Most small-business captions read like a Hallmark card pinned to a press release. They're nice. They don't sell.
The structure we use for every client is brutally simple: **hook, value, ask**. Three lines. Done.
Hook (line 1). A question, a contrarian take, a specific number. Whatever stops the thumb.
Value (line 2). One specific insight, story, or tip — not a sales pitch.
Ask (line 3). One clear next step. Comment, save, DM, book — pick one.
Example: café. "Why we charge $5.50 for a flat white. (It's not the milk.) Save this if you want a 30-second crash course in how a café actually makes money. DM us 'menu' for our hidden lunch set."
Example: builder. "Did your builder text you back today? Most don't. Here's why we built our quote response into the working day. Tap follow if you want straight answers, fast."
Example: yoga studio. "This is the move that fixed my dodgy shoulder. 20 seconds, twice a day. Save it for tomorrow morning — and tell us how you feel by Friday."
Try it tomorrow. We bet your engagement jumps by Wednesday.