Writing captions that work for social media

When it comes to your company’s social media posts, the captions are often the most important (and informative) part of the post…

While social media conglomerates like Facebook and Instagram seemingly change their algorithms by the month, there’s one constant that has always remained — the importance of properly-written captions.

On Facebook, for example, posts with text in the image garner less engagement than those without. This further emphasizes the importance of the written caption, as generally that’s the only place your followers are gathering information. So, what exactly goes into a well-crafted, properly-written caption for various social media channels?

Understand your audience

Although this is true for any piece of writing, your brand’s understanding of your customer base is especially important for targeting your audience on social media. Make sure you understand your demographic and your ideal customer, and then ensure that when you’re writing your social posts, you’re writing to speak specifically to that target demographic.

Keep it short, simple

Say what needs to be said, and keep it short. While attention spans grow shorter, so too does the likelihood of a user to stay on one post and read paragraphs at a time. Regardless of the social channel, keeping the caption short, witty and to-the-point helps catch users who are in a rhythm of scrolling.

Tag where needed

If your post or content includes another company, page or product — make sure you’re tagging their @username! Mentioning others is a great way to integrate other audiences with your content, while potentially boosting your own engagement and visibility.

Use hashtags and emojis (sparingly)

When done correctly, using #hashtags can help amplify your reach and potential engagement, especially on social channels like Instagram. And as for those emojis, keep them coming! Posts that feature emojis, when done tastefully, generally get people clicking and engaging at a higher rate than that with just a standard text caption. 😎

At SmartSolutions, our team can help assess your company’s marketing strategies and efforts and help you create a plan a comprehensive marketing plan for your business today.

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