If you’re hoping to increase engagement on your Instagram page, your photos might not be the issue. Instead, your captions could likely use some tweaks to encourage conversation and emphasize your brand. Consider these tips when you write your next Instagram post and see what happens.
- Remember your Audience
Do you know who you’re talking to on Instagram? Do some digging nad figure out exactly who you audience is – both existing Instagram followers, and the demographic you are trying to attract.
Create an “audience persona,” or a specific picture of the person you are trying to reach with your social media. It should be someone with a specific age, location, career, family situation, etc. By envisioning this person while you write your caption, it will be easier to cater them to your ideal audience.
2. Create a Brand Voice
This is especially important if multiple people create captions for your business. Think about your favorite influencers – they talk like a real person, and you can predict what the tone of their posts will be. Your brand should be the same way. Just as you think of audience personas, you should have a personality in mind for your brand.
Come up with a few adjectives to describe the qualities and values you want your brand to embody.
In general, your tone on Instagram should be light and potentially humorous. If you think you’re in an industry that can’t handle anything less than total professionalism, you might want to rethink your Instagram strategy. Remember to show your personality!
3. Consider Length of the Caption
If you want your entire caption to display on the feed, Instagram recommends using less than 125 characters.
Anything longer, and users will have to click “Read More” to see the rest. If you have a story you want to tell or a longer message, it is certainly appropriate to use a longer caption, even if users have to expand it.
Try experimenting with captions of different lengths to see how your audience responds. But when in doubt, keep it brief.
4. Use Hashtags (Wisely)
Hashtags are an extremely important aspect of Instagram, as they can help you reach new users and expand your reach. Now that Instagram users can follow hashtags, the chances of you landing in a new potential customer’s feed is even greater.
Be choosy with your hashtags, and only select ones that are relevant to the content and to your audience. If you start spamming people by tagging your photos with irrelevant hashtags, users could block you from their feed.
For more info on Instagram hashtags, read our guide.
5. Encourage Conversation
The best way to start a conversation is to ask a question. If you don’t give your users something to comment on, then they won’t have a reason to comment at all! Pose a question to your followers, it can be as silly or serious as you choose. This will encourage them to comment on the post, which gives you a chance to respond and develop a rapport.
Consider these question options:
- What color or style they’d like to see in a new product
- Choosing which picture they like best in a series
- Asking for tips on an aspect of business (good for B2B)
Try using these tips next time you sit down to write an Instagram captions. What are your go-to strategies for social media? We’d love to see them in the comments!