350+ Instagram Caption Ideas to Make Your Own (+ Write Yours with AI)

Ever wondered how to increase your reach and engagement and, in turn, grow your following on Instagram? Your Instagram captions could hold the key.

Yes, Instagram is a visual social media platform, but your caption carries more weight in the Instagram algorithm than you think. 

A strong visual can catch users' attention, but carefully thought-out Instagram captions can do more heavy lifting when it comes to growing your following on Instagram.

For another, your caption can be crucial in prompting engagement from your followers. For example, you could use those 3,000 characters to:

• Authentically connect with your followers in a meaningful, vulnerable caption.
• Ask them a question and prompt them to comment to answer.
• Share some helpful information that has them lingering on your Instagram post to learn more.
• Have them laugh out loud, encouraging them to like or share.

That said, it's not always easy to come up with something that ticks all the boxes — especially when you've spent hours creating the perfect Instagram Reel, carousel, or photo. 

So here’s some help: More than 350 funny, clever, or meaningful Instagram caption ideas for you to use on your next post. We’ve also included some guidance on how to use AI to turn it into your own personal Instagram captions generator. Sound good? Let’s dig in. 

35 short Instagram captions

Good Instagram captions don't have to be essays. Let your reels or pics speak for themselves with these short Instagram caption ideas.

1. “Grateful”
2. “Chasing sunsets.”
3. “Thanks for the memories.”
4. “Core memories”
5. “In my happy place”
6. “Baby steps.”
7. “Dreaming.”
8. “Proof of life.”
9. "Limitless."
10. “OOO.”
11. “Courage.”
12. “Curiouser and curiouser.”
13. "Making my own sunshine."
14. "Life is better when you're laughing."
15. “The best life experiences are free.”
16. "Golden hour glow."
17. "Good vibes only."
18. "Lost in the moment."
19. "Sunkissed and smiling."
20. "No rain, no flowers."
21. "Just breathe."
22. "Create your own sunshine."
23. "Chase dreams."
24. "Less perfection, more authenticity."
25. "Keep it simple."
26. "Wild and free."
27. "Do more things that make you forget to check your phone."
28. "Start somewhere."
29. "Stay present."
30. "Live lightly, love deeply."
31. "Dream big, worry less."
32. "Slow down and soak it in."
33. "Collecting moments, not things."
34. "Sunshine in my soul."
35. "Keep going, keep growing."

20 birthday Instagram captions

These birthday captions for Instagram can be used on your own birthday (a very happy birthday if it is!) or tweaked to use as a message to someone else. I've included some great photo captions that will work for a business birthday, too.

1. "I don't know about you, but I'm feeling [insert age]."
2. "Aging like a fine wine."
3. "HBD to the MVP!"
4. "Old enough to know better, young enough to do it anyway."
5. "Happy cake day!"
6. "Your life is a beautiful story. Here's to writing your next chapter."
7. "Growing up is optional, growing old is mandatory."
8. "Another year closer to those senior citizen discounts!"
9. "Level unlocked."
10. "Growing stronger each year, thanks to our customers!"
11. "A year older, a year bolder."
12. "Chapter [age] begins now."
13. "Growing wiser, not just older."
14. "Making [age] look good."
15. "Aging like a classic song—only getting better."
16. "Today’s forecast: 100% chance of cake."
17. "More candles, more memories, more fun."
18. "Another trip around the sun, and still shining."
19. "Feeling grateful for another year of adventures."
20. "Here’s to another year of making dreams come true."

44 motivational Instagram captions

Sometimes, the image is so aesthetic that it requires something moving to accompany it. Here are some cool captions for your next Instagram post. (Bonus: these could make for some great text over Instagram Reels, too.)

1. "Create the things you wish existed."
2. "Turning can't into can and dreams into plans."
3. "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success."
4. “You didn't come this far to only come this far.”
5. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
6. "When nothing goes right, go left."
7. The best view comes after the hardest climb."
8. "The sky is not the limit. Your mind is."
9. "The harder you work, the luckier you get."
10. "The secret to getting ahead is getting started."
11. "Small steps every day lead to big results."
12. "Dream it. Believe it. Achieve it."
13. "Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will."
14. "Be so good they can’t ignore you."
15. "Make today so awesome that yesterday gets jealous."
16. "Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally; it comes from what you do consistently."
17. "If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you."
18. "Your only limit is your mindset."
19. "Work until your idols become your rivals."

Hard work and hustle captions

20. "Hustle in silence, let success make the noise."
21. "Chase dreams, not things."
22. "You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great."
23. "Do what you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life."
24. "Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you."
25. "Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day."
26. "Winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners."
27. "The road to success is always under construction."
28. "Your hustle will determine your future."
29. "If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door."

Mindset and positivity captions

30. "Your mindset shapes your reality."
31. "Start small, but dream big."
32. "Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable."
33. "You become what you believe."
34. "Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits."
35. "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."
36. "Happiness is not a goal; it’s a byproduct of a life well-lived."
37. "Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try."
38. "Fall seven times, stand up eight."
39. "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations."

Success and growth captions

40. "Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone."
41. "Stay focused, go after your dreams, and keep moving toward your goals."
42. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
43. "Great things never come from comfort zones."
44. "You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you."

38 Instagram captions for small businesses

It can be tricky to create reel or photo captions for Instagram but still strike an appropriate tone and maintain your brand voice as a small business. Here are some clever Instagram captions to get you started:

1. "Who needs therapy when you can shop here?"
2.  "Shopping here is a form of self-care."
3. "Laughter is the best medicine, but our products are a close second."
4. "Behind every small business is a dream, hard work, and dedication."
5. "Big dreams, tiny team."
6. "Every order makes us do a happy dance!"
7. "Making cool stuff since [year]."
8. "Thanks for supporting our dream."
9. "Doing what we love for people who love what we do."
10. “Dream big, shop small.”
11. "Every big brand started as a small business. Thanks for being part of our journey!"
12. "Made with passion, sold with love."
13. "Your support means the world to our small business!"
14. "When you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance."
15. "Handmade, heartfelt, and hustle-driven."
16. "Small business, big dreams, endless possibilities."
17. "You're not just buying a product; you're supporting a dream."
18. "We’re not just a business; we’re a community."
19. "One purchase, one smile, one step closer to our dreams."
20. "Quality over quantity, always."
21. "Warning: Shopping here may cause extreme happiness."
22. "More than a brand — it's a labor of love."
23. "No big investors, just big dreams."
24. "Alexa, add everything to my cart!"
25. "Cute things inside — handle with care!"
26. "Because retail therapy is real therapy."
27. "Local, loyal, and loving what we do!"
28. "Not just a product, but a whole vibe."
29. "Hustling hard so you don’t have to shop anywhere else!"
30. "Running a small business: 50% passion, 50% coffee!"

Customer appreciation captions for Instagram

32. "Your support = our success. Thank you!"
33. "A little shop with a lot of love."
34. "Every time you shop small, a real person does a happy dance."
35. "Your orders keep our dreams alive — thank you!"
36. "Tag us in your purchase — we love seeing our products in action!"
37. "The best customers in the world? We got ‘em!"
38. "Thank you for shopping small and making a big impact!"

20 quotes for Instagram captions

Sometimes, someone else said it better. From Taylor Swift to Han Solo to William Shakespeare, here are some quotes that could make for the perfect Instagram caption.

1. "I don't even have a 'pla.'" — Phoebe Buffay, Friends
2. "Never tell me the odds." — Han Solo, Star Wars
3. "Love is the most common miracle."  — John Green, Will Grayson, Will Grayson
4. “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — William Shakespeare, Hamlet
5. “People like me are gone forever when you say goodbye.” — Taylor Swift, All You Had To Do Was Stay
6. "Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” — John D. Rockefeller
7. "Isn't that just kick-you-in-the-crotch, spit-on-your-neck fantastic?" — Rachel Green, Friends
8. "Exit, pursued by a bear." — William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale
9. “You wouldn't last an hour in the asylum where they raised me.” — Taylor Swift, Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?
10. “It's not that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but it's your best friends who are your diamonds.” — Gina Barreca
11. "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." – C.S. Lewis
12. "The purpose of our lives is to be happy." – Dalai Lama
13. "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." – Vincent Van Gogh
14. “Not all those who wander are lost.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
15. "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying." – Oscar Wilde
16. "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." – Robin Williams
17. "The new me is really still the real me." — Drake, In My Feelings
18. “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they love me.” — Michael Scott, The Office
19. “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”― Neil Gaiman, Coraline
20. “Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” — Mark Twain

10 Instagram captions for selfies

Here are some witty, funny, and moving photo captions for Instagram selfies.

1. "Be the reason someone smiles today."
2. “Confidence level: Insta selfie.”
3. "Self-love is the best love."
4. "Just another day being awesome."
5. "Won't delete later."
6. “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." — John Lennon, Imagine
7. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.”― Judy Garland
8. “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” ― Mae West
9. “It's no use going back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” ― Lewis Carroll
10. "Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are." — Brené Brown

30 funny Instagram caption ideas

Funny captions often make for the most memorable Instagram posts. Many Instagram users want to be entertained, after all! Here are some of the best Instagram captions I've seen for inspiring a laugh from your followers.

1. “I'm just here for the food.”
2. "If I had a dollar for every time I got distracted, I wish I had a puppy."
3. "My favorite exercise is a cross between a lunge and a crunch ... I call it lunch."
4. "I'm not lazy, I'm on energy-saving mode."
5. "I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right."
6. "Building an empire... one typo at a time."
7. "Is it too late to be a morning person?"
8. "Putting the ‘pro' in procrastination."
9. "I like big books, and I cannot lie."
10. "I need six months of vacation, twice a year."
11. "I put the ‘pro’ in procrastinate."
12. "Life update: Still alive, still funny, still hungry."
13. "Some people graduate with honors, I am just honored to graduate from my bed every morning."
14. "I don’t need a hairstylist, my pillow gives me a new style every morning."
15. "I’m not saying I’m lazy, but… OK, fine, I am lazy."

Funny food and eating captions for Instagram

16. "I like my coffee like I like my mornings — dark and strong."
17. "Abs are great, but have you tried pizza?"
18. "Currently holding it all together with snacks and sarcasm."
19. "I'm on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it."
20. "I tried to be healthy today, but then I heard my fridge whisper ‘pizza’.”

Funny work and productivity captions for Instagram

21. "Work hard so you can shop harder."
22. "I need six months of vacation, twice a year."
23. "If mornings had a snooze button, I’d hit it."
24. "Don’t worry if plan A fails; there are 25 more letters in the alphabet."
25. "I pretend to work. They pretend to pay me. It’s a fair deal.”

Funny selfie and confidence captions for Instagram

26. "Confidence level: That one friend who always double-texts."
27. "I don’t always take selfies, but when I do, I make sure the lighting is perfect."
28. "Me: posts a fire selfie. Also me: hides for three days from notifications."
29. "I woke up like this… late."
30. "Mirror: You look amazing today. Camera: Nope, try again."

35 Instagram sassy captions

Turn up the attitude and sprinkle your feed with these bold, unapologetic photo captions that will have your followers living for your confidence.

1. "Serving attitude with a side of ‘you can’t sit with me.’"
2. "Spilling more sass than my morning coffee."
3. "If wit was a sport, I’d have a gold medal."
4. "Not everyone likes me, but not everyone matters."
5. "Catch flights, not feelings … unless the feelings are about me."
6. "Living life one bold move at a time"
7. “Main character energy.”
8. "No GPS needed, I’m already on my way to the top."
9. "Sassy but always classy."
10. "Warning: I may be too hot to handle."
11. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the boldest of them all?"
12. "Born to stand out — fitting in was never an option."
13. "Chasing my dreams, not boys."
14. "Just me, living my best life."
15. "Keep your heels, head, and standards high."
16. "Just me, dripping confidence like it’s Chanel No. 5."
17. "Looking like a million bucks … on a budget."
18. "Flaws? I call them unique design features."
19. "I am the plot twist you didn’t see coming."
20. "The glow-up is real. Stay tuned."
21. "Zero percent interest in your negativity."
22. "Brb, living my best life."
23. "I can’t be everyone’s cup of tea … but I’m someone’s favorite coffee."
24. "I’m not extra, I’m just the full package."
25. "They told me I couldn’t, so I did it twice and took selfies."
26. "I break hearts, not promises."
27. "Bad vibes don’t go with my outfit."
28. "Confidence level: Beyoncé in ‘Formation’."
29. "Just like my eyeliner, I always wing it and make it work."
30. "I came. I saw. I left them speechless."
31. "Why stress when you can impress?"
32. "Life is too short to wear boring clothes."
33. "Be the energy you want to attract. Mine? Unstoppable."
34. "Rolling my eyes so hard, I might find my brain."
35. "Some follow trends, I set them."

30 cute Instagram captions

Sweeten up your Instagram post with these adorable captions. Perfect for those moments when you just can't help but smile.

1. "Smiles, sunshine, and a little bit of sparkle."
2. "Keep shining, beautiful things are ahead!"
3. "Cuteness overload, handle with care!"
4. "Throw kindness around like confetti."
5. "Sunshine mixed with a little bit of sweetness."
6. "You make my heart smile."
7. "Just a cupcake in a world full of muffins."
8. "Happiness looks good on me, don’t you think?"
9. "Keep calm and stay adorable!"
10. "Sprinkling a little bit of magic wherever I go."
11. "Smiling because life is just that sweet."
12. "Caution: Too much cuteness in one picture!"
13. "Messy bun and having fun!"
14. "A little bit of sugar, a little bit of spice, and a whole lot of nice!"
15. "Selfie mode: ON. Filter needed? Nah."
16. "Chase dreams, catch cute moments."
17. "A little sparkle never hurt anyone."
18. "Feeling cute, might take another selfie later."
19. "No filter, just me."
20. "All smiles, no worries!"
21. "You + Me = ❤️"
22. "Together is my favorite place to be."
23. "Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite."
24. "Love is in the air … or maybe it’s just coffee!"
25. "Stealing hearts and snacks, one day at a time."
26. "I fall for you every single day."
27. "Cuddles, giggles, and a whole lot of love!"
28. "My heart does a happy dance every time I see you."
29. "Life’s cuter when you’re around!"
30. "Love, laughter, and a little bit of magic."
31. "Made of sugar, spice, and everything nice!"
32. "Collecting happy moments like seashells."
33. "Smiling my way through life, one cute moment at a time."
34. "Falling for fall, but make it cute!"
35. "Bringing all the good vibes and cuteness your way!"

23 beach Instagram captions

Even if you're not a travel creator, you can be forgiven for flooding your feed with seaside Instagram posts on a beach holiday. Here are some poignant, clever, cool captions for Instagram to accompany your beachy snaps and clips.

1. “My job is just… beach.” — Ken, The Barbie Movie
2. "I'm looking for a man in flip-flops. Sun-kissed. Seaside. Good vibes.”
3. “Life's a beach.”
4. "Gone to the beach, be back never."
5. "Life is better in flip flops."
6. "The tans will fade, but the memories will last forever."
7. "Every time I slip into the ocean, it's like going home." — Sylvia Earle
8. "Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
9. "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." — Karen Blixen
10. "Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away." — Sarah Kay
11. "Life’s a beach, enjoy the waves!"
12. "Seas the day!"
13. "Lost at sea? I’m not complaining."
14. "Beach, please!"
15. "Good vibes and tan lines."
16. "If there’s a will, there’s a wave."
17. "Keep palm and carry on."
18. "High tides and good vibes."
19. "Mermaid mode activated."
20. "Ocean breeze & salty knees."
21. "Salty air, sandy toes, and sun-kissed nose."
22. "Beach hair, don’t care."
23. "Sunkissed and sea-salted."

28 summer Instagram caption ideas

Soak up the sun and let the good times roll! Whether you're beachside or poolside, these captions will bring the summer vibes to your next Instagram post.

Summer sun captions

1. "Sunshine, tan lines, and good vibes only."
2. "Hello, summer! Please stay forever."
3. "Living life in a tropical state of mind."
4. "Summer days and ocean waves."
5. "Less Monday, more summer."
6. "Blue skies, sunshine, endless possibilities!"
7. "Vacation mode: ON."

Pool party and water fun captions

8. "Pool hair, don’t care."
9. "Splish, splash, summer’s a blast!"
10. "Floating through life one pool day at a time."
11. "Sun’s out, fun’s out!"
12. "Swimsuit season is my favorite season."
13. "Just keep swimming … towards the weekend!"
14. "Water you up to? Just making a splash!"
15. "Summer isn’t complete without a poolside drink!"

Summer food and drink captions

16. "Ice cream solves everything."
17. "Sippin’ on sunshine."
18. "Stay cool, eat watermelon!"
19. "Popsicle kisses and summer wishes."
20. "Coconut in one hand, a margarita in the other."
21. "More ice cream, less worries."
22. "When life gives you lemons, make a margarita."

Fun and playful summer vibes captions

23. "Tan lines fade, but summer memories last forever."
24. "Let’s make some waves!"
25. "Here for a good time, not a long time."
26. "Sunshine is the best accessory."
27. "Find me under the palm trees."
28. "Living life one sunny day at a time."

40 fall Instagram caption ideas

Think fall, think cozy vibes, crunchy leaves, and pumpkin spice — capture that feeling in your video or photo captions! Here are some fun fall-themed captions to get you started.

1. "Pumpkin spice and everything nice."
2. "Leaves are falling, autumn is calling."
3. "Sweater weather is better weather."
4. "Fall breeze and crunchy leaves, yes please!"
5. "Autumn leaves and pumpkin dreams."
6. "Falling in love with fall all over again."
7. "Crisp air, cozy vibes, and pumpkin spice everything!"
8. "Autumn skies and pumpkin pies."
9. "Golden leaves and cozy sleeves."
10. "This season is too gourd to be true!"

Pumpkin and Halloween captions

11. "Pumpkin kisses and harvest wishes."
12. "I’m just here for the boos!"
13. "Squash goals."
14. "I’m hollow inside … just like this pumpkin."
15. "You had me at pumpkin spice."
16. "Creep it real this fall."
17. "Hocus pocus and pumpkin focus!"
18. "Fall so hard, trick-or-treaters wanna find me."
19. "Falling leaves and spooky sleeves."
20. "Pumpkin-flavored kisses and Halloween wishes!"

Cozy and weather captions

21. "Chilling with my cozy crew."
22. "Sipping cider and living my best autumn life."
23. "Hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, and fall leaves = perfection."
24. "Autumn leaves and lattes, please."
25. "Leggings, boots, and oversized sweaters … fall uniform activated!"
26. "Crisp mornings, warm coffee, and endless coziness."
27. "Sweaters, cider, and bonfire nights – my kind of vibe."
28. "This sweater isn’t the only thing oversized – so is my love for fall!"
29. "Cuddle weather has officially begun!"
30. "Autumn: The season that feels like a warm hug."

Playful fall captions

31. "Hay there, fall!" 🌾
32. "I like my fall like I like my lattes – extra spicy!" ☕🔥
33. "Leaf me alone, I’m enjoying autumn." 🍁
34. "You’re never too old to jump in a pile of leaves."
35. "Apple picking > everything else."
36. "Bonfires, sweaters, and everything better."
37. "October is proof that change can be beautiful."
38. "Pumpkin patches + cozy snuggles = happiness."
39. "Falling leaves, hot drinks, and spooky things."
40. "Welcome to the coziest season of the year!"

20 winter Instagram captions

Winter is all about hot cocoa, roaring fires, and frosty fun. Here are some cool captions to match the season!

1. "Cold hands, warm heart."
2. "Winter magic is in the air."
3. "Frosty mornings and cozy nights."
4. "Sweater weather is better weather."
5. "Happiness is hot cocoa on a cold day."
6. "Winter is proof that endings can be beautiful."
7. "Catching snowflakes and making memories."
8. "Snowy days and warm drinks."
9. "The world changes when it snows."
10. "Let it snow, let it glow."

Cozy and holiday season captions

11. "Bundled up and loving it."
12. "Home is where the fireplace is."
13. "Cuddle season is officially here."
14. "Fuzzy socks, warm blankets, and holiday movies."
15. "Eat, drink, and be cozy."
16. "Making memories one snowfall at a time."
17. "Winter nights, twinkling lights, and festive delights."
18. "Tis the season to be cozy."
19. "Winter days, warm hearts."
20. "Chasing winter sunsets and holiday lights."

AI Instagram caption generator 

Buffer's AI Assistant is social media smart, meaning our specialist engineers have trained it to understand the nuances of each platform. 

So, with the right prompting from you, it can help you generate the perfect Instagram captions for your target audience. 

If you're a Buffer user, you'll find the AI Assistant ready and waiting to help in the post composer window. To find it, just tap the + New Post button, then Use the AI Assistant. A window will open to the left of the composer where you can prompt the AI.

Not a user? No sweat. You can use Buffer's AI Social Media Post Creator to help you write your Instagram captions without signing up. 

Whichever route you choose, be sure to get specific about a) the subject of your Instagram post and b) who your target audience is when prompting an AI tool to help you generate captions for Instagram.

Don't be afraid to include more details! The more specific you are, the better your AI-generated Instagram captions will be. You can ask for the caption to be in a specific tone, a certain number of characters, and even include target keywords or hashtags. 

Here's a prompt to get you started: 

For example: Write a [tone] Instagram caption for [target audience] related to [topic]. The caption should be at least [number] words long and include the keywords or hashtags [target words]. 

10 AI Instagram caption prompts

Need more inspiration? Here are some more caption prompts to get you started on the road to great Instagram captions. Remember, copying and pasting these will only get you so far. The better you prompt the assistant, the better your Instagram captions will be. 

1. Write an Instagram caption that includes a list of [number] tips for [target audience] on [topic].
2. Write an Instagram caption that showcases [number] ways to [achieve a specific goal related to the topic].
3. Take this [other social media] post and transform it into a caption for Instagram: [paste the text from the old post]
4. Write an Instagram caption that debunks common myths about [topic] for [target audience].
5. Write a funny Instagram caption for [target audience] that will help them feel better about [specific challenge]
6. Write an Instagram caption that promotes our new product/service [description of product or service] that includes a call-to-action to encourage [taget audience] to [take specific action]. 
7. Write an Instagram caption that breaks down [complex topic] into simple steps for [target audience].
8. Write an Instagram caption that shares [number] interesting facts about [topic] for [target audience].
9. Write an Instagram caption that breaks down the benefits of using our product or service for [target audience]. Some of the benefits are [list benefits here].
10. Write an Instagram caption that contains a motivational message that encourages [target audience] to do [specific action].

Maybe you don't have an overarching social media marketing goal or social media strategy right now — you may just be looking for something simple and clever to accompany your next post. 

If that's the case, this is the section for you. Here are a host of different Instagram captions to steal for your next selfie or photo dump carousel, whether you're after funny Instagram captions, one-word Instagram captions, beach Instagram captions, and more. 

What makes a good Instagram caption?

A clever Instagram caption supports your photo or video, offers a window into who you are, educates, prompts your followers to engage, or all of the above.

How does it fit into your creator or marketing goals for Instagram? Is it prompting follows, creating awareness, encouraging engagement, or sales?

Does it come across as authentic to your brand identity? Not every brand is witty, and not every brand is super serious.

Closely tied to authenticity is brand consistency in voice and tone. Your audience stays for the type of content you're known for publishing, so a good caption should reflect who you are.

Does it encourage user engagement? Engagement is the bread and butter of any social media platform — your likes, retweets, shares, and more, show that your account resonates with your audience. It's a great idea to focus on getting users to engage with your post in your Instagram captions.

Ultimately, however, your captions for Instagram should be relevant to your images. Is there an object you want to highlight? Is there a theme you can run with? Stephanie Gutierrez, a Senior Social Media Strategist at Online Optimism recommends using playful puns to keep your caption light or clear and concise CTAs to drive your desired results.

Examples of accounts with great Instagram captions

Some of the best Instagram caption ideas come from Instagram itself. I love scrolling through my Instagram feed to see what clever captions other brands and creators have come up with.

With that in mind, here are some of the best Instagram captions I've seen on the app lately:

Tessa Hughs: The 'reel' value is in the caption

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A post shared by Tessa Hughes (@spatialawareness____)

Experimenting with including the real value from your Instagram post in your caption rather than giving it all away in the video could boost reach.

Tessa Hughs (@spatialawareness____) does it masterfully in the video below. Two bonuses for this strategy: 

1. Your audience doesn't need to tap and hold your reel to review advice they may have missed. 
2. A short reel than contains only the ‘hook' of your post will be much easier to film and edit!

National Park Service: Longer Instagram captions with great engagement

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We first discovered the wonder of the National Park Service's Instagram account when it was featured in Link in Bio, a newsletter about social media. Their account often defies the convention of keeping Instagram captions between 150-300 characters with long, humorous, and engaging captions.

The account often starts Instagram posts with a funny sentence (as seen in the post below) or a CTA that encourages readers to continue reading the post, which follows through on the engaging introduction.

We're Not Really Strangers: Connecting to your audience through short but engaging Instagram captions

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The Instagram account for the We're Not Really Strangers card game has great engagement — over 5.6%, which is a lot for its audience of 5 million followers.

The Instagram captions on the posts tend to be short, but in tandem with the post, they always encourage conversation in the comments. In the post below, the brand's audience shares their "little things that aren't little" in the comments.

Jeannette Aranda: Mixing long and short Instagram captions as the post calls for

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A post shared by Jeannette Aranda (@shutthekaleup)

Jeanette Ogden, who runs @shutthekaleup, is an Instagram influencer who posts a lot about motherhood, fitness, and food on her account.

She mixes caption length up depending on the post and sees a lot of engagement from her audience. People seem to resonate with her and enjoy it when she goes more into detail.

Jeanette's account is a great example of understanding your audience and knowing when to go in-depth.

Less is more when it comes to Instagram captions

Treat your Instagram captions like you would a press release, and look for ways to remove anything unnecessary. “Less is more” doesn't just refer to the length of the post but also to the number of hashtags or emojis you include. Or, instead of tagging someone in the caption, use Instagram's tagging feature instead.

You have up to 3,000 characters for every caption, though you don't have to fill that space. But this doesn't mean your Instagram captions can't be long, either. It means you're communicating the most important information and not adding filler.

Also, using a character counter can help ensure your social media captions stay within platform-specific character limits.