When you scroll through social media, what makes you stop? It’s rarely the perfectly polished corporate post. It’s the one that feels like it’s speaking directly to you.

And that’s the challenge: most AI-generated captions sound generic. They get the structure right, but they miss the spark that makes your audience feel like you “get” them. The good news? With the right approach, AI can actually help you personalise captions at scale without losing your voice.

Let’s break down how you can use AI to create captions that sound authentic, engaging, and tailored to your audience - rather than robotic filler.

Step 1: Feed AI the Right Context

AI is only as good as what you put into it. If you simply say “write me a caption about coffee,” you’ll get something bland like “Coffee makes everything better!”

Instead, provide context. Who are you speaking to? What do they care about? What do you want them to feel or do after reading?

Example:

• Audience: busy parents

• Tone: supportive and light-hearted

• Goal: encourage them to book your café for a family-friendly breakfast

Now your caption is more likely to sound like:
“Pancakes that keep the kids happy. Coffee that keeps you sane. Sounds like the perfect family breakfast? We’ve got you covered this weekend.”

Step 2: Add Personal Touchpoints

People connect with details that feel specific. AI can personalise captions when you tell it to include references to:

• Common struggles (“late-night deadlines”)

• Local cues (“Rainy Irish mornings”)

• Seasonal context (“back-to-school rush”)

This makes your captions relatable and helps your audience feel like you’re inside their world.

💡 Pro tip: If you’re targeting multiple audiences (say, local customers vs online buyers), you can ask AI to generate two versions of the same caption with different touchpoints.

Step 3: Layer in Your Voice

Your brand voice is what makes your captions stand out. Do you sound warm and encouraging, bold and direct, or playful and witty? AI won’t know unless you tell it.

Try prompts like:

• “Rewrite this caption in a friendly, conversational tone, like I’m chatting with a friend.”

• “Make this sound bold and motivating, like a fitness coach.”

Even better, give AI a few examples of your past captions and ask it to mimic the style.

Step 4: Refine, Don’t Just Copy

Here’s the key: AI gives you a first draft, but you bring the final polish. Read the output and tweak a word or phrase to add your personality.

For example:
AI might give you:
“Start your Monday strong with our productivity tips.”

You might adjust it to:
“Start your Monday strong - coffee in one hand, to-do list in the other.”

One extra line can turn a generic caption into something your audience feels.

Why This Works

• Personalisation cuts through noise. People stop scrolling when a caption feels like it was written just for them.

• AI speeds up the process. Instead of spending hours writing, you can generate and refine in minutes.

• Your voice stays consistent. By layering in tone and context, AI helps you scale content without sounding repetitive.

🧠 Expert AI Prompt of the Day

“I’m a [insert business type] speaking to [insert audience]. Write 3 social media captions about [insert topic] that sound personal and relatable.
– Add a local or seasonal touchpoint (e.g., mention the town, season, or event).
– Keep the tone [choose: friendly, witty, bold, supportive].
– Suggest 1 caption variation for Instagram, 1 for LinkedIn, and 1 for TikTok.”

Follow-up refinement:

“Now rewrite each caption to sound like I’m talking directly to one person, not an audience.”

This keeps your captions from feeling like a broadcast and makes them read like a conversation.

🔧 Tool of the Day

Copy.ai – A content generator that makes it easy to experiment with tone and personalisation. You can feed it details about your audience and it will adjust captions accordingly. Great for testing different styles before you commit.

📣I Can Be Your Social Media Marketing Manager

Writing captions that connect is a skill - but you don’t have to do it alone. I work with business owners to create personalised, high-impact content that attracts the right followers and drives real engagement.

If you’d rather spend time running your business than wrestling with captions, let me take care of it for you. 📩 Message me today and let’s make your social media sound more like you.