When it comes to social media and especially Instagram, it can feel like an endless brain workout to constantly produce fresh content with fresh captions. However when you’ve worked in Digital Marketing as long as we here at Don Creative Group have, you learn some industry tips and tricks to help you along. Today we’re sharing 7 of our insider tips on writing great Instagram captions.
7 Tips From A Digital Marketer on Writing Instagram Captions
- Develop your brand voice in your captions
- Your brand voice is the personality behind your communication with your clients and prospects. Developing a solid brand voice is key to connecting with your audience so you can sell successfully. Your brand voice may be funny, educational, sarcastic or formal but remember that consistency is key and to keep that same tone of voice throughout. A consistent brand voice helps your audience feel more connected to you, in fact customers are 4 times more likely to buy from a brand they feel emotionally connected to and 10 times more likely to shop a website on a mobile device.
- Create several drafts
- When you just post and go, your caption may not be the best it could be. Oftentimes the secret to a good caption is a couple rewrites or drafts. Upload your image, start workshopping your caption, work in a few keywords and drop in the most relevant hashtags. Once you’ve settled on the winning caption make sure to proofread it and upload it onto your social media schedule for automated posting!
- Introduce a call to action
- Your clients need you to direct them to their next steps and this often calls for a call to action. We use a call to action (CTA) in almost all facets of digital marketing and the same applies to social media and especially Instagram. A CTA in your caption will direct your followers to your website, these CTAs can sound like: “Click the link in our bio to learn more” or “(This item) is 10% – click the link in our bio and get it now!” Your CTA should be front loaded and close to the top of your caption – this is a must because although Instagram allows for 2,200 characters in a caption they will only display the first three lines (125 characters) before adding a “read more” link on users feeds.
- Use captions that trigger emotions
- Our emotions often influence what we buy, if you’ve had a rough day you may just order a pizza and brownies as soon as you get home or if you’re feeling insecure about your skin, you may just impulse buy 5 new skincare products. The easiest emotions to evoke are fear, belonging, trust and inspiration. Now by fear we don’t mean that you should petrify your followers but rather give them FOMO (fear of missing out). Studies show that 60% of millennials have made a purchase within 24 hours because of FOMO. This doesn’t mean that your customers need to feel anxious or worried but rather creating a sense of urgency by implying that stock is low or that a deal will only run for 24 hours. The Instagram account, @Travelocity does this perfectly by using specific holidays to promote limited-time offers for travel.
- Create a sense of belonging
- One of the most basic human desires is the need for community, for belonging. Speaking to your followers as if they’re a part of your community helps them develop a sense of belonging and instills customer loyalty. We see a great example of this with AirBnB when they share their listings as well as details about the area and the hosts. This helps create a homey and personalized connection with each listing and each person staying there.
- Build trust with your audience
- Studies show that 70% of consumers rely on customer reviews before making a purchase – so instead of assuming that your followers will go to your site to see those reviews, why not include them right there in your caption? Adding customer testimonials to your captions shows that you trust in your products and so do your customers – this all shows your future customers that you’re trusted and worth the buy!
- Inspire your audience to buy what you’re selling
- Use your Instagram captions to show your customers how your product will improve their lives, don’t just try to sell but aim to inspire too. It’s even a good idea to describe what your product looks and feels like in real life. If you’re a swimwear company, lean into that and describe how your new wetsuit is perfect for Summer canoeing days – it feels authentic and inspirational as you’re not just selling a product but a lifestyle and community too.
How We Do It For You
At Don Creative Group we make sure your posts are shared to the most relevant and useful platforms and we make sure that your content is shared consistently while keeping all these insider tips and even more in mind.
Book your consultation call today and let’s get your new branding strategies underway!
