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How to write a good instagram post


How To Write Short Instagram Captions in 2023 [+Examples]

You may already post stunning photos and videos on your business’ Instagram and IGTV feeds, but if you’re not giving proper attention to your social media marketing copy, especially your Instagram captions, you could be losing out on a key opportunity. 

Instagram captions can be used to serve your business by:

  • Increasing your website traffic
  • Helping you get more Instagram followers
  • Growing your sales

    A strong visual on Instagram can make users “slow their scroll” and stay locked on your post, but a carefully thought out caption can do a lot more heavy lifting in terms of marketing and sales.

    Table of contents

    1. What makes a good Instagram caption?
    2. Instagram captions and campaign goals
    3. How to write the perfect Instagram caption
    4. 6 great instagram caption examples
    5. Instagram caption tips, tricks, and answers
    6. A final note: attracting and repelling

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    What makes a good Instagram caption?

    Compelling captions can create more engagement, which is critical when it comes to Instagram’s algorithm. Strong copy in your caption shapes your brand’s story and personality, which in turn helps your followers realize they need what you’re selling. In short: Instagram captions can help elevate your company’s social media success—and that can improve your bottom line.

    In its simplest form a good Instagram caption is one that provides context, adds personality, educates your audience, and inspires your followers to take action.

    Taylor Loren, in an edited excerpt from the course How to Make Money on Instagram

    With the recent updates to Instagram’s algorithm, your posts are more likely to be served (or “seen”) if the platform likes your Instagram engagement rates. This metric looks at whether you are receiving a lot of user comments on a post and whether you are responding to these comments. These changes mean that simply having a large number of followers no longer guarantees your posts will be seen—as counterintuitive as that may sound.

    Earlier this year, Instagram explained how its algorithm works, saying, “What shows up first in your feed is determined by what posts and accounts you engage with the most, as well as other contributing factors such as the timeliness of posts, how often you use Instagram, how many people you follow, etc.”

    What does this mean? For starters, what shows up at the top of an Instagram user’s channel is based on the user’s own activity. So, as a business, you need to entice users to engage with your post, whether that means staying on it for a few seconds, or liking, commenting on, or sharing it. (More on how captions can help achieve these actions coming up.)

    I spoke with two Instagram marketing experts to get their insights on how to write captions for Instagram posts that can help improve your sales, reach, and brand affinity.

    Meet the experts: Jason Portnoy, president of JPORT Media, a full-service digital marketing and ad agency; and Ashlyn Carter, copywriter and messaging strategist at Ashlyn Writes and founder of the website Ashlyn Writes and the accompanying Ashlyn Writes Shop, powered by Shopify.

    Instagram captions and campaign goals

    Before diving into Instagram caption writing, go back to the primary goals of your Instagram strategy and let them guide you. Common overarching goals include:

    • Running an awareness campaign to increase your visibility or to increase brand awareness in general (this can mean increasing your reach and number of followers, or driving traffic to your website for awareness purposes)
    • Promoting a sale, new product launch, or new collection launch
    • Collecting user-generated content with branded Instagram hashtags

    If you have an Instagram Business account, you can invest in sponsored posts to ensure your photos are seen by a targeted audience. When putting ad dollars behind a sponsored post (also known as a “promoted post”), it’s worth noting that there are several predetermined calls to action for you to choose from. You can also check our guide on how to get followers on Instagram to learn about 15 tactics to grow your Instagram followers.

    Supported call-to-action button options include: Contact Us, Learn More, Book Now, and Download. And thanks to Instagram’s Shop tab and product tagging functionality, Shopify merchants can enable their Instagram accounts to provide users with more about their products with a single tap, and even take users directly to their Shopify store to make a purchase, all within the Instagram app.

    If you’re running a purely organic campaign without investing dollars in Instagram ads, then there are two main goals you’ll want your call to action to achieve:

    • Driving followers and potential followers to read your caption, head to your Instagram profile, and click the link in your bio
    • Getting followers to like, comment, or share (by tagging others)

    Remember, you can’t place clickable links in organic posts, which means you have to direct users to click the link in your Instagram bio in order to visit your website or product page. Linkpop allows you to create a custom landing page where you can curate different types of content under one URL. You can also check our guide on how to get verified on Instagram as a verified account represents authenticity and builds trust.

    How to write the perfect Instagram caption

    1. Make the most of the first sentence

    After a couple lines of text, Instagram hides the rest of your caption behind a “more” link, so include important details in the beginning. Only about the first sentence will be seen in a user’s Instagram feed, so make sure it’s compelling or asks a question—and don’t put your call to action at the end.

    “Treat the initial copy of your Instagram caption like you do with marketing on any other medium: lead with the hook!” says Carter. “When I front load my captions before the line break—that ‘More’ option Instagram gives you to keep reading past the first two lines—and get to the good stuff first, I see better engagement.”

    2. Include a CTA or ask a question

    Each post should have a purpose and intention, so lead each one with its specific goal and let that goal dictate the call to action. What do you want followers to do:

    • Visit your website?
    • Shop for a specific product?
    • Share the post with friends?
    • Shop a promotion?
    • Enter a contest or giveaway?
    • Snap photos and share using a specified hashtag? (This is a great way to collect user generated content.)

    The key is to encourage engagement in order to create a sense of dialogue and conversation. This is also a way to work around Instagram’s algorithm, which looks at engagement as a metric to serve your posts to followers. Encouraging engagement also increases the likelihood your post will appear in other users’ feeds as a “recommended account” to follow.

    Here are some actions you can encourage in your caption:

    • Click the link in bio
    • Leave a comment, usually as the answer to a question
    • Tag a friend (this is a great tactic for growing your reach)
    • Post a photo using your branded hashtag

    3. Add value

    “Offer tips and tricks,” says Portnoy, “or any kind of information to help educate or inform to increase the added value of your Instagram post. ” Adding value within your Instagram captions will help the user and make the post more likely to be shared and bookmarked.

    Learn more: How to Use Instagram Stories for Your Business

    4. Write like a human (not a robot)

    Authenticity matters most. In content and captions, put your real self out there and write as you speak. You may want to be strategic and intentional, but you also want to come across natural and like a friend to the user.

    5. Draft captions on a separate platform

    You’re more likely to think strategically and distraction free if you write your captions on another platform. “I have a clearer head if I get myself off my phone when drafting Instagram captions for my business,” says Carter. “My go-to is Plann for desktop, so I can batch write a slew of captions, come back and edit them, and schedule them to post. That way, I’m not swallowed up by notifications and comparison. I’m writing with a level head and with my marketing goals in mind. ”

    Remember, when drafting, keep your campaign and engagement goals at the focal point of your Instagram caption. Try coming up with a few alternative ideas for your captions, as the first one you write won’t necessarily be your best. Let your creativity breath, and have fun with the process.

    6. Use storytelling

    Avoid being neutral—add personality and spice to your captions. “I try to add in two to three sensory words, phrases, or anecdotes that paint a picture,” Carter says. “So describe touch, taste, sound, sight, emotion, feel. Get specific. Don’t just say ‘Tex-Mex.’ Say ‘salty corn chips dunked in guacamole washed down with tart margaritas.’”

    7. Use emojis and have fun

    Sprinkle in emojis to add some extra flavor and animate your captions. Relevant emojis placed at the end of sentences or paragraphs can also serve as “bookends” and aesthetically break up long strings of copy.

    Emojis are also a great way to direct readers to take a certain action, such as clicking the link in bio. But if you use emojis, make sure they jibe with your tone of voice and branding. You don’t want to overdo it with a mixed bag of emojis, especially not in the same caption.

    If you are working on your brand voice and identity and outsourcing the Instagram caption writing to a freelancer, determine a set of emojis that make sense for keeping things consistent and on brand.

    Need some inspiration on which emojis to use for a link in bio callout or to call attention to important text within a caption? Here are some of my favorites:

    👉 👆 💥 🔗 🎯 📌 📍

    8. Consider caption length

      Like most marketing strategies, the copy in your Instagram caption is about quality over quantity. It can be short and snappy or feature longer, more in-depth text.

      According to Portnoy, there’s no right or wrong length when it comes to caption writing. “If your post adds value or is interesting, people will read it,” he says. “However, if you’re in doubt whether a post is too long, you’re better off erring on the short side. ”

      9. Use hashtags

      Instagram hashtags are a key way to make your posts searchable, so be sure you leverage them properly. They function like keywords, as they have tracking and searching capabilities.

      You may have noticed brands grouping relevant hashtags at the end of a caption or below the “More” tag to keep things looking clean. Some even add several lines of space with periods to set apart the hashtags and really tuck them away from the description space. This is acceptable, but be open to sprinkling some hashtags within the caption to give it dimension.

      So how do you know which hashtags to use? Aim for a mix of branded (a signature hashtag you create for your brand), community (used by people in the same industry as you, or used by the influencers you are attempting to attract), product, and other relevant trending hashtags.

      Inform your content marketing by taking note of the hashtags used by your competitors, your audience, influencers, and industry leaders.

      6 great Instagram caption examples

      1.

       How to use short instagram captions: The Sill

      Short and sweet Instagram captions are useful when the photo can say it all. Take this example from The Sill, a business that ships beautiful house plants straight to your door. It uses a photo that shows off how people are decorating their homes with the houseplants they order.

      What is The Sill doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • A short Instagram caption accompanying a beautiful photo encourages people to tag their friends or leave a comment
      • Credits and tags the interior artist and their rental space, further increasing reach of their post

      2. How to use long Instagram captions: Soko Glam

      Longer Instagram captions are useful to add context about the image, like with educating or storytelling to further engage readers. Take this example from Soko Glam, a store specializing in Korean beauty products. It would be easy for Soko Glam to simply post announcing its number one product in the cleanser category, but that’s not its method. Instead, it’s shared the use case of its product and how this cleanser tackles customer pain points.

      In fact, Soko Glam has prided itself on going against the grain with lengthy but informative Instagram captions—so much so that it has caught the attention of Instagram and been used as an example for other businesses.

      What is Soko Glam doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • The long caption gives detailed steps on exactly how the brand’s top product helps buyers
      • It’s integrating its product with trending topics with hashtags, ensuring it’s dialed in, relevant, and part of the conversation
      • It’s featuring a clear CTA by telling followers to use the link in bio to receive 15% off of all Soko Glam’s number one rated products

      Learn More: How to make money on Instagram

      3. How to use sassy Instagram captions: Adam J. Kurtz

      Bold and occasionally brassy Instagram captions can be used when the tone resonates with your audience, brand, and products. Adam J. Kurtz is an artist and author whose illustrative work is rooted in honesty and a little dark humor, so as you can imagine, his Instagram captions look to push boundaries. But he doesn’t infuse attitude into his Instagram captions for the sake of writing them that way—it’s consistent with his branding across all of his products, down to the slides in his public speaking.

      What is Adam J. Kurtz doing well with his Instagram caption?

      • The caption is consistent with his branding, from the copy on the photo to the caption itself
      • The sassy and funny nature of his caption encourages users to tag friends

      4. How to use funny Instagram captions: A Shop of Things

      Funny Instagram captions are useful if your product or service has humor inherently injected into it. That’s certainly the case for A Shop of Things, a store that’s filled with cute prints, funny embroideries, awesome pins, and must-have patches. Anyone living in a big city knows first-hand that the sum of their rent doesn’t always equal the quality of their apartment, so A Shop of Things uses funny captions to match its funny products related to the subject.

      What is A Shop of Things doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • It relates to a specific audience with a funny caption that encourages comments or people to tag their friends

      5. How to use seasonal Instagram captions: Letterfolk and Vaute Couture

      Writing a seasonal caption is a smart way to mix up your Instagram marketing by taking a break from the usual programming with something timely. Let’s look at a couple of examples for summer and winter Instagram captions.

      Instagram captions for summer

      Letterfolk is extremely talented at placing its products alongside photos that capture the essence of everyday life. In this example, it capitalizes on knowing that someone always has a friend who can’t wait for summer to be over so they can start enjoying the fall comforts of sweaters, pumpkin-spice lattes, and colorful trees.

      What is Letterfolk doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • The caption is short and snappy copy that allows folks to quickly tag that friend who loves fall
      • It uses its branded hashtag where customers share their own Letterfolk boards to increase post reach and encourage more comments
      Instagram captions for winter

      In this example, Vaute Couture, a worldwide clothing brand that specializes in vegan apparel and animal friendly designs, collaborates with popular vegan chef Chole Coscarelli to model a winter coat at the time of year people typically start to invest in winter apparel. It’s worth highlighting how it has aligned the brand’s mission and marketing messages with an influencer that shares the same vision and mission. This is the pinnacle of Instagram influencer marketing.

      What is Vaute Couture doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • The caption gives credit to the influencer modeling the coat, which further extends the post’s reach
      • It promotes a discount that will help drive sales
      • It features a clear call to action at the end, directing users to click the link in bio to shop

      6. How to use Instagram captions for selfies: Verameat

      If you’re a merchant like Verameat, a brand that crafts jewelry, it doesn’t always make sense to use professional photography to showcase bespoke pieces. In this case, Verameat has opted to use a selfie to show off its new Halloween-themed jewelry collection.

      What is Verameat doing well with its Instagram caption?

      • The caption copy isn’t too long and still clearly announces a Halloween collection
      • Its use of emojis is just right and on brand
      • It features a clear call to action at the end, directing users to comment and enter a contest

      Instagram caption tips, tricks, and answers

      Before you get back into caption creativity mode, consider these final pointers to help maximize your brand exposure, captivate your audience, and start achieving your campaign goals.

      How to add blank spaces in Instagram captions

      The easiest and fastest option for adding blank or “white space” in Instagram captions is by using symbols. Using spaces is particularly useful for keeping hashtags under the “More” tag. Follow these steps to add space in your Instagram caption:

      1. Write your caption in the caption area on Instagram
      2. To add a line break, tap on the Enter or Return key
      3. Add one symbol on the next line. People typically use the period (.) or hyphen (-)
      4. Tap Enter or Return again, then start typing your next paragraph
      5. To add more spaces between paragraphs in your Instagram caption, repeat these steps until you have a complete Instagram post

      How long can an Instagram caption be?

      Captions for Instagram posts can be as long as 2,200 characters and can contain up to 30 hashtags. To write engaging Instagram captions, be sure to follow our best practices. To add more insight or more hashtags, use the comment option where you can add a further 2,200 characters and up to 30 more hashtags.

      A checklist for posting the best Instagram captions

      Before finalizing your captions, consider the following questions (you may want to bookmark this and keep it handy):

      • Is your caption informative? Does it provide information or details about your product, a promotion, or your company in general?
      • Is your caption on brand? Can a user tell that it follows your company’s tone of voice and overall style?
      • Is your caption encouraging an action? Is there a clear call to action at the end of the text telling users to do something?
      • Is your caption clean? Does the caption look aesthetically pleasing or is it cluttered with text, emojis, and/or hashtags?
      • Is your caption inspiring or adding value? Will the user get something out of the post? Whether it’s new information, a chance to enter a giveaway, an opportunity to connect with other followers by commenting on the post, or a dose of inspiration, your caption should add something to the user’s life. Make an effort to be intentional with your posts and avoid posting for the sake of posting. A user will sooner unfollow your account because they feel your posts aren’t adding value than because you aren’t posting daily.

      Free Webinar: How to Grow and Monetize Your Instagram Account

      A free workshop with field-tested Instagram marketing tips. Learn how to grow your Instagram audience and monetize it with an online store.

      Reserve your seat now

      A final note: attracting and repelling

      When it comes to branding, there’s a useful principle to consider known as attracting and repelling, popularized by photographer and strategist Jasmine Star. Essentially, having your brand identity locked down will guide the words and tone you use. And since you can’t be everything to everyone, your branding likely will attract the right clients and repel the wrong ones. That said, focus on your potential customer and how to attract them. This will help keep your eyes on the prize and guide how you’re writing your Instagram captions.

      While being strategic is key, this is also an opportunity to show off your brand personality. So make sure you’re combining your brand’s unique point of view with Instagram’s more lighthearted tone. The message is the medium, after all.

      Instagram captions FAQ

      What are good Insta captions?

      Here are 6 great examples of effective Instagram captions:

      • How to use short Instagram captions: The Sill
      • How to use long Instagram captions: Soko Glam
      • How to use sassy Instagram captions: Adam J. Kurtz
      • How to use funny Instagram captions: A Shop of Things
      • How to use seasonal Instagram captions: Letterfolk and Vaute Couture
      • How to use Instagram captions for selfies: Verameat

      How do you write captions?

      • Write like a human
      • Make the most of your first line
      • Add value: educate, inspire, inform
      • Include a call to action
      • Stay true to your brand voice

      How do I get creative captions?

      • Add blank or "white space" to your captions
      • Have fun with emojis
      • Experiment with short and long captions
      • Tell a great story

      Do you need to write captions on Instagram?

      Compelling captions shapes your brand's story and personality, which in turn helps your followers realize they need what you're selling. In short: Instagram captions can help elevate your company's social media success, and that can improve your bottom line.

      9 Bookmarkable Tips for Perfecting Your Copy

      Instagram marketing is all about the visuals. The quality of your photos will be the differentiating factor when it comes to gaining Instagram followers, getting them interested in your brand and what it's about, and showing off the human side of your business.

      But the hard work doesn't end once you've taken that beautiful photo and edited it to perfection. The caption of your post is where you can give a voice to that visual content.

      A good Instagram captions explains what the photo is about, tells your followers to take action, or cracks a joke that makes your content all the more delightful and shareable.

      If you think of the caption on your Instagram posts as an afterthought, you're losing out on an opportunity to engage and delight your followers in ways you can't with just a visual. Here are some tips to help you write better Instagram captions.

      How to Write Instagram Captions

      1. Write several drafts first.
      2. Front-load the important stuff.
      3. Include a call-to-action.
      4. Limit yourself to four hashtags.
      5. Meld your brand voice with Instagram's lighthearted tone.
      6. Use emojis.
      7. Cross-promote your other social channels.
      8. When in doubt, keep it brief.
      9. Learn from awesome examples of great captions. 

      1. Write several drafts first.

      Ever thought of the perfect joke after it was a little too late to tell it? We've all had a similar feeling when we come up with the perfect Instagram caption once we've already published the post.

      The lesson? Don't rush the process. Instead, write a few ideas for captions down, sit on them for a bit, poll coworkers on which one is best, and generally take your time.

      You might be asking yourself at this point, "But aren't timeliness and chronology important on Instagram?" They can be, depending on the subject of your post. For example, professional Instagrammer Patrick Janelle says he uses Instagram as a kind of chronological journey of his activities and lifestyle. He likes to post in real time to document what he's doing at a given moment.

      But thanks to the impending Instagram feed algorithm change, the level of engagement your posts receive will soon matter more than chronology. Soon, our Instagram feeds will be ordered to show the moments Instagram thinks we'll care about the most. The visibility of your posts in your followers' feeds will depend on the number of Likes and comments a post has, your relationship with the user posting, and other factors.

      That's why it's important to take your time constructing a great caption that'll keep your followers around, delight them enough to share with their friends, and encourage them to engage with your content.

      2. Front-load the important stuff.

      The maximum character count for an Instagram caption (2,200 characters) is basically a formality. But the important thing to note is that captions cut off in users' feeds after three to four lines of text.

      That doesn't mean you should keep your captions super short so users can see 100% of it without having to click "more." Instead, frontload your captions with the important content or text calls-to-action -- and leave any hashtags, @mentions, or extraneous information for the end.

      Here's an example of an enticing, front-loaded caption from coffee-based skincare company Frank Body:

      3. Include a call-to-action.

      The best way to increase the share potential of your Instagram post and engage your followers is to have some sort of call-to-action in the captions of your photos. That means using action verbs to prompt people to do something, instead of just passively scrolling by. We found that verbs generate more shares on Twitter than nouns and adjectives -- the same can be true for Instagram.

      For example, you might say, "double-tap if you find this funny" or "share your story in the comments."

      Here are a few other action-based ideas to get you started:

      Ask a question.

      Encourage people to comment with their own experiences. You might be able to draw on these experiences to shape your Instagram strategy moving forward, or to come up with new content ideas. To increase engagement and delight your followers even more, respond to users' answers to make it like a conversation.

      H&M: "All you need for a weekend get-away. Where would you go?"

      Lorna Jane: "Be you, everyone else is taken. Today's inspo inspired by our leading lady @ljclarkson - how are you finding your BELIEVE today?"

      Direct people to a link in your bio.

      Clickable URLs aren't allowed anywhere except the single "website" box in your bio. That's why optimized Instagram profiles update that URL frequently to point to their latest blog content, YouTube videos, products, or offers -- and then refer to that link in their Instagram captions.

      For example, are you running a contest, or want to increase subscribers to your blog? Just change the link, and then post a photo that mentions the new link in its caption.

      Pro tip: Use shortened links that include UTM tracking codes so you can see how much of your traffic came from your Instagram page. (Learn how to create UTM codes to track your URLs here.)

      To change the link in your bio, go to your profile page and click "Edit Profile."

      Then, simply insert the URL of your choosing into the URL box.

      Invite people to tag their friends.

      Encourage your followers to share your post with friends by inviting them to tag their friends. Here are a few examples of fun, clever ways brands have asked followers to tag friends.

      Frooti: "It's scrabble day! Tag some friends you'd like to play with."

      H&M: "Planning for a luxe escape with your bestie? Tag your travel partner in crime!"

      HubSpot: "Coffee with coworkers make Friday mornings that much brighter. Tag your office coffee buddy - and better yet, take a break!"

      Invite people to enter a contest.

      Contests are great for increasing engagement and brand exposure on Instagram.

      Simply invite people to post their own pictures and tag them in the caption using a hashtag, like BuzzFeed Tasty does below.

      Consider including the contest's official rules in your caption for folks who are interested, and even a link in your bio.

      4. Limit yourself to four hashtags.

      On Instagram, a hashtag behaves the same way as it does on Twitter and Facebook: It ties the conversations of different users into one stream. As long as your account is public, anyone who does a search for that hashtag may find your Instagram post. (Read this blog post to learn more about how hashtags work on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.)

      Hashtags are great for connecting users who aren't otherwise connected to one another, but who are talking about -- and interested -- in the same topics, events, brands, and so on. They're also a great way to add some fun and coy humor to your posts, like FOMU did below.

      But, use hashtags sparingly. Some Instagram users include a string of searchable hashtags as a way to get more followers -- but the fact is, it looks spammy to the followers you do have. If you use a ton of hashtags, people will notice, and they will think it's lame. Limit your hashtags to three or four, tops.

      And remember, you don't have to include any at all if you don't want to. You don't need a hashtag to have an awesome Instagram caption. Here's an example of a good caption with no hashtag from Starbucks:

      Use hashtags at the end of your caption.

      Unless the hashtagged phrase fits naturally into a sentence, don't list any hashtags until the very end of the caption. That way, the part of your caption that's more appealing to humans will come first, making it more user-friendly.

      Plus, if your caption is long enough to get cut off, the hashtags that are there to connect people (as opposed to delight people) will be hidden. So the hashtags in this caption ...

      ... will be hidden from folks scrolling by in their Instagram feeds -- which is totally fine, since they're just there for search reasons.

      Pro tip: Need inspiration for a hashtag that's already popular? Instagram will suggest hashtags to you based on their popularity when you open up a new post and type out the # symbol followed by an incomplete search. Here's an example of that in action:

      5. Meld your brand voice with Instagram's lighthearted tone.

      Every social network has a different tone that works best. While serious, jargon-heavy copy may work well on LinkedIn, for example, that same copy won't work as well on Instagram. The best Instagram posts tend to have a lighthearted, fun tone, showing off the more authentic, human, and personable side of a brand.

      That's why you'll want to adapt your brand voice for Instagram's more lighthearted tone. This'll be easier for brands whose brand voices are already lighthearted and fun, like Wistia's:

      For others with a more serious brand voice, find a balance between sincerity and relatability.

      Being relatively consistent in your Instagram voice can help you build your brand on the channel. For example, think about how long you'll typically want most of your posts to be. Do you want to be a storyteller who writes a paragraph or more?

      Or do you need the space to write out instructions, or a recipe?

      Or do you favor a minimalist approach with just a few words?

      When in doubt, be punny. Cleverness tends to perform quite well on social media, especially Instagram. People love when brands crack a joke or include a play on words. JetBlue, for example, is always an excellent source of puns:

      Here's another one from Chobani:

      If you're experience caption writer's block, the Wall Street Journal's Elizabeth Holmes suggests playing a word association game or brainstorming with a friend.

      6. Use emojis.

      Emojis, the cartoon-like emoticons available to most smartphone users, can add some personality to an Instagram caption. That's why a lot of brands use them in their captions -- even the more "serious" brands.

      There are a lot of different ways to use emojis in your posts. For example, you can use them at the beginning of post to catch people's eye, like this:

      You can also use them in the middle of sentences to replace words, or at the end of a post as a sort of "punchline," like this:

      7. Cross-promote your other social channels.

      You can also use your caption to cross-promote your other social media accounts. This is a great way to let your followers know where else on social media they can find you -- so that your Instagram followers can become your Twitter followers, your Facebook fans, your Snapchat audience, and so on.

      For example, you might promote a campaign that's taking place on another channel, like Coca-Cola did here:

      Pro Tip: If you have a Snapchat account, Snapcodes are perfect for cross channel promotion on your other social media profiles. Every Snapchat user has a unique Snapcode, which is an image that looks like the Snapchat logo but with a unique pattern of dots. To follow you on Snapchat, all users will have to do to is open the Snapchat app, take a photo of your Snapcode, and tap their screen.

      Here's an example from WeWork:

      8. When in doubt, keep it brief.

      Depending on your audience, your captions might need to be longer than a few words or a sentence. For example, if you're a food company, you might post entire recipes in your captions -- and that's OK, as long as you're front-loading the caption with the most important information (like the name of the recipe) so it doesn't get cut off.

      But if you're not sure what your brand voice is yet, a good rule of thumb is to keep it brief. Some of the best Instagram captions are short punchlines, or in some way make their point quickly and let the visual content do most of the talking.

      Coca-Cola: "Goodbye, tan lines. Hello #SpringBreak. "

      WeWork: "Every day."

      BuzzFeed Tasty: "Whip it good."

      9. Learn from awesome examples of great captions. 

      If there's anything to take away from this post, it's that succinctly and cleverly adding some text to an Instagram can be tougher than it looks. That's why we've compiled a list of the best Instagram captions here. 

      How to Write a Good Instagram Caption

      So, what makes a good caption on Instagram? Let's recap:

      • Leading with the good stuff
      • A call-to-action (CTA)
      • A healthy number of hashtags
      • A lighthearted tone
      • Emojis
      • Cross-promoting other social channels
      • Brevity
      • Helpful information

      The companies cited in the steps above all have their own way of engaging their followers on Instagram, but how can you apply their approach to captions of your own?

      Let's take a look at some more Instagram captions that celebrate these important qualities and that you can apply to your business's Instagram strategy.

      Captions that lead with the good stuff

      "That's a wrap on [company event], day 1! It was a great day of good people, sessions, and keynotes..."

      "[New product] is now live! Get your free 30-day demo right now and see for yourself..."

      "We're working with [partner/company] on a new initiative to [shared goal]. Our staff can't wait to get started..."

      "We're here at [industry event]! Come say hi at [booth #] and see our CEO before he takes the stage at [panel discussion]..."

      "Congrats to our own [employee name] for winning [award]! A well-deserved honor for someone who crushed it this month..."

      Captions with CTAs

      The best [product] for this time of year. What's your favorite part of the fall? Let us know in the comments!

      We'll be closed January 1, but back with an exciting announcement after New Years ... where will you be on New Years Eve? Share your plans, below!

      [Podcast] episode 1 is now available for listening! Couldn't be happier with our guest, [name of guest]. Link in bio.

      Team synergy is crucial to a great company culture. Tag a coworker you love working with in the comments below.

      We're so excited to launch [new product], but every great [type of product] needs a great name. Submit your name suggestions and the best one wins a year of free service! Link in bio.

      Captions with one to four hashtags

      We're here at Mile 17 of the #NYCMarathon cheering on our company running club! Amazing day for 26.2. #ILoveNYC

      [Event name] attendees: Join us at the 3 PM panel to learn how #NewTrend is changing the industry. #EventHashtag

      Surprised the marketing team with donuts for hitting their #LeadGeneration goal and because they're free today! #FreeDonutDay #FridayFeeling

      Captions with a lighthearted tone

      High fives to everyone who hit their goal for the quarter! If not, get psyched to crush it this quarter. You're gonna' do great. #goals

      Recycling isn't just a requirement in our office park -- it's the right thing to do. Happy Recycling Day! #RecyclingDay

      Happy Monday! Don't dread the week, embrace it! Happy employees make for happy customers. :) #MondayMotivation

      Captions with emojis

      Spotted 👀 the [company name] logo downtown! Love seeing the community give us some love. ❤️

      Everybody contributes to the health of our planet. To be successful at [company name], we need to be respectful of 🌎. Happy #EarthDay!

      #MarchMadness has begun, and we're cheering for our state team at [name of college] tonight. Let's do it, [team mascot]! 🏀

      🏆 ALERT! 🏆 Excited to be named in the Top 20 Best Places to Work in [State] for [year]! We owe it all to our hardworking employees and loyal customers. You all rock.

      Captions that cross-promote other social channels

      At 11 AM tomorrow, we'll be live tweeting from our CEO's keynote at [industry event]. Follow along on our Twitter page! Link in bio.

      We're so sorry if you couldn't log in to your [company name] account yesterday, and want to make it right. Check in with us on Facebook Messenger and get your redeemable discount code.

      We're up and running on LinkedIn, and so are our employees! Find and connect with us now (we don't bite). Link in bio.

      Brief captions

      New year, new logo.

      We've moved! Check out our new office.

      Happy #Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for?

      #TGIF.

      Happy New Year!!

      [Your slogan or tagline].

      Captions with Helpful Information

      When you do go into detail in an Instagram caption, make sure the information you give is valuable and eye-catching to the viewer. Here's a great example where SmartBug's Instagram posted a photo and caption with a mini-article about how to avoid poor bounce rates.

       

      View this post on Instagram

       

      Wondering why your bounce rate is high?⁣ ⁣⁣ Content marketing attracts people of all stages of awareness and purchase intent. ⁣ ⁣ Those blog posts you’re publishing in order to drive more traffic to your website may be the reason. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ And that's okay because when a need presents itself that aligns with your product or service, guess who’s in a good position to be their potential solution? ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ That’s right, you. 🙌⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ If you have questions about your site's bounce rate, check out our blog. Jessica Malnik from @databoxhq answers the following questions:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1️⃣ Is bounce rate important for SEO? ⁣⁣ 2️⃣ How can I track the bounce rate for my blog posts?⁣⁣ 3️⃣ What’s a good bounce rate for blog posts?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Link in bio.

      A post shared by SmartBug Media (@smartbugmedia) on

      Embracing All of the Tips Above

      When you can, try to embrace all of the tips above for the best chances of publishing a caption that stands out to Instagram users. Here's an example of an international HubSpot parter that weaved many of the tactics noted above into an Instagram post.

       

      View this post on Instagram

       

      Want to join our pod? We’re looking for a search engine marketing specialist. If you’re the one, get in touch 🐋 #ppc #sem #digitalagency

      A post shared by alphawhale (@alphawhaleau) on

      Tracking and Refining Instagram Caption Strategies

      As you test out different types of posts on Instagram, keep track of how different post types work -- including your captions. Instagram doesn't have a whole lot to offer in terms of analytics, so you'll have to do this manually.

      Try listing each post on a spreadsheet and keeping track of its URL, the time it was posted, how many Likes and comments it got, and the types of feedback you're getting from your followers.

      Editor's Note: This blog post was originally published in October 2018, but was updated in March 2020 for comprehensiveness and freshness. 

      Topics: Instagram Marketing

      Don't forget to share this post!

      How to write posts on Instagram*

      InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. It's not just about pictures. Many users read posts whose descriptions can tell a whole story. Learned how to write correct descriptions for posts on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. and adapted an article from the Hubspot blog. Blogger Yulia Petrova helped us with this. nine0005

      The quality of your photos will always be a determining factor in promotion on Instagram. The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. Good descriptions explain the meaning of the photo, encourage subscribers to take action - it makes your content more enjoyable and accessible . nine0005

      If you are thinking about texts for posts in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. as an optional part, then you are very mistaken: you are losing the opportunity to use an important communication format. Here are some tips to help you write the best captions for posts on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation..

      1. Write some ideas for the text

      Surely it happened that the idea for a great description came up after you already published the post. What to do next time? Do not hurry. Instead, jot down a few ideas on paper or in a notepad on your phone.

      20% discount for the first two months in Amplifer using the promo code AMPLI20

      Algorithms play on Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. nine0003 an increasingly important role, so a well-written title and description are required attributes. Think about what text you would like to add so that subscribers would like to interact more with your post: like, comment, publish in their Stories, share with friends in Direct. Ultimately, how engaged your followers are will be the determining factor in 's success. See how algorithms affect content delivery in smart social media feeds.

      And to publish to Instagram* directly from your computer without the hassle, use Amplifier - it will help you create a content plan and help you make text and a picture for publication

      2. Put the most important things at the beginning

      Get to know our basic post preparation checklist for social networks - there are some more useful tips

      The maximum number of characters in Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation - 2200. But this is a formality. "Titles" in the tape are "cut off" after 3-4 lines - this is approximately 125 characters. nine0009 This doesn't mean you have to keep descriptions very short, but subscribers should see the most important in those 3-4 lines. Therefore, mentions and hashtags should be moved to the end. Take the softest part upstairs.

      Yulia Petrova advises putting the facts and the title at the beginning of the subject of the post: “Display the topic of your text in the title. Try to hook them. If the content is useful, then immediately ask to save and like this post. And facts, if it suits the subject and content. Prices, addresses, other interesting facts - all this will involve the reader in your text even more. nine0005

      3. Break the text into paragraphs

      In InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. still cannot add blank lines. But without them, some posts look very heavy and sloppy. Don't forget to use the @text4instabot bot in Telegram. They will make the text more readable and slimmer.

      Paragraphs help visually structure text and make it neat

      4. Use a call to action

      The best way to increase the reach of your post and engage your followers is with a call to action. Use active verbs to motivate people to engage with your post rather than passively scroll further. For example, you can write "Double tap if you think it's important" or "Share your story in the comments." Here are some more ideas for calls to action:

      Ask a question . Encourage people to share their experience. This will help you find ideas for new posts and adjust your promotion strategy. To increase engagement, answer the questions and comments of subscribers, mark the ones you like with likes. Yulia Petrova agrees with this: "Use rhetorical questions in the text and be sure to write the question at the end of your text, so the reader is more likely not to forget about it and leave a comment under the post. " nine0005

      Direct people to the link in their profile description . Well promoted InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. - profiles constantly update links in the account description. They indicate links to fresh content there: a new video on YouTube, a site with a new product announcement, a new blog article, and so on. And then they mention this link in posts and ask to click on it.

      Encourage followers to tag their friends . Encourage your followers to share the post with their friends by inviting them to tag their friends in the photo. Here are some examples.

      Invite people to participate in the contest. Contests are great for engaging and growing your brand on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization that is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. For example, ask people to post their photos using a specific hashtag. Think over the rules of the draw and link to them in the profile description. nine0005

      You may also find our material on sales texts for social networks useful.

      Try Amplifer to post directly to Instagram* and other social networks. 2 weeks for free with all the necessary features: content plan, analytics, post editor

      5. Use hashtags in moderation

      Hashtags in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. are needed to link user conversations into a single thread. If you have an open profile on Instagram, the product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, then everyone who subscribes to a hashtag or simply watches posts mentioning it will be able to see the post. We talked about how to use hashtags on social networks, including InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation.

      Hashtags connect people who are discussing or interested in the same topic. But use hashtags sparingly.

      Some users Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. add as many tags as possible to attract new subscribers, but the fact is that it usually looks like spam. If you use a ton of hashtags then people will think you are making poor quality content. nine0009 Limit the number of hashtags to 3-4 and remember that you can use none at all if you wish.

      View this post on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation.

      Volga? in our heart! Friends, we have released new mugs with prints of our beloved Volga, the great river. We are sure that our new enameled mugs will warm you up this winter ❄️ and become a companion of your interesting travels!. The circulation is small. You can order by writing to us in Direct! #mugdot on the map #enamelledmug

      Posted by Point on the Map (@zhiguli_views)

      If the hashtag is not organically embedded in the offer, then add it to the end of the post. Remember that InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. offers the most commonly used ones. Just start typing the name of the hashtag and the social network will display the number of mentions of it.

      6. Tailor your brand's tone of voice to

      InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation.

      Each platform has a key that works better than the others. For example, a formal and formal tone will work well on LinkedIn, but not on Instagram. The product belongs to an organization that is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. nine0003 are written in a human, authentic, fun tone that is easy to read.

      Therefore, you need to adapt the voice of your brand to the tone of InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. Of course, some brands find it easier to do this than others. Try to find a balance between sincerity and seriousness.

      View this post on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. nine0005

      Life is good? Photo by @nikkivantoorn unsplash.com/nikkivantoorn

      Shared by Unsplash (@unsplash)

      It is important to know your audience and be on the same wavelength with it. Yulia Petrova advises: “Speak clearly, in the language of the audience. If the reader sees a lot of incomprehensible words, then he is unlikely to continue reading the text.

      Connect Amplifer to manage all pages on social networks from one window: create a convenient content plan, evaluate efficiency and save time when working with social networks

      7. Use emoji sparingly

      How to use emoji on social media - Amplifer's guide

      Emoticons can help add personality to your brand. That's why even big companies use them in their publications. You can also create chains of 3 emoticons that briefly and concisely describe your message. Yulia Petrova notes that emoji tell the reader what emotions to experience when reading your text.

      View this post on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. nine0005

      The feeling when you are the ONLY unbeaten team in away games in 2018 in the top-5 European Leagues? #ForzaJuve

      Posted by Juventus Football Club (@juventus)

      8. If in doubt, keep the description short

      If you haven't yet developed your brand voice on Instagram. The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. nine0005

      Remember:

      1. Good content is the basis of promotion in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation.
      2. A call to action in the description is a good way to motivate subscribers to interact more with your post.
      3. Use no more than 3-4 hashtags. If the tag doesn't fit organically into the offer, add them at the end. nine0176
      4. on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. works well for a light, natural tone. Adapt the tone of your brand to InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation..
      5. Use emoji in moderation - they will help subscribers better understand how to feel emotions from the publication.
      6. If you can't compose a long post, use a short description - it's a win-win strategy. nine0176
      Post to Instagram* from your computer

      Add photos, videos and hashtags, schedule posts to your feed.

      How to write a post on Instagram - instructions and examples - Mysina.ru

      Imagine you wrote a post on Instagram and get admiring comments from readers: “Wow! How interesting!”, “Author, write more!”. Tempting, right? Here is a step-by-step instruction that will help you plunge into the writing world.

      From this article you will learn:

      How to write interesting posts on Instagram. Walkthrough

      I once asked readers what kind of post they enjoyed reading. Blog subscribers answered the question as follows:

      • “In which there are many examples”
      • “Easy to read”
      • “Informative, with logical transitions”

      I agree with everyone and from myself I will add:

      Ideal fasting goal

      Therefore, if you want to learn how to write interesting posts on Instagram, then follow five simple steps. nine0005

      Decide on the type of post

      At the first stage, it is important to decide what you want to achieve from subscribers and why write this post? Choose what text you are going to write:

      1. Informational - posts that do not sell anything. Here you share useful information with readers, show your expertise and your advantages. Informative posts build bridges of trust between you and your readers. These types of posts include, for example, an acquaintance post. nine0176
      2. Selling is the most difficult post type for Instagrammers. Selling posts help sell your service, talk about the benefits and benefits.
      3. Entertaining - dilute your content with entertaining posts so that subscribers do not get bored. Such publications show that nothing human is alien to you, you can laugh and amuse others.
      4. Involving - such posts are needed to engage readers in a dialogue. Remember, Instagram boosts the reach of popular content, so post engaging posts. For ways to engage your audience, see the article “How to get subscribers to talk”. nine0176

      If you want to show your expertise, write an informational post. Can be combined with engagement, then add a question or vote at the end.

      See also: How to Instagram .

      Make a plan of the text

      The plan is especially helpful when you cannot distinguish the main ideas in the text. Seriously, don't sit down to post until you have a plan, first sketch out the main ideas and put them in order. nine0005

      What makes a good plan:

      • reflects the sequence of the presentation of thought,
      • reveals the content of the text,
      • focuses attention.

      The plan will not let you go into the jungle of reasoning and write too much.

      Prepare an interesting texture

      The texture makes posts exciting so that the reader does not leave after the first sentences. The invoice can be life stories, research, quotes, humor, life hacks. I collect the invoice in notes on my phone, climb there when I need to add a story to the post. nine0005

      Universal topics for writing posts:

      • lists,
      • collections,
      • instructions,
      • case studies,
      • testimonials,
      • life hack questions,
      • 6 readers.

      This is only a small part of what can be written. See the rest of the 64 topics for posts, among which you will definitely choose something for yourself.

      Let's move on to the next step.

      Learn to write in the flow

      At the fourth stage we write everything that comes to mind on the topic of the publication. We do not edit or criticize, the task is to unload all thoughts on paper.

      When you write in a flow, metaphors, comparisons and creative thoughts are suddenly born. As soon as you turn on the inner critic, the whole flow is blown away.

      Edit the post, add spaces and paragraphs

      This is where the editor comes into play. Read everything you wrote, compare the text with the plan. Go to rest.

      Go back and read aloud, paying attention to the points that the tongue stumbles over, which are difficult to pronounce or understand. Rewrite, simplify, delete. nine0005

      Oh yes, the beginning of the post can be deleted . Usually, at the beginning we only sign and the first sentences are not catchy. Don't take my word for it, try deleting the first paragraph in your post.

      Well, how are you? Got better?

      Check spelling and punctuation, complete the text.

      I tell you how to write a post on Instagram with paragraphs. We have two options: Telegram bot and invisible symbol.

      @text4instabot is a Telegram bot that puts spaces in a post. Load the text into a special window and voila, you get a beautifully designed post for Instagram. Personally, I don't use this option because I don't want to depend on a third party bot.

      It is much more convenient for me to insert an invisible character, here it is - [⠀].

      Copy the empty space in square brackets into your notes. When the post is written, just insert this character in place with the paragraphs.

      Praise yourself, you wrote a post for Instagram

      Reinforce the skill and thank yourself for your work. You are great, every time your posts for Instagram will turn out better.

      Guys, each type of post has its own nuances, this instruction is general.

      Learn more