I am back with part two of this caption-writing series, where we delve even deeper into what it means to write captions like a copywriter. While we would all love to tout social media as an enjoyable, free-time luxuriate, it has quickly become another facet of marketing which requires dedication, consistency and a healthy dose of strategy. Here are my final six tips of cutting through the noise and creating thoughtful, readable social media captions.

Related Blog: 6 HACKS TO CAPTIVATE WITH CAPTIONS – STORYTELLER STYLE.

01/ My copy rule of 3’s

The first step in this rule is to decipher what part of your copy is the critical, oh-so-important point that must not be missed, skipped over or misconstrued. Usually it is going to be linked to your call to action and the next step you want your client or customer to take. For example, if you are writing a post about your latest product release, the pain-point this product addresses is going to be the main focus. The fact it comes in three different designs is less-critical information.

Once you know what the key point, be sure to;

• Mention it in your tl;dr or within the first few characters of your caption
• Elaborate further in your body text, using keywords which link to the key point
• Mention it again in your concluding statement or final summary, directing readers with a call to action.

02/ Tone of voice maintenance

What is tone of voice? Tone of voice is the written expression of your brand. It’s how your brand’s personality comes across and the emotion it evokes through word choice, punctuation, syntax and even the style of font you choose. As a copywriter, I often get asked ‘how do I write in that tone of voice?‘. The best way to maintain a similar tone of voice across your communications is to use your brand words, values, vision and mission to brainstorm a 5-10 keywords or phrases.

Make sure these phrases really feel like how your brand would talk if they were a person. Print them out and use them as a guide to refresh your memory before you dive into writing captions or other content. If you are still struggling, it may be an indicator you need to invest in a tone of voice workshop or tone of voice guidelines. This resource will becoming your comprehensive guideline for writing in the same tone of voice, every time.

03/ Prolong the conversation

Springboard off the copy you write across Instagram and Facebook and keep the conversation going in your stories to squeeze the most out of what you’ve written. You’ve likely been told to ‘use hooks’ to grab the attention of the reader and prompt them to read further. Using a new hook is a great way to totally refresh copy, without having to change the bulk of what you’ve written. Here’s some examples.

• Use a statistic or a strong anecdote. E.g. My wonderful client recently described her new website as, “more than anything I could’ve dreamt of!”. Get the deets on how you can fall in love with your website below.
• As a question. E.g. Are you a part of the 87% of web users who click away when you see a typo on a website?
• Connect on a personal level. E.g. I’ll be honest… When I first took the leap to go full time with my business, I nearly ran myself into debt.

04/ Get verby

Verbs = actions. Or very powerful descriptors that covey an occurance or state of existing. Verbs help to paint a very strong picture because they describe doing. My goal as a copywriter is to make our clients and customers to do a lot. To keep reading, scroll on, click a button, submit a contact form. The list goes on. Swap out everyday verbs to elevate and add interest to your sentences.

For example, “Take my word for it!”, can be changed to, “Drown out the noise of the competition.”

05/ Use visually appealing words

Whilst this one can be tricky to nail, it’s a technique commonly used in poetry. It’s about taking a look at your piece of writing and double checking it looks easy and appealing to read. Ask yourself:

• Are the paragraphs short?
• Am I consistently using capital letters?
• Have I used lists to break up large concepts?
• Is a word like ‘and’ used too many times?
• Are there enough full stops?
• Could I add emojis or other creative symbols to making this look more enticing?

06/ Tell it like a story

How could a creative copywriter look past the element of storytelling? Storytelling is the key to connecting with your readers. It helps your brand messages stay rooted in authenticity, ensures you are writing about your products and services in a solution-focussed way and opens the door for deeper connection with your intended audience, lending itself to better retention and advocacy rates.

How are your captions looking?

Esme; Copywriting – where storytelling meets strategy.

Fusing emotional storytelling with thoughtful strategy, I work 1:1 with my clients to develop an evocative, distinct and oh-so-human copywriting blueprint. My writing is timeless and symbolic, allowing you to connect clients with the values and ethos at the heart of your brand. 🤍