Ugh, why is writing Instagram captions so freaking hard??? I mean, yes, getting the right picture takes effort. Recording video is hard, no surprise there. But the writing captions part is just so tricky.
I get it. I used to feel the same way until I buckled down and got it to a science.
Now, I come up with ideas, write captions, and connect with my ideal audience in a way that’s easier, faster and effective. Boom!
Let’s dive in.
Why should you use Instagram caption categories?
Winging it when it comes to Instagram captions is not as cool as it seems.
Yes, we can make room for spontaneity, but if every single post has to be written up on the fly… we’d lose our minds! Oh, you’ve tried that and lost your mind?
Understandable.
Instead, planning ahead is the name of the game. When I pull up my content calendar and see that the 14th day of the month’s category is my why, then I don’t have to stress about what to write.
I know I’m going to pull out a short story that shares to the Gram why I do what I do. See. That’s how we’re able to pump out content in an easier, faster, and effective way.
But I get that this can seem super abstract. Let me break this down for ya!
1. Caption Category: My Why
Behind every successful small business is a strong purpose or motivation. You’re driven by something!
To cure breast cancer, provide children with toxic-free and healthy food options, to make traveling accessible to those with disabilities, to empower women to find their purpose, to make therapy accessible to people of color, and so on.
Your why is yours. Own it. Share it. Tell the whole world! Here are a few ideas that will spark your writing mind. Why you..
- Started your business
- Chose that career path
- Work with a particular age group
- Love to travel
- Love to bake
- You’re in healthcare even though you’re not a doctor
- Being organized matters so much to you
- You took the risk to go out on your own
Then, think of a short story you can tell.
- I wasn’t a baker until all my children were gluten intolerant
- Being a nurse was fulfilling expect for not being able to offer holistic care
- I used to be a teacher, now I’m a marketer
- Working with older people has always been my passion starting with my grandma
It’s your story. Own it!
2. Caption Category: Benefits
Why should your audience choose your products or services over others in your market? Remember, they have a particular struggle that you’re equipped to help them with.
So, be very clear on what the benefits to saying yes to you are.
- Increased productivity
- Luxury
- Easy to use
- Customized
- Holistic
- Highly trained
- Safe
- Fresh
- Low cost
- One of a kind
- Free delivery
- Long lasting
- Ethically sourced
You know what the benefits are of your product or service. Does your audience?
In an Instagram caption, pick one of the benefits and talk about it. Maybe even include a testimonial that mentions the benefit. Or tell a story. Here’s an example.
Can I offer a vitamin D supplement already?? After working five years as a nurse, I realized that I could do even more from a holistic approach. That’s why my coaching services all offer holistic solutions.
3. Caption Category: Products/ Services
Now, here’s the fun part! This is where you get to spout about your passion in your Instagram captions. What is it that you do? Grab the mic, fam.
Here at Magnolia Heart Creative, we help small businesses communicate the heart of who they are through their marketing. We use a strong strategy, create high-quality content, foster community, and increase how many leads you’re generating all to help you meet your business goals.
Boom!
So in your caption, talk about yourself! Write in paragraph form like I did in the above example, or drop your services in a list. Check out this list format example.
Digital marketing is our jam here at Magnolia Heart Creative! Check out our done-for-you services that always incorporate strategy, high-quality content, and foster community.
- Social media
- Blogging
- Pinterest + Google business
- Website management
That’s it folks. Other ideas include spotlighting a single service or product at a time, merging describing the service with its benefits, or doing a short Q&A about a particular product.
4. Caption Category: Inspiration
Inspiration is the heartbeat of creativity. So, inspire the Instagram people, friend! Hopefully, this is a low stress option for you. My trick is that I have a quotes doc in my Google Drive that I refer to. Simple as that.
There I save quotes from yours truly since I sometimes have pretty good ideas. 😆 You’ll also find marketing, entrepreneurial, personal development, philosophical quotes and more.
Then I simply pick one to use as a caption. The caption can just be the quote or I can add a little something-something in addition to the quote.
“Be heroes of your own stories” – Constance Wu
“Having the dream is easy, making it come true is hard” – Serena Williams
Outside of quotes, you can also share inspirational thoughts. Maybe you’re been working on drinking enough water every day, you’re going number two consistently, you’ve overcome your fear of making your first hire, or are becoming more disciplined with your time management.
If we stop and think, we’re accomplishing a lot from month to month. Share what you’re accomplishing and don’t be surprised by how many people relate to your journey. Here are some ideas to get your juices flowing.
- Get out there and live a little
- Life is better when you’re laughing
- You can regret a lot of things but you’ll never regret being kind
- Look for the magic in everyday
- We can do hard things
- You are enough
- More life, less stress
5. Caption Category: About Me
To truly build trust, it’s essential that your audience get to know the person(s) behind the brand. Basically, you want to humanize your small business. Check out this example.
Hey guys! I’m Shana, CEO of Magnolia Heart Creative and I love smoothies! Ok, yes I love marketing too. But come on, who doesn’t love a good smoothie?
Another fun thing about me is that I love to travel the world. The furthest east I’ve gone is to Myanmar and India is by far one of my favorite countries to visit. How about you? Have you traveled outside the US?
Use this as an opportunity to show off your personality a bit. Your audience will love connecting with you on a more personal level. Check out these ideas on what to share to get started.
- Favorite genre(s) of music
- A favorite restaurant to eat at
- The best fruit ever
- Show you’re currently watching
- Your pet
- Only child vs siblings
- Love of doing laundry
- Obsession with all things HGTV
6. Caption Category: Behind the Scenes
Pull back the curtain and let your audience take a peek at what goes on behind the scenes of your business or creative process. Personally, I think this category is also one of the super fun ones. Here are some ideas.
- How you set the perfect temperature to get your perfect cookies
- Folding laundry
- Using a project management tool (like Asana)
- How you start writing a new contract
- Onboarding new patients
- Planning out a month’s worth of meals
- Walking your dog
- Doing yoga
- Journaling
- Cooking using a favorite recipe
- Morning routine
- Your favorite coffee shop
- How team meetings go
There are so many fun ways to pull back the curtain in your Instagram captions. I’m sure that you could think up more ideas if you gave yourself time.
7. Caption Category: Insight
Have you ever wondered how to position yourself online as an authority in your field? I’m so glad that you asked. When you consistently provide insight and answer commonly asked questions, your audience will begin to see you as someone they can turn to for help.
My suggestion is that you create a doc in your Google Drive where you store all of your frequently asked questions (FAQ) and your responses. Then when you need to use one in a caption you don’t have to start from scratch.
- What are people in your audience always complaining about?
- How are they falling short of reaching their goals?
- What do they wish they were better at?
- What tools are they searching for?
- When should they level up?
- What starting point do you recommend?
I hope these questions spark your creativity. You have answers and your audience has questions. Answer away!
Let’s Recap
At the beginning of this blog post I laid out the simple concept of how to create Instagram captions easier, faster, and efficiently. And look at that! We’ve broken it all down in a way that you can grab and go implement yourself.
Captions don’t have to be scary. They should be smart, speak to your audience, and spark engagement. How about 21 captions that you 100% have my permission to use till your heart’s content?
Keep Reading
