What Should a Good Social Media Caption Include?
What Should a Good Social Media Caption Include?
You’ve made the art, edited the photo, and chosen the platform, now it’s time to write the caption. For artists, this part can feel awkward or even useless, but a strong caption helps turn a scroll into a click, a comment, or even a collector. Here's what to include, and what to skip, when crafting captions that support your work and invite connection.
✅ A good caption should:
Hook people in the first line. Instagram only shows the first 1–2 lines before the “…more” cutoff. Start with a question, a bold statement, or something intriguing to get people to click and keep reading.
Share the story behind the work. What inspired this piece? What materials did you use? Was it part of a larger project or body of work? People love the process, give them a peek behind the curtain.
Be human and conversational. Don’t worry about writing like a gallery label. Use your voice. Let people know how you felt while creating, what you’re thinking now, or what you hope they see in it.
Add a simple call to action. Try “What do you see in this piece?” or “DM me if you’re interested in this work.” Even small prompts encourage engagement.
Use hashtags with intention. A few specific hashtags (like #LAArtists or #WatercolorPortraits) are more powerful than a wall of broad ones. They help people find your work, not skip over it. We’ll dive deeper into hashtags next week.
❌ A good caption shouldn’t:
Include links on Instagram. Links in Instagram captions aren’t clickable. Instead, use “link in bio” and make sure your bio link is up to date. For Facebook, posting a link in the caption works fine. This platform allows clickable links.
Overload with jargon or art-speak. Avoid sounding like an exhibition catalog. Clear, relatable language creates stronger connections than technical terms.
Repeat what’s obvious in the image. If you’re posting a portrait, don’t just write “Portrait of a woman.” Add something extra: the emotion, the inspiration, or the story.
Post walls of text. If your caption is longer, break it into short paragraphs or use emojis and line breaks to make it easier to read.
Try to sell in every post. Not every caption has to push a product or a show. Some can just be about connection, sharing what you're working on, thinking about, or inspired by.