[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Writing Instagram captions can be really tricky and sometimes time-consuming. Wondering if you should be funny, serious, or inspirational and where to put those little emojis just seems like so much work for one post. I know that not all yoga teachers are copywriters so to help you write Instagram captions that are as powerful as your sequencing skills, I’ve got some tips for you to try:
Why are Instagram captions important?
Your picture may say 1000 words but it’s your caption that does all the heavy lifting. It’s an opportunity to build a relationship with your ideal students by sharing stories and asking questions that engage because the longer they stay on your post the more the Instagram algorithm will love ya! This signals to Instagram that this is a good piece of content and pushes it into more people’s feeds. What’s more, captions are a fantastic opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your audience.
How can yoga teachers write captions that convert?
1. Share your story
Longer captions that tell a story get better results. Stories build trust and connection because it’s a chance for your ideal students to get to know a different part of you. If you’re after authenticity this will help keep you aligned with your why so that you can continue to create content that’s meaningful.
Tip: only share stories that have happened and are not happening, people are wanting to see what happens on the other side.
2. Talk like you’re talking to a friend
On the other end of the phone is a living, breathing person who wants to know how this post is relevant to them? Think about what it sounds like on the other end? Are your Instagram captions too technical or are you using terminology your audience may not understand? The goal is to be relatable, so using a more casual tone will work to your advantage!
Tip: read each caption out loud before you post, make sure you sound like you!
3. Make it about them
Each caption should have a goal, so before you publish ask yourself “does this caption educate, entertain or inspire your audience?” How do these topics that you’re writing about relate to your audience, and how can you include them in the story?
Tip: think about how your audience may be feeling and weave a story into your caption that speaks to that emotion.
4. Change it up
Just like your feed needs diversity, so do your captions. Think about how you can get your point across in more ways than one. Could you tell a story or ask a question? Planning your posts ahead instead of posting in real-time will help you see if there’s enough diversity in your Instagram captions.
Tip: batch your caption writing together week by week so to ensure you don’t sound like a broken record.
5. Short paragraphs
Writing long posts (or micro-blogging as the pros call it) is a vibe. Grouping the text all together is not. You can make it easy on the eyes by breaking up your text. People tend to scan online, so there’s a better chance your audience will read it.
Tip: keep your paragraph and 1-2 sentences max, so it’s easy for people to scan and get to the point.
6. Hookem in the first line
Making the first part of your Instagram caption short and super engaging are sure ways to get your readers to read some more. Pack what you can into the first line because Instagram only shows the first 2 lines unless on the feed unless someone chooses to see more. Entice your followers’ curiosity with a controversial statement, capture their attention with an interesting stat or evoke an emotional response with a story. Your goal is to get them to read more!
Tip: if you have writers block, ask your students for a sentence of how they felt before and after your class and use their words!
7. Invite them to go further
The simple act of including a call-to-action in your Instagram caption and inviting your audience to comment or like a post can go a very long way. People need to be told what to do next. So ask yourself what is the goal of this post? Do I want them to like it? Do I want more engagement? Do I want them to go off the app and onto my website? A good CTA can inspire your followers to do just about anything!
Tip: If you want more engagement try “double tap if you agree” or “comment in the link below 👇🏼”. This will strengthen your sense of community and help you increase your engagement levels.
8. Use eye-catching emojis
Emojis help to break up your text, draw attention to your call-to-action, and to add personality to your Instagram caption. Try placing a few emojis at the beginning of your caption to catch the eye of your followers with a bit of color, so they want to click to read more, or you can even replace whole words with an emoji. Even if you just add an emoji at the end of your Instagram caption, it makes it look that much more inviting!
Tip: choose a few emojis that resonate with your yoga brand and cycle through those consistently.
It may not be easy adding the copywriter hat to all of the others you wear, but when you treat your captions as importantly as your pictures, you have a recipe for Insta-awesomeness. Coming up with good Instagram captions might seem hard, but they truly hold the key to success on the Gram.
For more caption writing tips check out my 7 day Insta content calendar for yoga teachers.
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