Do you know that our attention span has decreased over 20 years? For example, in 2000, it was 12 seconds.

Now, it's only 8 seconds!

So, what can you do to catch the attention of a potential customer? 

Of course, you already know that Instagram is a photo-based social media platform.

But, during the past year, its algorithm changed to being more Video/Reel oriented.

That's good news considering our attention span, as mentioned above.

In addition, videos get 21.2% more engagement compared to images.

But what if you don't know how to write posts? Or make creative reels?

Or if they take too much of your already busy day?

This article will show you 8 social media content writing tips that will attract new and keep existing customers on your profile.

So, let's begin!

8 Proven Social Media Content Writing Tips For Instagram

As promised, here are some great tips for creating fantastic content that can boost your reach and bring the audience right to you. 

We'll go through these proven tips showing you Instagram as an example, but those tips can be mostly applied to any any other social media channel.

1. Make A Plan 

First things first, set a goal. What do you want to achieve using social media? Think about the following-

  • Building an engaged community;
  • Selling  products and services;
  • Raising brand awareness.

Now that you got that clear – think about content strategy. 

content-strategy

If you are a small business owner, you probably don’t have time to post something different and creative daily. 

When we talk about regular Instagram posts, it's beneficial  to post during the times when your followers are most active. You can find that out by using Instagram insights, among other useful information about your audience.

This, however, is not the case with Instagram Stories for Business.

Because Instagram Stories only last 24 hours (unless shared as highlights), when you post a story, your followers have 24-hours to see it at the top of their feeds. So, don’t stress out too much about the optimal time for posting on Insta Stories.

Instagram stories are packed with fun and useful features for promoting your business :

1. Location and hashtag stickers – Adding location to your story makes it searchable through the Explore page, thus available to new potential followers.

2. Polls and question stickers – It is a great tool for interaction with your followers. You can ask them questions, get feedback, or get some new ideas.

3. Tag other accounts feature – It is a useful  feature for driving traffic to your profile by tagging other accounts on your profile, usually for contests or giveaways.

4. Clickable links – You can put a link to your new product or new blog post to increase traffic.

The bottom line is, you should regularly check how your audience responds to different content, formats and frequency of posting. Play around. Try different things, but the key is to keep it consistent.

2. Know Your Audience

If you don't know your audience, you will have difficulty delivering the right message.

To produce engaging content, you need to know what motivates your followers.

If you already know who is your ideal buyer persona, use the same information to define your Instagram target audience.

For example, if you sell baby clothes, your desired audience is, of course, parents. But, think outside the box! 

Baby clothing is a great gift for birthdays, baby showers, and other celebratory occasions. This way, your pool of possible followers expands significantly. 

A way to speed things up is to set up a business account. Go to Settings, find Account and choose Switch to a professional account. Pick a category that describes your business, then select Business.

Having a business account allows access to profile analytics. 

Instagram Insights is a great tool that can tell you a lot about your Instagram audience. Here you can find vital statistics about your existing followers, including their age range, gender, and location.

Not only that–Instagram analytics can tell you a lot about who they are and what they prefer.

3. Set Up Your Profile

There are more than 200 million active business profiles on Instagram. So, what can you do to stand out?

Setting up a bio is crucial in making a business account stand out. It is a brief explanation of who you are and what you do.  

Here is how to create one:

1. Lead your followers to the website —  Include your homepage URL in the bio section. If you have some new product or a blog post, post the latest update in your bio, and call your audience to check it out.

2. What makes your business special  — Tell your audience what you offer that your competition doesn’t:

  • What is so unique about you?
  • What do you sell?
  • What is your location?

3. Include hashtags —  Hashtags make your profile searchable. Add some popular hashtags related to your business, i.e., #handmade #interiordesign, or you can make your own. That way, your posts will be easy to recognize.

4. Profile picture —  You should use the same photo or logo across all your social media accounts. It should be authentic, vivid, and represent your business.

5. Profile name and username —  Create something catchy and easy for people to find. Under your profile name, you can use up to 30 characters, for example, the full name of your shop. Include the keywords your audience might search for. If you’re selling pc equipment, you should mention that keyword in your bio so your audience can find you through the search.

6. Utilize a shop button — If you want to promote your shop, your business may get great help by adding a shop button under the bio information.

Pay attention to each part of your bio, so it is a true reflection of your business.

Don't be afraid to use humor, emojis, or different fonts. Play around and find the most suitable style for you!

4. Let Go Of Perfectionism

Did you ever start making a post, write it, delete it, and start over and over again? It's frustrating, isn't it? 

You are losing time and nerves, focusing on little details instead of what is essential. 

What can you do instead?

1. Make sure your content is helpful and value-packed — Your post should be informative, helpful, and intriguing, making your potential clients want more information.

2. Be creative —  If you make something, show your process. Make some fun "behind the scenes" videos, images, etc. 

Don't be afraid to show some failures too. After all, you are speaking to real people who want relatable content.

The most liked image on Instagram is a photo of an egg by the Instagram account "world_record_egg" posted by the Egg Gang, with 55,746,040 likes, as of 1 February 2022.

The content you post doesn't have to be perfectly curated. Many users enjoy seeing new and exciting ways to use a product, especially when it appears fun, easy, and relatable.

 5. Make Your Instagram Captions Engaging

Even though visuals are crucial on Instagram, you must also know how to write strong captions. A well-written caption can engage followers, raise brand awareness and promote sales.

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1. Determine your voice  How would you like to address your audience?

 In a formal way? 

Casual? 

Witty?

Settle on a tone of voice that compliments your business and be consistent with it.

2. Captions go hand in hand with photos —  Even if you post the most beautiful picture without a context to go with it, it won't do much. Captions should convey your message.

3. Ask questions —  Let's say you posted a picture with your new product and beautiful sea scenery. You could ask- What are your summer plans? It is straightforward- more comments-more engagement.

4. Include geotags and mentions when possible — If you tag a brand or person, they will receive a notification. 

And if they like your post, they can repost it, which means more visibility and potential followers!

5. Use relevant hashtags  They make your post searchable through the platform. Use up to 30, but place them strategically. Diversify them from post to post. 

This helps to reach more users and show up in the different hashtag feeds.

Here is an excellent example of how to do that:

What makes this Instagram post great?

It combines an interesting visual with an engaging caption.

It is witty and grabs the attention of the target audience.

But– we also understand that sometimes you just don’t know what to write in Instagram captions or how to describe a product without being repetitive or bland?

This is where Textcortex can help you. It is an intuitive AI tool that does all the thinking!

Follow these simple steps:

1. Download Chrome extension for free 

2. Once you signed in, navigate to your favorite textbox online

3. Enter your post idea within a few words.

4. Highlight it and click the 'Long-form post' button.

6. Instagram Stories 

Instagram stories are an excellent branding tool that is visible to everyone. It combines entertaining material with additional high-quality sound.

They specifically target our limited attention span because they deliver a quick message, video, or photo.

Similar to how hashtags can help you grow your audience, stories on the explore page can encourage new viewers to follow your profile.

Since stories last 24 hours, you can save and organize them in various story highlights folders.

When new users scroll through your profile, they should find all the relevant information in those albums. Organize them in different folders:

  1. Customer reviews — Positive reviews help highlight the benefits users have experienced with your goods or services.
  2. FAQ — Create a folder with answers to the most asked questions. 

Put yourself in the shoes of a customer. What would you like to know about this business? 

Think about common questions — Working hours? Return policy? Shipping method? 

You could also use the Poll option from the stories to interact with your followers and later share those answers anonymously.

  1. Product information — Use it to show a more detailed look into the functionality of your product or service. Make a tutorial or some funny "making of" video. 

That gives buyers an inside look and an idea of what to expect when they make a purchase.

7. Reels 

It's 2022, and Reels are on fire right now! Reels are short videos that last 15, 30, or 60 seconds. They are fun and eye-catching.

Reels have an excellent engagement rate — 22% more than traditional videos. Instagram shows them to hundreds of new users at once through the Explore page.

If your video gets featured on the main page, you can reach an audience that does not already follow you.

You can scroll through the Explore page to see what's trending. 

Additionally, you can also use it to create videos that show tips and tricks and make short tutorials or funny behind-the-scenes moments.

Adding music is a clever way to keep your followers interested. Music engages listeners and can set the mood for what you're selling. 

Remember to include an option for remixing and sharing your reels!

Also, use closed captions. They are helpful when someone doesn't have earphones or hearing impaired people.

8. Call To Action 

Don't forget that there should be a call to action in every post. 

What does that mean?

Since people usually scroll through posts very quickly, it is important to tell them what to do.

There are 2 goal-based CTA categories:

  • Engagement — Invite your followers to like, share, follow, comment, or save your post
  • Traffic Click the link in bio, shop at myshop.com, and reach us at myshop@mail.

Always have a clear goal of what you want to achieve with your content, and choose your call-to-action according to your plan. 

Additionally — don't overdo it! A single or two CTAs are more than enough to make your Instagram post interesting.

Some CTA examples:

  • Tag a friend who would like this!
  • Follow for more!
  • If you find this post useful, save it for later or send it to a friend!
  • DM us for more info!
  • Buy now!
  • Like, comment, and share!
  • Click the link in the bio
  • For more details, click the tag
  • Swipe up!
  • Let us know in the comments below!
  • Watch our highlights to learn more!

Like in the example above, you can simply start a discussion with your followers in the form of a Call to Action. That’s always a good idea!

Conclusion

Did you know that 81% of Instagrammers use Instagram as a platform for researching new products and services?

Therefore, businesses have so much to gain by building their presence on this platform.

This is where Textcortex can help you.

Start your free trial and start creating engaging captions that will boost traffic and attract new followers.