Are you in a caption rut?
Well…don’t worry. It happens to the best of us.
After all, working in social media marketing, our creative brain is firing constantly. So, it’s completely normal that we get into what I like to call “the caption rut”.
What I mean by this is when you are staring at your scheduler not knowing what to write or even being able to produce one single good caption. What can you do when “the caption rut” hits you straight in the face?
Here are some solid tips on how to write great captions. Refer back to this blog post next time you’re drawing a blank!
So first let’s ask ourselves, what exactly makes a good caption?
Of course, you want it to be engaging, draw your attention, and possibly even prompt followers to complete your CTA. Essentially, conveys a message and evokes some sort of reaction/emotion.
BUT!
Remember, caption writing takes practice! Not every caption is going to be a killer caption, especially at the beginning. With these next tips, you should at least get pretty close every single time.
1. Align your captions with your goals
Every post should have a purpose. Even a filler post has a purpose. It’s there to fill in for content. Once you start looking at each post you are creating with this mindset, it can definitely help spark inspiration for different captions.
Do you want someone to head to the link in your bio?
Do you want people to comment on an answer to a question?
Do you want to create a conversation?
Once you’ve identified the goal for your post, you should have more clarity and the caption should be easier to write.
2. Hook them in
See what I did there? The truth is that a lot of the time it’s all in the hook. Followers should be able to read the first line of your caption and immediately want to know more. That’s how you know you have a strong hook. This is especially useful because on certain platforms, sometimes the caption can be condensed and you really are relying on that first sentence or first couple of words.
There are many ways you can lure a reader in. You can use shocking information, something clever or witty, or if you are a service-based business - use a deal. No matter what direction you plan to take the caption, make sure your hook is strong!
3. CTAs
We will keep this one short. CTAs or call-to-actions are a MUST. Try to end off every single caption with a clear CTA. This encourages readers to complete another action.
Examples: leave an emoji, tell us your opinion, head to my website, tag a friend…
4. Hashtags
The hashtag is not dead. Although many will say it is, that is not the case! Are they less effective than they were in the past? Yes, that one is probably true. However, hashtags can still be useful. Search for hashtags in your niche and then play around with which ones you use. Adding hashtags won’t hurt you and you never know who might find your profile through one.
5. Keywords
This one is newer but very important! Make sure you’re adding keywords to your captions. These are words that are related to your niche and often are what people are searching for.
Increasing your reach with good keywords will overall boost your SEO. Similar to hashtags, this is only going to help your post be discovered more and reach your intended target audience.
6. Build community through conversation
Last but not least, we want to emphasize the importance of building community. While your captions should have good SEO, a CTA, and a strong hook, it’s also important to remember the root of social media - to make connections. Your captions should be encouraging users to interact with your content and hopefully build relationships.
These are the makings of a good caption! As we said earlier, it takes practice. So make sure to try at least one of these and experiment! Find what works for you. Before you know it you’ll be a caption-writing expert!
Oh and because we want to put our advice to good use.
CTA: Make sure to follow us on Instagram. We post more helpful social media tips there. 😉
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