden hour quite like this.” Which is shorter, more descriptive, and easier to read.
Again, if you do the “read out loud” test, you’ll quickly realize when you’re using too many words. This is also a good chance to catch any typos or misspellings while you’re at it.
Next on the list—we’re focusing on readability.
3. Readability.
As you begin writing longer captions, use paragraph spacing between ideas to improve the flow of your writing. A space indicates a pause and can also add impact. It also makes the content easier to digest as a reader.
Give it a try: Write a three sentence paragraph, and read it out loud. Then break out the first sentence and the last sentence so you have three separate lines. Read the content out loud again, and notice the difference.
Adding paragraph spacing is a cinch…outside of Instagram. Since you’re planning captions ahead, this will be no problem. Open up the notes section of your phone, or your scheduling tool, and write your caption with spacing. When you copy and paste it into Instagram, your spacing should hold.
If you try to add spacing inside of Instagram, or edit your content, the spacing won’t stick when you hit publish. Of course, this is just one more reason to plan ahead.
Now if you’re loving my first three tips for writing better captions, I have something that’s going to help you take this knowledge to the next level. I’ve put together 16 Instagram caption prompts for travel bloggers. It’s perfect if you’re still wondering what sort of content to write about. I still use these prompts myself to get my creative juices flowing.
Okay, ready for that last tip?
4. The CTA
Another key to engagement is the good old CTA. That stands for call to action, and it might be the number one way to get engagement on your posts.
Calls to action tell users what you want them to do. You’ve definitely seen a call to action before. Almost every marketing piece and every piece of advertising has a call to action. At least it should. The call to action tells your reader what to do.
Online, CTAs are often found in buttons like “Book Now” or “Read More” or “Contact Us”. These are all CTAs.
Calls to action can be big asks, but they can also be pretty minor. Big asks on Instagram are things like click the link in my bio, click to buy, use my promotional code to get a percentage off, and swipe up. All of these CTAs are asking the reader to get off of the Instagram app. We all know how tough it is to get those click throughs. But if you start with smaller, softer calls to action, you’re actually warming your followers up to those bigger asks.
If you start with smaller calls to action, for example—”like if you agree or comment with your favorite <blank>,” or “tag a friend who would love this,” you are inviting engagement without asking too much. You’re not trying to sell, not just yet at least, and you’re creating an opportunity to engage with your followers and find some common ground. When followers are warm and comfortable, it’s that much easier for them to comment back. They’ll feel that much closer to you, especially if you’ve responded to their comments, so when it’s time for a big call to action, they are more likely to engage with that content, too.
If you love this episode and you’re ready to make this change on Instagram to start writing better captions, then you’ve got to grab my free download—16 Instagram caption prompts for travel bloggers. I’ve also included calls to action that coordinate with each prompt—used together, it’s a one-two punch for better engagement.
This resource is absolutely free, and it’s meant to help you take what you’ve just learned in this podcast and put it into action now.
Using the strategies I shared with you today, along with these prompts and CTAs, you’ll be writing better captions that get more engagement in no time.
Don’t forget to hashtag #HowToShare in your Instagram posts, so I can see the improvements that you’re making and cheer you on!
You can find me on Instagram @AmyDraheim.
Oh and hey, don’t forget to subscribe to the “How To Share” podcast wherever you’re listening and leave a review.
