GUEST POST from Sandra Christie of iDigic

A photo is worth a thousand words, and on Instagram photos speak for themselves, right? No!

In today’s flooded social media era, where images of everything from high heels to sunrises are prevalent, captions are the difference between Instagram posts that are liked and those that are overlooked. Most people call it “breaking through the clutter.” Not all photos are awesome, and even the best filters won’t give life to a ho-hum picture, so it’s up to you to provide a unique spin.

Why You Need Good Instagram Captions

You may feel writing an interesting Instagram caption isn’t as significant as curating your feed, but it still matters. Keep in mind your caption is the representation of your brand, which is similar to the Instagram feed. Your caption is the key for taking your Instagram profile from good to great.

It’s necessary to have a good Instagram caption because it will help get your post seen. The latest Instagram algorithm likes posts with high engagement. That means that the more comments and likes your post gets, the more people will view it. Also, Instagram captions that have a call-to-action can help you get more comments.

How to Write A Good Instagram Caption

Here are some of the best methods to use captions to enhance your Instagram profile:

• Providing A New Meaning

The best part of imagery it’s open for interpretation. What looks one way to one person may look completely different to another. Use this to your advantage. Put a distinctive spin on photos with captions that attract the attention of the viewers and make them look at the picture through a new lens.

• Establishing Call-to-Action For Instagram Captions

It’s not necessary to add a call-to-action to all Instagram captions. However, captions are the perfect place to inspire audiences to engage with your brand outside the Instagram platform. You can encourage your followers to take action by asking them to visit your site, purchase products, answer a question, tag their images with your branded hashtags, and more. 

Put the most significant information first; after 4 or 5 lines of a text, Instagram captions get truncated. Making your Instagram caption extremely engaging from the start will entice your followers to click and read the remaining information.

• Brighten Up The Dullness

It’s common to believe that every picture you take is frame-worthy. The reality is most photos are unoriginal and uninspired. Top-down view of your favorite dress? Done that. Mug on a Sunday morning? Been there. Give these common moments a personal touch by using a caption that shows the unexpected side of the picture.

• Adding Emojis To Instagram Captions

When you’re not using emojis to gain attention for your call-to-action, you can use them to provide personality in the caption. Add various emojis at the start of your caption to attract your followers’ eyes. Or, try substituting all the words with funny emojis if it fits your brand.

• Play With The Wit Of the Viewer

Be clever! Check for connections between your potential caption and photos and write with that connection in mind. Make it subtle so when a viewer must take a moment to “get” it.

• Providing Mentions For Instagram Captions

Mentioning the handles of other Instagram users is the perfect way to connect with other users and with your audience. As you’re posting images related to other brands or individuals, add their handle to your caption instead of simply tagging them in the photo. This will help followers find their profiles.

• Signify A Point

Sometimes a photo can do all the talking, but a little explanation provides extra oomph. Those captions that stress a point in your picture help give clarity and context to an already impressive snap.

Final Verdict

Your Instagram captions should entice and attract an audience. Within the first second of reading, they must make the reader want to hit the View More button. A picture alone isn’t as effective as one with a caption that adds to the message.

Sandra Christie, a writer for iDigic, has several published articles about social media that talk about general improvement of your social feed, and get more brand presence using it.