Social media copy gets results when it provokes a reaction, not when it describes a product. The format matters as much as the words. Use short sentences on separate lines, put your strongest line first, and build every post around a real story or conflict. That combination is what gets shares, saves, and DMs.
I have spent years studying what copy works on Instagram and LinkedIn. At attn:seeker we write content for over 30 clients and manage social for brands across New Zealand and Australia. The patterns are clear. This guide covers the format, the hook structures, and the three post types that consistently outperform everything else.
Why most social media copy does not work
Most social media copy fails because it describes instead of provokes. The brand writes "Our new product is now available" or "We offer premium services for small businesses." Nobody stops for that. They have seen it a thousand times today already.
Copy that stops the scroll makes the reader feel something. A nod. A laugh. A "that is exactly my situation." The copy does not talk about the product. It talks about the reader.
The format that changed social media writing
On LinkedIn and Instagram, a format called broetry now dominates the feed. Broetry is line-by-line writing where each sentence sits on its own line with a break between. Every line is written to pull the reader to the next one.
It communicates a lot of information quickly and punchily. It is not literary writing. It is not trying to be. It is a format built for one thing: getting read on a phone screen at full speed.
Here is what it looks like in practice. Most brands write copy that describes. The ones that grow write copy that provokes. There is a big difference. Each line does one job: keep reading.
How to write a hook that stops the scroll
The first line is everything. If it does not work, nobody reads what follows. On Instagram the algorithm cuts off captions after the first 125 characters. On LinkedIn, the hook has to be strong enough that people tap "see more." Three hook formats work every time.
- Name the problem. "Most [audience] are [doing X wrong]. Here is why." This works because people will always stop to find out if they are doing something wrong.
- Make a claim. "I grew from 0 to 100,000 followers in one year. One format." Numbers and specific claims earn clicks because they promise real information.
- Open a loop. "Nobody tells you this about [topic]." The reader needs to close that loop. They tap through to find out what the thing is.
Write the hook last. Write the whole post first. Once you know the point and the story, you will know which hook format fits.
The story structure inside every post that performs
Every post that gets real engagement follows a story structure. The same one that works in short-form video works in copy. You do not have to write a full story. Three to five lines can carry it.
- Set up the world. Who is this? What situation are we in?
- Name the conflict. What is the problem or tension?
- Show the shift. What happened? What changed?
- Resolve it. What is the lesson or the outcome?
The key word there is show. You do not write "marketing is hard." You write "I sent 40 emails last month. Got two replies. Then I changed one thing." You show the situation and let the reader feel it. That is what gets people commenting.
As I tell our team: you are not saying go and buy this thing. You are making them feel something, and that is how you get people engaged in your copy.
The three post types that work every time
Rotate these three types across your week.
- The teaching post. What do you know that your audience does not? Teach it in steps using the broetry format. This builds credibility and gets saves.
- The story post. What happened to you, or to a client (anonymised), that your audience will recognise? Show the before and after. This builds connection and gets shares.
- The opinion post. What is a common belief in your industry you disagree with? Take the other side and defend it with specifics. This drives comments and reach.
Mix all three through the week. Never post the same type twice in a row.
Instagram vs LinkedIn: what changes
The broetry format works on both platforms. The tone and length shift slightly.
On LinkedIn, line breaks are essential and dense paragraphs get skipped. Business stories and lessons about work travel far. The challenge-to-result arc works better here than anywhere else. 150 to 300 words is a sweet spot for most posts.
On Instagram, the caption hook must land in the first 125 characters before the "more" cut. Captions can go longer if the hook earns it, but the first sentence does all the work. Copy that connects directly to the visual always outperforms copy that ignores it. One or two emoji for scannability is fine. More starts to look like a tourism ad.
How to stop your copy sounding like everyone else
The fastest way to differentiate your copy is specificity. Vague copy sounds like every other brand. Specific copy sounds like you.
Instead of "we help businesses grow," write "we took a Wellington gym from 200 to 4,200 followers in six weeks by changing one video format."
Instead of "great results for our clients," write "the client called on a Friday afternoon. He said he had cried reading the response he got from that post."
Specificity is credibility. It is also what gets remembered and shared.
Frequently asked questions
What is broetry?
Broetry is a social media copywriting format where each sentence sits on its own line with a line break between them. Every line is written to pull the reader to the next one. It is used on LinkedIn and Instagram because it reads fast and holds attention on a phone screen. The name is informal but the technique is widely used by the most-followed creators on both platforms.
How long should a social media caption be?
Long enough to say what needs to be said, short enough to hold attention. On LinkedIn, 150 to 300 words is a common sweet spot. On Instagram, the first 125 characters are the most important because of the "more" cut. Write for the hook first, then add length only if you have something worth saying.
How do you write a hook that stops the scroll?
Name a specific problem, make a concrete claim with numbers, or open a loop the reader needs to close. Vague hooks do not work. "5 marketing tips" is vague. "I stopped using this one word in my captions and my saves tripled" is specific. The more precise your hook, the better it performs.
How do I make my copy sound like me, not a robot?
Write the way you talk. Read every caption out loud. If you would not say it in a conversation, cut it. The best social media copy sounds like a message from a smart friend. If it sounds like a press release or a job listing, start over.
Should I use AI to write my social media copy?
AI is useful as a drafting tool if you give it real input: your stories, your voice, your examples. It does not have good ideas on its own. Feed it a real moment from your week, examples of your best past posts, and specific instructions. Edit the output. The ideas and the experience have to be yours.
