Social media isn’t rocket science, sure. But maybe it’s more attune to biology? I don’t know, I wasn’t great at science. Let’s take some time to dissect some examples of extremely good Instagram copywriting. Don’t worry, there will be no gore here.
Obviously, it’s ⚫️ ⚪️ ⚪️ ⚫️ (Just Saying)
An emoji says a 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ words – seriously. What makes Oreos’ copy so good is the clear lack of text. For too long emojis have been used as secondary accessories to basic word-based copy. Fine, this works – but it’s a tad boring now.
When writing copy you should always try to work out how you can push emojis to the edge and do something fun or innovative. Oreo has done this incredibly successfully by returning to emojis as a simple and pictorial form. They obviously haven’t completely reinvented the wheel and this certainly isn’t anything new, these types of symbols have been used throughout the entirety of history – think hieroglyphics, but Oreo? But, what it does show is that next time you use emojis within your copy, have a bit more of a play and see what images and stories you can make with them. They are useful tools.
This clever use of emojis is also incredibly successful because the caption becomes a clear extension of the asset. It mirrors the simple and visual form and invites a conversation cleverly and succinctly (without needing to appear beggy). If you scroll down the comments on this post, users are playing around with emojis in response (it’s fun!) – from football emojis to zebra emojis. Oreo have used the copy to cultivate an interactive space within the post, an emoji playground, and the audience has responded incredibly well.
Human/Brand Hybrid
What makes this Karma Drinks copy so great is its simple and clear mix of being distinctly human, but also very clearly a successful brand.
It starts with engaging human content – with a witty line and then an (unpopular?) opinion. It invites human reaction and human discussion – echoing exactly what could potentially be on a personal account. In a social media landscape where authenticity is craved by so many – the first half of the copy does a great job at cultivating very human interaction.
The second half of the caption has a clear and blunt call to action (with an added emoji to visually direct the viewer 👆). People following these accounts are under no illusions that you are a brand – so don’t insult their intelligence. There is often no need to beat around the bush. What this Karma Drinks caption does so well is they clearly put their human hat on first, and then their brand hat. In the everlasting hunt for online authenticity – this copy stands out but is still very effective.
Within this copy, there are two calls to action, though. There is the very obvious one (👆) – but, also, the more human first half is subtly inviting conversation and comments about all things seasonal. What makes great captions is not only words that sound nice together, or feel witty; but, a great copywriter should always be ‘one step ahead’ – thinking about each word’s purpose and what it might lead the reader to do. Be very subtly provocative (obviously, dont create a PR disaster).
It’s also a great example of how copy can add much-needed context to a seemingly simple image. By using the ‘hot topic’ of the incredibly popular PSL, the asset is dragged from being a pretty photo into a relevant and engaging piece. The adding of context is a prime affordance of copy – so utilise it!
Break that Fourth Wall!
If you have ever had the pleasure of scrolling down Innocents Instagram – you will see a feed crammed with humility, sarcasm and self-deprecation (sounds like my Thursday). With a move to a more ‘authentic’ social media – Innocent have captured the Gen Z-led tones and aesthetics that are extremely popular right now. The breaking of the fourth wall is also quite a trendy thing to do – being comical and open about the constant hunt (burden) for content or the daily struggles of a social media manager is a great and humorous way to engage your audience. Breaking the fourth wall shows real humans run Innocents Instagram (instead of cold corporate overlords).
If anything though, this shows how important copy is in elevating an asset. Without context this could have been a huge flop – but the use of a simple and funny script format heavily improves the asset. Always use copy to work with an asset and add context. The script format is a simple but effective way to ensure the copy is filled with narrative – and, not to sound like an English GCSE teacher, has a solid beginning, middle and end structure.
We can’t lie though, we’d love to work with a client with a budget for fire breathers – let us know.
TLDR:
1. Be more creative with emojis!
2. Get that Human/Brand hybrid just right.
3. Always use copy to add context.
4. Ironic humour is hot right now. Don’t be scared, roast yourself.
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