1. Hook with the first sentence

At this point, we are all aware that the average attention span of a scroller on any social platform is limited-as a matter of fact it’s down to a shocking 2 seconds according to Nielsen. This can be applied to all content on Instagram, not just video.

Since Instagram shortens the caption after three lines, focusing on the first sentence delivers the most bang for buck value in terms of getting your audience to click the “more” button. However, it’s important to stay consistent with your brand voice and tone no matter what the hook might be.

Posing a question might sound like old news, but still proves to be an extremely effective way to capture the users attention. Similarly, addressing a pain point right away in the first sentence to intrigue them to continue reading.

If asking a question doesn’t feel authentic to you or your brands goals, consider these alternative hook ideas:

1. Start telling a story (more on this later): Humans are empathetic creatures, and as such, storytelling has a unique capability to build connections. Strong brands know to tap into this to build a base of engaged followers.
2. Share a quote: Quotes can be anything from short, witty and eye-catching to motivational and something users might want to share. Posting relatable quotes can increase engagement and connect with audience on an emotional level. The higher the engagement, the better it performs and gets the coveted algorithmic boost.

2. Add value

Whether we are aware of it or not, the strategy of answering the“What’s in it for me?” question is an important need to address for your audience.

Keeping your audience in mind, what value will they get from your writing? What pain points are you addressing? When writing a caption or text on reels, make sure to answer these questions.

One way to do this is utilizing the PPB method of Instagram Writing. It was first introduced by Brian Dean to use in blog post introductions but the same method applies to social media writing.

Preview: Tell your audience what they will get from you.

Promise: Tell them how it will solve their problem.

Bridge: Use a transition to create a bridge your CTA.

3. Use Storytelling

The value and power of storytelling is clear on Instagram. From recent 2022 trends such as “photo dumps” to replying with reels and “add yours” collaborative albums, there is no denying that humans relate via storytelling and the platform is taking full advantage.

Storytelling is a chance to build a brand narrative and establish identity, as well as help your audience and potential customers remember your brand. Stories also make us feel like part of something bigger than ourselves.

How can you apply this to writing Instagram captions? Make sure to include these two important components: a hero, and a structure. The hero of the story could be you your product. The structure should have 3 main elements of a narrative; set-up, narrative arc and conflict resolution.

4. Create Emotional Narrative

Emotional narrative is essentially the technique of crafting your message using particular words, phrases and hooks to keep your audience emotionally invested and eager to engage. The key is to focus on users needs and create value for them, rather than blatantly trying to sell your product.

Appeal to your audience’s basic instincts, and then customize that strategy to suit your content. Basic instincts include social, self-preservation and sexuality.

Self-preservation encompasses physical health, home, lifestyle, etc.

Social can relate to connection, creativity, status and approval.

Sexual also encompasses connection but goes further to include attraction in general and adrenaline.

Another strategy to use the emotional narrative technique is simply the use of emojis. According to Quintly, using emojis in your captions increase engagement by almost double. As juvenile as they may seem, emojis serve a valuable purpose in breaking up long text and injecting humor and personality into captions.

Final Tips

Consider this a pre-post checklist before finalizing your captions:

Is the caption informative? Does it provide value to your audience and even encourage them to save, share and like the post?

Is the caption brand consistent? Consider your company’s tone goals and that it follows overall voice.

Does the caption encourage action? Going a step further than just engagement, does the copy of the post have a clear call to action and text telling the users to take a specific next step?

Lastly, is the caption clean? Make sure it is aesthetically pleasing by formatting with ample line breaks for longer captions and using hashtags and emojis strategically.

Conclusion

Compelling captions help guide your brands personality and story, and in turn helps your audience connect on an emotional level. Instagram captions are a powerful aspect of the platform and when used correctly can help elevate your companies social media presence, and improve the bottom line.