Instagram captions are effective (and important) because they give greater context to a photo, video, or Reel.
But there's been a growing trend over the years called the "micro-blog style" caption that many influencers (and even brands!) use to engage with their community.
So, what's the optimal Instagram caption length in 2022?
We answer this question and more, below.
Why Instagram Captions Matter
Photos and videos have always come first on Instagram but, oftentimes, it’s the caption that makes or breaks a post.
That’s because the “story” you tell provides context, adds personality, and can even inspire your followers to take action – like clicking the link in your bio or leaving a comment.
What’s more, captions are a huge opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your audience. For brands and influencers, lengthy captions that champion story-telling and authenticity can drive great results.
Of course, what you put in your caption (including how much you write) really depends on the content you’re sharing, the occasion, and your brand.
For example, if you’re sharing a simple lifestyle post, a short and snappy caption might be best.
In any case, while creating beautiful content for your feed is important, writing good Instagram captions that drive engagement is an even better strategy.
And that’s exactly why we teamed up with social media expert Elise Darma for our free caption writing workshop:
What is the Best Instagram Caption Length in 2022?
One of the biggest trends to hit Instagram in 2021 was creators and brands tapping into the power of long-form captions to engage and connect with their followers – and we expect this trend to continue in 2022.
But just how much are Instagram captions growing?
Well, according to research by Fohr, the average caption length has more than doubled since 2016.
And in 2022, we predict our feeds will be filled with an even longer caption length – much like mini-blog posts:
Not sure what that looks like? Sarah Nicole Landry's highly descriptive captions often clock in at 100 words or more.
“Once I started to put value in the written word, I began to see a huge return,” explains Sarah.
“I’d put up a post with a short snappy caption and then a similar post with a long-form caption. I saw so much more engagement and shares on the long-form post."
For brands, in particular, this can be a really great opportunity for storytelling that goes beyond product information and builds a much stronger brand affinity with your audience.
Longer captions also typically result in higher engagement.
A study by Later and Fohr on influencer's captions found that the more you share, the better your engagement rate:
A higher engagement rate not only means that your content is hitting the mark with your audience, but it also helps with its overall discoverability.
The more engagement a post gets, the more likely it will appear on the Explore page or higher up in your followers’ feeds.
Following Fohr’s analysis, start by aiming for a caption length around the 70 words mark — it might seem like a lot at first, but you’ll soon get into the swing of sharing and you might see an uptick in your engagement.
From here, you can decide if you want to write more or less, but what’s important is that you tell more of your story in your Instagram captions in 2022.
Of course, we aren’t saying that every caption needs to be a novel. Sometimes, a short caption is all you need – it really depends on your brand and the content you’re sharing.
For example, the direct-to-consumer outdoor brand @finisterreuk often switches between long, descriptive captions and shorter captions:
At the end of the day, what’s most important is that your audience is engaging with your content.
Pssst, you can plan, organize, and schedule your posts with Later – for free!
How to Improve Your Instagram Captions with Later
We’ve all been there: you’re ready to post an amazing photo to Instagram, but when it comes time to enter your caption, you’re stumped.
One of the biggest reasons people have trouble writing Instagram captions is because they try to do it on the fly, which definitely isn’t ideal.
Instead of jumping from task to task, it’s more efficient to write your Instagram captions in one solid writing session so you can get in the zone – whether an hour on Monday mornings or your last task before the weekend.
TIP: If you want to get organized with captions, you can plan them in advance with Later’s Saved Captions feature! This way, you can create templates to save caption ideas and notes:
When it’s time to schedule, simply select one of your Saved Captions and add it to your post.
Coming up with long Instagram captions might seem hard but it’s totally worth the effort when you consider the benefits.
Whether you’re an e-commerce brand selling products or a blogger sharing content, give the long-form Instagram caption trend a try – it could be a game-changer for your Instagram engagement!
Ready to get organized and plan your Instagram content in advance? Start scheduling with Later. Sign up now – it’s free!
