Writing captions that don't sound like a brand

Most bad captions have the same problem: they read like a press release. 'We are thrilled to announce our new seasonal menu, available now!' No one talks like that, and no one wants to read it.

A quick fix: write it as a text to a friend first

Draft the caption as if you were texting a friend about the thing, then trim it. 'Ok the pumpkin scone is back and it's better than last year, I ate two testing it' becomes a much more specific, human caption than 'Introducing our new Fall menu item.'

Three concrete habits

·Use specific numbers and names instead of adjectives — '40 minutes to smoke, no shortcuts' beats 'delicious and slow-cooked'

·Write one caption per post that couldn't be copy-pasted onto a competitor's identical product — if it could, it's too generic

·Read it out loud once before posting; if you stumble on a phrase, a reader will scroll past it

Example: instead of 'Our team works hard to bring you the best coffee experience,' try 'Maria's been pulling shots here for 6 years and still tastes every new batch before it goes on the menu.' Same underlying claim (quality, experience) but specific and believable.

Emojis and hashtags aren't the problem — overused adjectives and vague claims are. A caption with zero emojis can still sound like a corporate memo, and a caption with one emoji can still sound like a real person.