Copywriting for Instagram 101

Copywriting for social media can be difficult to master, as every platform has its own tone. When it comes to copywriting for Instagram, there are certain nuances that can improve your social presence. Learn more about copywriting for Instagram with these simple tips.

Speak to your audience first

Know your audience, and speak to them. Use your Instagram analytics to figure out who is looking at your content. Make your captions relevant to them and their demographics. You don’t want to lose out on followers because they can’t relate to your Instagram captions. When copywriting for Instagram, always make sure your captions are worth the attention of your audience.

Related: Copywriting Tips for Social Media

If you’re going long, start short when copywriting for Instagram

Some choose to write short captions, others prefer a longer story in their Instagram caption. Whatever the case may be for you, add a bite-sized teaser at the beginning of your caption before breaking into the long paragraph. For casual scrollers, having this bite-sized tease might be all they want out of a caption. For others, it’s a great taste of what is to come if they keep reading. Many separate these shorter “bites” from the larger caption with emojis or periods.

Add value to your post for more engagement

Adding value to your posts beyond the visual can lead to more post saves. This could be recipes, how to’s or just a meaningful caption that people want to remember. Giveaways are another great way to add value to your Instagram posts. With giveaways, you must be specific about your copywriting. They are a great way to give users an incentive to follow your content as long as you are careful about how you advertise it. See more from Instagram on their giveaway rules.

Prompt your audience to engage with your post

Give your audience a prompt to engage with your post. These can be simple asks to “double-tap if you feel XX way”, or “leave a comment about your favorite XX”. Simple prompts to engage are more enticing for engagement than if they weren’t there.

Keep the hashtags minimal

30 is the maximum amount of hashtags, but that doesn’t mean you should be using all 30. Many studies recommend 15 or less, while others show that even 5 to 7 will do the trick. Some brands almost entirely forego hashtags in favor of just one or two. It depends on what your audience responds to. Keeping hashtags at a minimum is ideal, as you’re going for quality and not quantity. Looking for engaging niche hashtags over popular, oversaturated hashtags is key.