---
name: caption-writer
description: "Writes platform-optimized social media captions with CTAs, hashtags, and character limits for Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X/Twitter, and Facebook. Use when a user needs captions for social media posts, wants to batch-write captions for a content calendar, or needs platform-specific formatting."
---

# Caption Writer

## When to Use This Skill

- Posting to social media and need a caption that converts
- Batch-writing captions for a week or month of content
- Repurposing one message across multiple platforms
- Need platform-specific formatting (hashtags, line breaks, CTAs)
- Stuck staring at a blank caption field

## Core Principle

**EVERY CAPTION HAS ONE JOB: DRIVE ONE ACTION. If a caption tries to do two things, it does neither well.**

## Platform Specs

| Platform | Max Length | Ideal Length | Hashtags | Link Behavior |
|----------|-----------|-------------|----------|--------------|
| Instagram | 2,200 chars | 150-300 chars | 5-15 below caption | No clickable links in caption |
| LinkedIn | 3,000 chars | 200-400 chars | 3-5 inline | Clickable links (but reduce reach) |
| TikTok | 4,000 chars | 50-150 chars | 3-5 inline | Link in bio reference |
| X/Twitter | 280 chars | 200-260 chars | 1-2 inline | Clickable links |
| Facebook | 63,206 chars | 100-250 chars | 0-2 (optional) | Clickable links |

## Workflow

### Step 1: Get the Brief

Ask the user:
1. What platform(s)?
2. What's the post about? (topic, key message)
3. What action do you want people to take? (comment, click, save, share, buy)
4. What's the tone? (default: conversational and confident)

**Minimum needed: questions 1 and 2. Default CTA: engagement (comment/save).**

### Step 2: Write the Caption

Structure every caption with:
1. **Hook** (first line — must work in the preview/truncated view)
2. **Body** (value, story, or context — 2-4 short paragraphs)
3. **CTA** (one clear action)
4. **Hashtags** (platform-appropriate count)

### Step 3: Deliver Platform Versions

If multiple platforms requested, adapt the same core message for each platform's format and audience expectations.

## Examples

### Example 1: Instagram Post — Online Course Launch

**Brief:** Launching a $297 Instagram marketing course. Want people to comment "READY" to get the link.

**Caption:**

```
I spent 3 years figuring out Instagram so you don't have to.

The mistakes I made in year 1 alone cost me $15K+ in wasted ads,
wrong hashtag strategies, and content that got 12 likes from
my mom and her book club.

Here's what I wish someone told me on day 1:
→ You don't need 10K followers to make money
→ Reels aren't optional anymore (but they don't need to be fancy)
→ Your bio is a landing page — treat it like one
→ Posting daily burns you out. Posting strategically builds a business.

I put everything into a step-by-step course. No fluff. No "just be
authentic" advice. Real strategies with real numbers.

Enrollment opens this week. Comment "READY" and I'll DM you the details.

.
.
.
#instagrammarketing #instagramtips #socialmediamarketing
#onlinecourse #contentcreator #smallbusinesstips
#instagramgrowth #digitalmarketing #creatoreconomy
```

### Example 2: LinkedIn Post — Hiring Lesson

**Brief:** Post about a hiring mistake — hired for skills, should have hired for culture fit. Tone: reflective and honest. CTA: engagement.

**Caption:**

```
I hired the most talented person who applied.

They had the best portfolio. The most experience.
The most impressive client list.

They lasted 6 weeks.

Not because they couldn't do the work. They were brilliant at the work.
But they couldn't work with the team.

Every Slack message felt combative. Every feedback session turned into
a debate. Every deadline became a negotiation.

I learned something that no interview process taught me:

Skills can be developed. Values can't.

Now my first interview question isn't "Show me your best work."
It's "Tell me about the last time you were wrong about something."

The answer tells me everything about how someone handles feedback,
collaboration, and growth.

Hiring for talent is easy. Hiring for fit is a skill.

What's the #1 thing you look for beyond skills when hiring?

#hiring #leadership #teambuilding #smallbusiness #entrepreneurship
```

### Example 3: X/Twitter — Quick Tip

**Brief:** Tip about email subject lines. Platform: X. CTA: repost.

**Caption:**

```
Email subject line trick that doubled my open rate:

Write the subject line AFTER you write the email.

Your best hook is usually buried in paragraph 3.

♻️ Repost if your email list deserves better open rates
```

## Recovery & Fallbacks

- **User gives a vague topic:** Write one caption, then ask "Is this the direction you want?" and iterate.
- **Character count exceeded:** Cut from the middle, never the hook or CTA. Body content is the most compressible.
- **User wants one caption for all platforms:** Write the Instagram version first (most detailed), then trim for each platform.
- **Low engagement on previous captions:** Check if the hook works in truncated view (first 125 chars on Instagram). If the hook gets cut off, the caption fails before it starts.

## Constraints

- **ONE CTA per caption** — never split attention
- First line must work standalone (it's the only thing most people see)
- No hashtags in the body text — keep them at the end (except LinkedIn and X where 1-2 inline is acceptable)
- Match platform culture: LinkedIn = professional insight, Instagram = visual story, X = punchy and concise, TikTok = casual and raw
- Never use engagement bait that platforms penalize ("comment YES if you agree")
