Photo from Unspash, no copywrite
Your photos on Instagram get people interested, but your captions cultivate action. If you are a content creator, you want to make sure your captions are as effective and engaging as possible.
Know what you want your viewer to do
Are you a freelance writer trying to attract customers? Are you a boutique trying to sell clothes? Know what you want your viewer or customer to do.
Maybe you want your customer to buy a product, like your post or tag a friend. Every post should have a goal, so figure out what your goal is and make every post actionable.
While you might chose a photo based on aesthtic, if you give your audience something to do in the caption it will make your post more engaging and your brand more valuable.
Be direct. Say exactly what your customer should do.
There is room for politeness, but you also have to be clear about what the customer should do. Don’t leave any room for confusion. Tell your audience exactly what action your viewer should take after reading your caption. That could be:
- Tag a friend
- Give good advice related to your brand!
- Comment your favorite color (or anything)
- Buy now at the link in bio
- Go to the website now
Avoid doing things like:
- Assuming that your viewers knows what to do
- Hiding the call to action at the end of the post
Personality matters! Show it.
Ok. Captions are the time you get to tell your viewers who you are and what you are about. Have a set of go to emojis, create your own conversational aesthtic, and decide on key words you will integrate throughout your posts.
This will help your audience start to understand who you are and what kind of content you will offer them. You can use this space to tell your story or answer questions about your brand. Be sure to direct your audience to your website, tell them to share the post or give them an personal action to follow your story.
Offer something new
If you don’t offer something valuable to your viewers, then they won’t follow you. Make sure you find something new and interesting to share with your viewers. Some ways to integrate creativity to your posts are:
- Providing valuable information
- Have an entertainment element
- Create a clear path to a product, guide or offering
- Use your post to open the doors for comments and connectivity
Dr. Hazel Wallace uses her Instagram to share information about health, wellness and exercise with calls to action like “get outside to get your Viatmin D”. James Clear uses his Instagram to share thoughts on productivity with calls to action linking to his book.
In Brene Brown’s Instagram post (left), she offers insights on her most recent podcast episodes. This gives her brand immense value just from Instagram posts.
All in all, creating actionable captions will elevate your brand and bring more value to your consumers. Tell stories, give advice and create content your audience wants to engage with.
Halle Brown 