Captivating Caption --The New Generation of Engagement
Ever wonder why figuring out what to write about can be so tricky sometimes. We learn the importance of posting 5-6 times a week in Social Marketing 101— but how do you possibly come up with that much content? Lucky for you, I created a list of the best ways to help with your caption-writing funk and hopefully spark some motivation and ideas to keep you going and keep you accountable. What’s the secret?
Simplicity is Queen.
What’s even the purpose?
Ask yourself that often? What is even the purpose of taking so much time to curate quality content and captivating captions? The answer is simple.
It’s your job.
I don’t mean “paying the mortgage” kinda job— I mean “creating a warm and welcoming platform” kinda job. The moment you decided you wanted “in” on this journey, you signed on to create content that was true and genuine — and something worth reading about. No one is asking you to micro-blog or pour out your heart every single day, but we are, however, asking that you put in a little extra effort.
Follow you Pillars
If you haven’t already— take the time to really figure out what your niche is and what your three pillars are. These pillars are the guiding force to your captions and should be alternating throughout the weeks on your feed. When you have a clear understanding of your three pillars, you always know what you can fall back on in the event you’re struggling for content or captions. Meal Planning one of your pillars? When was the last tine you posted about meal planning? This makes it so easy to keep your feed flowing and interesting and keep your readers coming back for more.
Read more about how to narrow down your niche and assign your pillars here.
KISS
Old school math teacher sayings but —Keep it simple, silly! I can always tell when my clients are overthinking too much when their #1 problem is “running out of things to write about”.
Your life is a continuous journey. Everyday is unique in its own special way and everyday you’re breathing — you have content.
Not every post has to be some life altering political conversation. Sometimes, letting your audience in on those mundane little tasks you did today can be the most relatable content you’ve posted in weeks. How was your day? What is your heart feeling? What is something specific your family is going through?
Learn that the vulnerability of being unapologetically you is so special.
Give ‘em something to talk about
If there’s one thing social media junkies are good at—it’s giving their opinions and reviling at any chance to talk about themselves. Theres nothing wrong with that, don’t get me wrong. Its human nature. When you give your audience a safe and respectable place to voice their opinions, they will feel comfortable enough to do so.
Captions are meant to do two things — Stop and read & give a reason to engage
Create a story
Psychologically speaking, the human brain processes text at a higher rate of understanding when we can form stories in our mind. This helps us remember the points and important information that is being sent to our neurotransmitters. My point? Tell a story. Your caption, like a very tiny mini novel—should have a beginning, middle and end. Making sure you are answering a few key questions for your readers.
What is the main point, what value are your providing & how does it end. Ask yourself…
Does this caption have a seamless flow and am I getting my point across clearly in this story? This applies to even the simplest of copy.
Provide the value
The art of copy writing comes in being able to attract attention to your message. Finding your differentiating factor is key. Your ability to add “layers” to your captions will be the one thing that sets you apart. Are you sneaking in a fun fact, a great place to have dinner or the your latest and best dry shampoo?
Call to action
If you’ve been around the block for a while— you’re no stranger to a solid CTA. Call to actions are your very own barging power with your audience to participate in the conversation and add to your story. A great CTA can be a variety of different things. It can be something as simple as asking a question that requires your readers to share their opinions or own personal experiences. It can also be specific instructions— “Head to my profile” or “Check out my most recent stories!”
Not getting the responses you want from your captions? Evaluate your story line and its relatability to your platform and of course, stay consistent. If you’re new at this—give it time! As always, remember that natural growth and engagement are not an overnight game. Slow and steady builds the relationships you ultimately want on your platform and staying consistent is key!
Happy writing!
Looking for some more one-on-one help with you platform, business or accounts. Learn how we can work together to level up your game. Even sweeter, you can even set up a FREE consultation call to see if we could be a great fit!