In 2020, the Instagram algorithm will reward engagement more than anything else.
The more engagement a post gets, the higher it will appear in your followers’ feeds.
This means that engagement should be your goal for most of your Instagram posts if you want to grow your account, gain higher visibility, and build an online community around your brand.
And although Instagram started as a visual platform, it’s no longer about the images alone.
A great image can grab someone’s attention as they scroll. But there must be something else to cause them to stop long enough to comment, share, or save your post. (In other words: Engage.)
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Create a free ConvertKit accountThat something else? Your caption.
In this article, I’m explaining how to write Instagram captions to drive engagement.
![How to write engagement-driving Instagram captions]()
11 steps to improve your Instagram captions
As you work to improve the Instagram captions you write, here are 11 easy-to-deploy steps that’ll make the entire process easier. Follow these tips and you’ll be on the path to creating engagement-driving posts.
Provide value in your Instagram captions
The most effective way to drive engagement with your captions is simple: Write good Instagram captions full of value.
Create content that’s so valuable that people can’t help but want to engage with it. This could mean sharing actionable how-tos, provocative insights, original inspiration, and more. As long as you’re creating content that your audience loves, you’re adding value.
For instance, small business bookkeeper Arielle Gelosi shared a powerful insight in a recent caption:
You can use your Instagram captions to provide value to your followers. Image via Arielle Gelosi’s Instagram.
Aim for about 150 characters
Recent research by Sprout Social revealed that Instagram posts with the most engagement have captions between 138-150 characters. Good Instagram captions are those that are short and sweet because they are easiest for followers to read.
Longer captions can also drive engagement, and the engagement might be more meaningful. But, it’s less likely that every follower who sees it will read the whole thing, leading to lower engagement levels overall.
Coffee mug brand Compliments N’ Coffee has found success with short, inspirational captions like this one:
Captions between 138-150 characters tend to get the highest engagement rates. Image via Compliments N’ Coffee’s Instagram.
Focus on the first 140 characters
In the main feed, you only see 140 characters of the caption before you have to click “more” to view the rest. However, one study found that Instagram caption lengths are trending up, doubling between 2016 and 2019.
So how do you get followers to read your longer captions?
Make sure the first 140 characters are enticing.
Don’t bury the most important information at the end of your caption. Instead, lead with the main idea, and ensure that people will want to find out more about it.
For example, take a look at this enticing start to a caption by writer and speaker Austin Channing Brown:
Use the first 140 characters to entice followers to click “more.” Image via Austin Channing Brown’s Instagram.
Tell a story
Research has shown that humans remember things 22 times more when they’re shared with us within a story.
Try using more stories in your Instagram captions to keep readers engrossed all the way to the end and help them remember your point long after they’ve moved on.
For inspiration, check out this long caption that’s a delight to read despite its length, by writer Liz Pabon:
Ask for engagement
Good Instagram captions give followers instructions on how to engage. These instructions could be in the form of a question to answer in the comments, a suggestion to save or share the post, or a prompt to tag a friend.
Sometimes the barrier to engagement is not knowing what to do with a post you enjoyed. Asking for a specific form of engagement takes away the stress of that decision and makes followers more likely to engage.
Clothing brand Lev Apparel did this well in one of their recent posts, asking their followers to answer a question in the comments:
Ask your followers to do something after they read your caption, like answer a question in the comments. Image via Lev Apparel’s Instagram.
Make your Instagram captions easy to read
Instagram doesn’t allow for much customization in captions. You can’t use bolded text, italics, or different font sizes to break up the text. As a result, it’s easy to end up with a block of small, uniform text that’s challenging to read.
If people can’t easily read your caption, they probably won’t. (And they won’t engage, either.)
That’s why you should get creative and use tricks to break up your captions into skimmable paragraphs. Use a mix of line breaks, emojis, punctuation, and all caps to create makeshift headings and layouts.
Attorney Taylor Tieman recently used these tactics to make her long caption easy to read:
Use line breaks, emojis, and all caps to break captions into easy-to-read chunks. Image via Taylor Tieman’s Instagram.
Use creative writing skills
Most of us understand that our images should be interesting and well-done to capture attention on Instagram. The same is true for your captions. Just as you would use photography or design skills to create an eye-catching image, you should use creative writing skills to create a caption that’s fun to read.
Use imagery, adjectives, and storytelling to bring your ideas to life. Hint: Try to be as specific as possible to avoid cliches or vagueness.
For inspiration for how to write Instagram captions creatively, check out a recent caption by copywriter Laura Belgray (also known as Talking Shrimp). She uses hyper-specific analogies, a personal story, and interesting adjectives to create word pictures for her followers:
Use creative writing skills to create captions that are fun to read. Image via Talking Shrimp’s Instagram.
Define your Instagram caption style
Just as you create a consistent aesthetic for your Instagram grid, you should aim to create a consistent “style” for your captions. This helps your brand feel cohesive and be recognizable in your followers’ feeds, leading to higher engagement.
You can define your caption style by deciding on a consistent post structure and common elements. Start by asking yourself:
- Will you use emojis? How often? Which ones?
- Will you use dashes, periods, or ellipses to make line breaks?
- Will you use all caps or asterisks for emphasis?
- How will you start and end each caption?
Social media strategist Hone Your Social always structures her captions the same way to maintain a recognizable brand:
Style your captions to create a consistent look. Image via HoneYour Social’s Instagram.
Include hashtags the right way
Hashtags help your post be seen by more people, which leads to higher engagement. But make sure you’re using hashtags correctly.
- Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Use hashtags that your ideal followers are using
- Use both popular hashtags and niche hashtags
- Make sure your hashtags are relevant to your content
- Use local hashtags if applicable
- Separate hashtags from your main caption
For example, candle brand Remedy Candle Co. used a variety of hashtags on a recent post, ranging from local hashtags to broader hashtags:
Include hashtags in your captions to reach more people and increase engagement. Image via Remedy Candle Co.’s Instagram.
Mention other users in your Instagram captions
If it’s relevant to your post, mention other users in your captions to extend your post’s reach to their audience.
When you mention someone else, they receive a notification and are likely to view your post and share it. All those extra views are likely to lead to more engagement.
But, be wise: Don’t mention another account in your caption unless the caption has something to do with them. Otherwise, it’ll look like spam.
For example, Amazon consulting firm Stanczak Retail Consulting tagged a contributor to their blog in a post:
When relevant, tag other users in your captions to increase your reach and engagement. Image via Stanczak Retail Consulting’s Instagram.
Get personal in your Instagram captions
When brands share personal content about the people and decisions behind the brand on Instagram, it humanizes them. Followers will be able to relate, making them more likely to engage with your account.
Also, this type of content can prompt followers to share a related story about themselves in turn, deepening the level of conversation happening on your post.
Take inspiration from a recent post by Vision Quest Shoes, where the founder shared a selfie and her “why” for starting the brand:
Share a personal story in your caption to humanize your brand and engage followers. Image via Vision Quest Shoes’ Instagram.
Captions are crucial for driving engagement
Images will capture initial interest and get people to stop scrolling and pay attention. But only for a moment. It’s up to your caption to keep them reading and prompt them to engage in a meaningful way with your post.
These engagements propel your content to the tops of your followers’ feeds. Ultimately, this makes them more likely to become part of your community, buy your product or service, or reach out to collaborate.
The bottom line: Your captions play just as important a role in your Instagram success as your images do. Especially when it comes to driving engagement.
Hopefully, this article has given you a great starting place to learn how to write Instagram captions that drive engagement.
Want to take your followers beyond Instagram?
Instagram is a great source of visibility for your brand. But, you have little control over how your followers see your content.
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