💬 Better captions, more eyes on your art
#40 or the 3 pillars of a good caption
Hey my demon 👋,
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In this Art Missive
1/ Introduction.
2/ The underrated power of captions.
3/ Grab attention.
4/ Keep attention.
5/ Call to Action.
6/ Conclusion.
1/ Introduction.
Captions and their potential power are often overlooked. I confess, for years, I dismissed captions, viewing them merely as placeholders for hashtags.
Yet, 2022 was a revelation for me. When I tapped into the true essence of captions, my following skyrocketed from a modest 1,000 to a whopping 100,000 within a year. Now, I won't claim it was all down to captions; however, they undeniably played a significant role in my ascent.
To this day, crafty captions serve as a pivotal avenue for growth, offering a platform to disseminate both personal anecdotes about your art joureney and educational art tips.
And I firmly believe that by diligently harnessing the strategies outlined below, you're bound to experience a transformative change.
Welcome to edition #40 of the Art Missive, where I'll be delving into the three foundational pillars of a growth-driven caption!
2/ The underrated power of captions.
Many miss out on a little-known fact about Instagram: the platform considers the time users spend reading a caption when measuring how engaging a post is, whether it's a Reel, single post, or carousel.
In plain terms?
A well-crafted, insightful caption not only boosts your watch time but also amps up your engagement rate. Here's the golden nugget: the better these numbers, the higher the chances of Instagram pushing your content to a broader audience. The ripple effect? More eyes on your artwork, leading to more growth.
In essence, captions aren't just words beneath a post; they're strategic powerhouses driving the growth and engagement of your art community.
So let's uncover the three pillars that shape a captivating caption.
3/ Grab attention.
Just as hooks in Reels are vital, so are the hooks in captions. Why? Simply put, if people don't read your caption, it becomes pointless.
So, how do you entice people to dive into your caption? Give them an irresistible reason to!
The opening line of your caption should act like the headline of an article or the title of a YouTube video. Its purpose? To pique interest and spark curiosity. Whether it's through a provocative question, a quick-tip list, or a statement that challenges common beliefs, this is where you grab attention.
Here are a couple of hooks I've employed:
"How I created this character in just 6 steps👇"
This hook works wonders because it clearly indicates to users that they can find the step-by-step guide within the caption.
“ “Your drawings suck” “You’ll never be as good…” "
This is another powerful and nuanced hook. It alludes to comments many artists can relate to. With criticism and self-doubt being prevalent issues for many creatives, artists are compelled to read further.
💡Your takeaways:
👉 Keep it concise; it should be visible in the initial line.
👉 Incite curiosity, making them eager to read the entire thing.
👉 Draft multiple hooks for a single caption and select the standout.
4/ Keep attention.
Now that you've enticed readers to click on your caption, the next step is to deliver undeniable value.
By "value," I'm referring to fulfilling the "promise" made by your hook. For example, if your hook teased “3 tips to improve your drawing,” it's crucial that the content of your caption delivers on those 3 tips. Failing to do so disappoints the reader, and they may not trust your content in the future.
Conversely, if you deliver content that's as valuable as, or even more than promised, your reader is likelier to engage and possibly even hit that follow button.
The secret sauce? A caption body that's not only pleasant to read but also educates or evokes emotion in the reader.
For practical examples, I invite you to check out the captions on my Instagram accounts
artist_ and @regardnoir_.💡Your takeaways:
👉 Use line breaks to separate ideas or statements, enhancing readability.
👉 Integrate emojis for a touch of personality (but in moderation).
5/ Call to Action.
Alright, now that you've educated or evoked emotions in your readers, it's time to prompt them to take action on your behalf.
Enter the CTA (Call to Action). While it might seem obvious, people are more inclined to perform an action when you explicitly ask them to do so.
One might assume that you're begging for likes, but in reality, it's a form of reciprocation. You've provided them value or a delightful experience, and in return, they can support you and show appreciation for your content through a like, save, or even a comment.
While there are numerous CTAs to choose from, it's essential to focus on just one per post. I recommend using "save" as your main CTA. In essence, it's the new "like" on Instagram, bearing significant weight. The "follow me" CTA should be reserved for high-value content only.
A pro tip: always provide a reason for the requested action. This substantially increases the likelihood that readers will comply.
Example:
"Save this post to revisit this portrait."
💡Your takeaways:
👉 One CTA per content piece.
👉 Ensure your CTA matches the value provided.
👉 Always give a reason for the action.
6/ Conclusion.
By following these three pillars, you'll significantly enhance your captions, which, in turn, will boost your growth.
Before I sign off, I'd like to recommend two last things:
Firstly, write your captions in advance. This not only relieves last-minute posting stress but also allows you to craft more thoughtful, refined captions.
Secondly, be authentic. Blindly copying others' captions without adding your personal touch just doesn’t work, especially in the long run. Crafting a great caption isn’t only about creating tutorials or other educational content. You can absolutely share your personal journey, the challenges you've faced, or your successes as an artist.
Just remember to adhere to the structure of the three pillars.
That's all for me. See you next Monday!
Léa, Mama demon for those in the know.
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