How to Write Engaging Instagram Captions: 7 Methods That Guarantee Results

We often say a picture paints a thousand words, right? Well, when it comes to Instagram, you have to do more than just posting a picture.

Most people think all there is to Instagram is a picture photo-shopped to perfection, popping titles, and bright-eyed themes, you are right.

Pictures and videos help to stop someone that is casually scrolling through Instagram. However, nailing your Instagram caption is as important as the photo or video itself.

This is because those captions do not only provide content for your brand image, but they also display your brand’s personality. Using captions effectively is a great way of gaining followers and getting them interested in your brand. It is more about showing off the human side of your business.

The hard work does not end when you take those beautiful pictures and edit to perfection. The work is in the caption of your post where you can give a brand voice to that beautiful visual content. The more compelling your captions are, the more engagements your posts will receive. 

So how do you draft the most engaging Instagram captions? Here are some tips to help you create Instagram captions that guarantee results.

1. Grab attention with the first line

Since Instagram is optimized for the mobile viewing experience, this means that only a small part of your caption will show up in all users’ feed, to view the rest of your caption, the users have to click on more.

The first line of your caption must always grab the reader’s attention. Remember, there is a lot of competition on Instagram. You are competing with other blogs and brands, so you need to arrest the interest of readers quickly before they scroll past to check more interesting posts.

A well-written line will not only grab people’s attention, but it will also convince them to read the rest of your caption.

This does not mean your Instagram captions have to be super short. Instead, front load your Instagram captions with the most important content and leave all hashtags, mentions, or any additional information to the end.

Use words that spark curiosity and summarize the essential point of the posts with words that are straight to the point.

2. Tell a story

Do you know that 86 percent of Instagram users prefer a brand that displays honest and authentic social media presence? Storytelling provokes emotions and helps with relatability.

You can build brand authenticity by merely telling a story about your brand that resonates with your readers. This story should connect your readers to your brand.

It does not have to be a long story. It can be a brief history of your business, a product, best detox drinks for a drug test, or a personal story about yourself or an employee for your followers to read.

Stories of growth, transformation, overcoming life challenges are some of the most engaging captions on Instagram. 

In simple terms, emotional Instagram captions are great because as humans, we react better to storytelling than to facts. After grabbing their attention with great pictures, it is time to connect with them.

3. Include a call-to-action

The best way to increase your potential on Instagram is by engaging your followers with a sort of call-to-action in your captions. This means that you are using action words to prompt your readers to do something instead of passive scrolling.

Using verbs generate shares and engagements than nouns and adjectives. For example, you might say, share your story in the comment section.

Here are a few action-based ideas you can start with

A. Ask a question

You need to encourage your readers to comment on their personal experiences. You can even draw on these experiences and use them to improve your brand strategy or use them to come up with new and insightful content ideas.

To get results, respond to their answers, and make it like a conversation. You should also ask for feedback. 

B. Direct followers to a link in your bio

Clickable URLs are only allowed on your bio. You need to update your URL frequently and refer to your latest blog content, products, offers, and YouTube videos in your Instagram captions.

For example, are you trying to increase your blog subscribers? Post a picture while using the link to your blog as your caption.

C. Encourage people to tag their friends

For more engagements, allow your followers to share your post and tag their friends.

There are many fun and clever ways to do this. It can be in these formats: Hey! It is Valentine’s Day; tag your partner or Planning for a vacation? Tag your bestie!

D. Invite people to enter a contest

Contests are great for brand exposure and increasing engagement on Instagram. Simply encourage followers to post their own pictures and tag you in the caption.

4. Use hashtags

Hashtags help to tie the conversations of different Instagram users into a single stream. They are great ways of connecting users together.

These users are talking about and also have an interest in the same topics, brands, and events. It is also a great way of spicing your posts with fun and humor.

Posts with hashtags receive more likes and comments than posts without any. This means when you use a specific hashtag, you can reach users who follow the hashtags and users who are also your personal followers.

However, you don’t have to include all the popular hashtags in your post. Keep it simple. Use them sparingly or stick to four captions. That way, it will be simple and not confusing to read.

Unless the hashtag fits into a sentence, do not list them until you get to the end of your caption. This makes it more appealing and user-friendly.

5. Use emojis

Emojis are cartoon-like emoticons available to smartphone users. They help add personality to your Instagram caption. A lot of brands use emoji, even the most serious brands.

There are different and effective ways to use emoji in your posts. You can use them at the beginning of your caption to grab attention; you can use the middle of the caption to replace certain words or even at the end of the post as a punch line.

First, select a handful of emojis that are relevant to the post and drop them into your caption. Don’t just drop emojis anyhow. Use them wisely, because they help to increase the interaction rate.

6. Make sure your Instagram captions are error-free

A spelling mistake is not a good thing for your brand. This happens a lot on Instagram. People won’t request your services or engage your content if your post is littered with a lot of errors. You must check everything carefully before you post.

You can make your Instagram captions aesthetically pleasing by using line breakers. Use line breaks to format your captions into paragraphs that are easy to read. A well-written and eye-catching caption is all you need to sustain the readers’ interests.

7. Keep it brief

Depending on your target audience, your Instagram captions can be longer than a few words or sentences. For example, if you are a food and beverage company, you can post recipes as your caption as long as you are front-loading the relevant information.

In a situation where you don’t have a brand voice, the best thing is to keep it simple. Some of the best Instagram captions by top brands are usually short.

Let your captions make your point quickly and leave the rest to the visual content. Always know that brevity is key

Conclusion

When it comes to Instagram, one thing that stays consistent is engagement. The more engagement you have, the easier it is for your brand to grow. Use these tips to write captions that attract followers and also convince them to interact with your Instagram posts.