The Art to a Good Instagram Caption

How often have you been stuck on what to caption your Instagram posts? I can guarantee half of the time they will be dated, cringe, and overworked. Let’s look into how you can pull off the witty, effortless aesthetic to complement your photo dump this summer perfectly.

Trying is Dying

To start with, you’re most likely trying way too hard. If there’s one thing Gen Z can nail, it’s effortless chic. Some call it lazy, but we know that it screams authenticity. If we can tell that you’ve spent ages coming up with a cutesie, perfectly-fitting one-liner or a pun that sometimes, almost lands, then it’s too much, too late.  What we want is something real and off-the-cuff – don’t overthink, just give the people something to relate to.

Creativity, please!

What’s worse than a caption overdone? A caption from TikTok. Do not, I repeat, do not, go online for your caption inspo and steal from those Pinterest girls who offer a selection of niche aesthetic captions. I promise you, you’re a few scrolls away from someone with the exact same one. Let’s try for once to include some of our own personality  – be that friend with the feed people shamelessly stalk and admire for its originality.

Emojis

I hate to say it, but the days of emoji spam captions are over. What once was a great way of letting the post speak for itself has now turned into a dull and pointless caption. You may as well leave it blank. Now, don’t get me wrong, an emoji here or there will never get old. They add that little bit of whimsy to your profile that we need. But use them thoughtfully, and do not go overboard – if I see another red dress dancer pop up on my FYP, it’s over.

Song lyrics

Last but not least, the one I am most guilty of – I am a fiend for a good song lyric caption, especially when I think it perfectly matches the vibe I’m going for. Hate to break it to you, but it probably doesn’t. It is so rare that the post actually justifies the lyric, and most likely, you will regret the choice in a week. Now that you can add audio, you don’t need to add a corny lyric at the bottom anyway! Leave the Frank Ocean out of it, and instead opt to pick out a cute detail from the post itself.

It’s rough out there, but don’t forget, no one is really paying attention. Try to channel your inner influencer and turn your feed into a creative outlet. The art of captions is intricate, but it’s never as deep as you think it is!