How do I communicate on social media? Many companies ask themselves this question. No wonder: it's a real challenge to find the right length, the right style and a language that fits on all the different platforms. We would like to give you our tips for coherent captions on social media.
Step 1: Check what actually fits on which platform
Yes, there is a perfect recipe for every platform when it comes to captions. On Facebook and Instagram, long posts are rewarded*, while on Twitter and TikTok it pays to get your message across in just a few characters.
No matter how long the caption should be - we advise you to always start with our favorite principle: KISS - keep it short and stupid. Try to write the caption in three sentences or 40 to 50 words, whether it's a new blog, a sales campaign or a new product launch. You can then flexibly adapt your posts to the different platforms, i.e. expand or shorten them.
Don't forget that visual elements such as videos and infographics can help to condense complicated content and keep your captions shorter. A picture is worth a thousand words!
* A little tip: Although long posts are shown well on Instagram and Facebook, the captions are automatically shortened and can only be seen by clicking on "More". So put the most important words and information within the first three sentences so that users become curious and click on "More".
Step 2: Get to know your target group
Everyone seems to be on at least one social media platform. But not everyone belongs to your target group! That's why you need to research where your target group is and when. A few general guidelines are:
- On Instagram, most users are between 25 and 34 years old, with a slightly higher proportion of women.
- LinkedIn is used more by men between the ages of 25 and 34.
- The majority of Gen Z ladies are on TikTok.
However, your target group will not be covered by these guidelines. So if you have not yet carried out a target group analysis, now is the time to do so! Ask yourself the following questions:
- How old are my users?
- Where do they live?
- What do they do?
- What are your hobbies?
- What topics are they interested in?
- When are they online? And how: on mobile or desktop?
After answering these questions, you have created your ideal content consumer and can work out the details for your posts: Are emojis appropriate? Is more or less text expected? Are certain hashtags particularly relevant?
Step 3: Create added value
We've all shared before. But the save function is also extremely popular! And anyone who saves or shares content does so because they see added value in it for a later point in time. So think about what you can write in your posts that will encourage your target groups to either interact directly (tag friends or share the post) or save the post. Again, start from your ideal content consumer: What is important to them? What content would they want to save? What would they share with others out of conviction?
A little tip: Ask your community questions too. They generate more interaction and posts with a lot of interaction are displayed to more users.
Step 4: Add a CTA
Some brands are wary of including a call-to-action in their captions because they think it's intrusive. A "CTA" can sharpen your message once again: What do you want the user to do? Register for an event? Take part in a quiz? Buy a new product line?
Very important: The call-to-action does not necessarily have to be a paid action. You may also want the user to watch a video or take part in a competition. The simplest structure for a call-to-action is the combination of "question" and "call to action", e.g. "How do I write good social media captions? Listen now this episode from StoryRadar!" Under no circumstances should you combine several CTAs - the message must always be clear!
Step 5: Tagging, tagging Tagging
Hashtags and location tags are the search engines of social media. You can use these keywords to reach completely new people and strengthen your positioning. It is therefore essential that you use hashtags and location tags in all your posts or tag other users. Some examples of users could be:
- Customers or guests
- Partner
- Employees
- Mentors and role models
In this way, you give tagged users the opportunity to share your content, which in turn guarantees you more reach.
You can add up to 30 hashtags per post, but we don't recommend using them to their full potential. Instead, you can experiment or use hashtag rating sites to find suitable hashtags for your content. Tip: Write your hashtags legibly: Instead of long strings of words in lowercase letters, it's better to start each word with capital letters, e.g. "#VideoOfTheDay".
Step 6: Check what arrives and how
Regular reporting is essential if you want to continuously optimize your social media captions. This also allows you to compare any experiments: Have you posted on different days or at different times? Or tested posts of different lengths? Then you can now check what performed better and draw lessons for future activities. Don't forget: social media is social! Ask your followers which content they would like to see more of.
This blog is also available in audio form: Listen to our podcast now StoryRadar.