The perfect caption for your Instagram post

Who can’t relate: You have the photo that fits particularly well in your Instagram feed, but you can’t think of a suitable caption you don’t want to post a series of emojis for the third time in a row. Of course, this could look nice, and your picture can still be well received by your followers. However, to increase your Instagram performance in the long run and ensure more interaction and the continued growth of your profile, the caption is just as important as your picture, if not more important!

 

Although Instagram started as a photo-sharing platform, it has evolved since then and is no longer just a photo app with fun filters. The platform has long been a business platform that companies use to find new brand ambassadors. Instagram has also become the perfect platform to earn money with our affiliate platform, for example. It is therefore important not only to take the perfect picture but also to write the right caption. We’ve created a guide on how to create the perfect Instagram caption for you! 

1: Different types of captions – what is your profile about?

So that not only your photos result in a coherent Instagram feed (you can read how you can do this in our blog post on the topic of coherent Instagram feeds), but also, that your captions are consistent, you can always fall back on a number of caption types. You can choose these types (or topics* freely and let your creativity run wild.

What would you want to say with your Instagram feed? What is your passion?

For example, if you specialise in fashion, add a “favourite of the week”. There you can then present your favourite piece of clothing every week and thus have an idea of what you can write about. Other ideas include DIY or storytimes: What exciting thing happened to you today, what is on your mind? You can share all of this with your followers and encourage exchanges amongst each other. Of course, you don’t have to adhere to the classifications strictly. Variety is always welcome! But with a bit of structure, it will be much easier for you to come up with ideas for the right caption, and your followers will know what to look forward to. This also makes it easier for you to create new content.

2: Use your creativity – create a stash of captions

It never hurts to have a supply of captions. If you want to post something quickly and have the right image ready, but you’re missing a caption, having a stash of captions can help you. If you are in a writing flow and have written a caption or two, it tends to be easier for you to write more.

The different caption types can also help you here. If you know that you want to talk about certain topics on your Instagram profile in the future and which Instagram posts you want to share, then start writing about them straight away, even if no photo has been produced for them yet. If you regularly share stories from your life and something exciting just happened to you, write this down as a caption. When it comes time to post, you can refer directly to this caption.

3: Emojis, paragraphs, and hashtags in Instagram captions

When writing your captions, you should always keep in mind that most of your followers browse Instagram for quick entertainment and are often on the go. They would rather read well-structured texts filled with visual flairs like emojis than a scientific article. If you use emojis at the right moment, your caption can stand out and beautify your Instagram posts. However, it is essential that you do not exaggerate and, for example, replace too many words with emojis. Then the text becomes a tough guessing game.

Paragraphs can help structure your caption and which, in turn, helps your followers skim read. You can find out how and when to set paragraphs in the structure of a caption at the end!

Hashtags also play an important role in the Instagram world. If you skillfully use the right hashtags, you can draw the attention of new users to you. It is essential that you look for niches that fit your post. That way, you are more likely to be found. For example, the hashtag “fashion” had 617,000 posts in 2019. So if you use this hashtag, you’re one of many, and you’re likely to be found by fewer people because the competition is fierce. However, it’s also important that you don’t use hashtags that are too unfamiliar, as nobody will likely search for them. Find the right balance between niche and well-known hashtags and you can increase the exchange between you and your followers through your hashtags.

4: Storytelling – you are the star of your profile!

Your followers follow you because of you! So, use this and write captions about yourself and your interests. What do you care about? What made you happy or sad today? What’s on your mind? You can take your followers with you and give them an insight into your world. With these types of captions, a deeper connection can be created in which your followers get to know you better, you show that you may have similar thoughts or concerns, and also this helps to build a kind of relationship with them. In addition, history has shown that your followers are very interested in this type of Instagram post.  

 

5: The right writing style – write how you talk

The same applies here: Your followers use Instagram for entertainment. You are not on Instagram to read highly worded texts in which you are being addressed in a friendly manner. So, write your Instagram caption as you would write with friends. This makes your followers feel connected to you. You build a friendly relationship with your followers through your writing style. As a result, your followers are more likely to comment on your pictures, your engagement rate increases, and you are displayed more often by the Instagram algorithm. The time spent on your Instagram page plays a major role in this. If your followers are having lively exchanges with you and comment a lot, they will spend more time on your Instagram profile.

 

 

Structure of an Instagram caption

Story of you 

• Tell them about your everyday life
• What’s on your mind? What do you like? What do you recommend to your followers?

 

Transition 

• Why is the post relevant to your followers?
• What can they take away from your posts?

 

Call to Action 

• Ask your followers to take action (e.g. your followers can tag you when imitating DIY, so new users will notice you)
• For more engagement on your profile

 

Feel free to check out @mollymae’s Instagram profile. There you can see many examples of the structure of a caption and get inspired.