How to Create Instagram Posts with Chloe
Use Chloe, Zaturn's AI social media agent, to write Instagram captions, generate images, and plan Reels concepts. The beginner's guide to Instagram marketing for small businesses.
Chloe is your AI social media agent inside Zaturn. This guide shows you exactly how to use her to create Instagram content for your business — from captions and hashtags to AI-generated images and Reel concepts — even if you've never posted for your business before.
What is Instagram and why does it matter for your business?
Instagram is one of the world's most-used social platforms, with over two billion active users. Unlike search engines where people look for specific things, Instagram is where people discover businesses, products, and services they didn't know they needed yet. A beautifully presented post from a small local business can reach thousands of potential customers — without spending a single penny on ads.
In 2026, Instagram is not just a photo-sharing app. It's a full visual marketing channel that includes short videos (Reels), image carousels, Stories, and a growing shopping experience. For small businesses, it represents one of the most cost-effective ways to build a brand, grow an audience, and convert followers into paying customers.
The challenge most small business owners face isn't motivation — it's time and know-how. Writing the right caption, choosing the right hashtags, knowing what image works, and deciding whether to post a Reel or a carousel all take expertise that most people simply don't have. That's precisely what Chloe handles.
Stat | What it means for your business |
|---|---|
2B+ monthly active users | One of the largest audiences of any platform on earth |
Reels get 22% more engagement than regular videos | Short-form video is the fastest way to grow your reach |
Carousels generate 3× more saves than single images | Educational slide posts are among the highest-performing format |
70% of shoppers use Instagram to discover products | Your potential customers are actively looking for businesses like yours |
125 characters | The number of caption characters shown before the "...more" cut-off — your hook must fit here |
What Chloe actually does for Instagram
Chloe is built specifically to understand Instagram — its algorithm, its formats, its culture, and what actually drives results. Here's a breakdown of everything she handles:
What Chloe creates | What it is |
|---|---|
The caption | A full Instagram caption with a hook, body, CTA, and hashtags — written for your specific audience |
The hook | The first 125 characters of your caption, crafted to stop the scroll before the "...more" cut-off |
AI-generated image | A brand-matched image created from scratch using your brand colours, tone, and content brief |
Image prompt | If you prefer to create the image yourself or use another tool, Chloe gives you a detailed visual brief |
Hashtag strategy | 3–5 targeted hashtags: a mix of branded, niche, and community tags that actually reach your audience |
Post format recommendation | Whether to post a single image, carousel, Reel concept, or Story — and why |
Carousel slide outline | For multi-slide posts, a slide-by-slide content plan |
Reel concept | A shot-by-shot video brief and audio suggestion when Reels is the right format |
Call to action | The closing line that tells your audience exactly what to do next |
How images work in Zaturn: Chloe can generate an AI image for your post directly — just ask her to create one. You can also upload your own photos or videos and Chloe will write the caption and strategy around your existing content. Both approaches work; use whichever fits your workflow.
Before you start — the Instagram basics
New to Instagram for business? Here are the essentials before you start using Chloe.
The visual-first rule
Instagram is built on visuals. A weak image with a great caption will almost always underperform a strong image with an average caption. Quality visuals — whether that's a Chloe-generated image, a clean product photo taken on your phone, or a well-lit video — are non-negotiable.
The four main content formats
Instagram gives you four distinct ways to post. Knowing the difference helps you use Chloe more effectively.
Format | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
Single image | One photo or graphic in your feed | Announcements, quotes, product shots, brand moments |
Carousel | 2–10 swipeable images or graphics | Tips lists, step-by-step guides, before & after, storytelling |
Reel | Short video up to 90 seconds | Tutorials, trends, behind-the-scenes, entertainment |
Story | Disappears after 24 hours | Daily updates, polls, Q&A, behind-the-scenes |
The algorithm in plain English
Instagram's algorithm decides how many people see your content based on several signals. The most important ones are saves, shares, comments, and watch time (for Reels). A post that gets saved means someone found it valuable enough to revisit. A post that gets shared means someone sent it to a friend. Both signals tell the algorithm your content is worth promoting.
Chloe designs every post to maximise these signals — her calls to action, caption structures, and content formats are all chosen to encourage saves and shares, not just likes.
The 125-character hook rule
Instagram cuts off your caption after roughly 125 characters with a "...more" link. If your opening line isn't compelling, most people won't tap to read the rest. This is why Chloe always writes a hook first — a sharp, engaging opening line that grabs attention before anyone has to do anything.
Reels get prioritised
Instagram pushes Reels to non-followers more than any other format. If growth is your priority, Reels are your fastest path. When you upload a video to Chloe, she'll write the caption, suggest audio, and give you a hook — all optimised for Reels performance.
Tip: You don't need a professional camera for Reels. A well-lit phone video filmed in portrait mode (vertical, 9:16) is all you need. Natural light near a window makes a significant difference.
How to prompt Chloe for Instagram content
The more context you give Chloe, the better the result. Here are the five ingredients that consistently produce the best output.
Ingredient | What to include | Example |
|---|---|---|
Topic & Goal | What is the post about? What should it achieve? | "I want to promote my new autumn menu and get people through the door" |
Your Audience | Who are you speaking to? | "Food lovers aged 25–45 in my city who care about quality ingredients" |
Post Format | Single image, carousel, Reel, or Story? (Chloe will suggest one if you skip this) | "Make it a carousel" or "I want a Reel concept" |
Tone & Vibe | How should it feel? Warm, bold, minimal, professional, fun? | "Warm and welcoming, like a recommendation from a friend" |
Image Preference | Should Chloe generate an image, or are you uploading your own? | "Generate an image" or "I'll use my own photo — just write the caption" |
The 6 Instagram post types Chloe can create for you
Educational Carousel (highest saves)
Carousel posts consistently generate more saves than any other Instagram format because they deliver real value. A save is one of the strongest algorithm signals on the platform. Educational carousels — tips, common mistakes, step-by-step guides — are the single best format for growing a small business account organically.
Chloe writes the hook for Slide 1, the content for every middle slide, and a CTA for the final slide. If you're generating images, she provides a detailed visual brief for each slide. If you're using your own graphics, she gives you the text for each.
Best for: service businesses, coaches, consultants, product businesses explaining a process.
Single Image Post
A strong image with a well-crafted caption is the fastest content to produce and still performs well when the image is high quality. Chloe generates the image using your brand colours and tone, or writes around a photo you upload. Best used for announcements, product features, quotes, and brand moments.
Best for: product shots, announcements, testimonials, inspirational quotes.
Reel Concept
Reels are Instagram's highest-reach format, but they require a video. Chloe provides the full concept — hook, shot-by-shot breakdown, caption, and audio suggestion — so you know exactly what to film. You upload the video and Chloe handles everything else. If you have an existing video, upload it and she'll write the caption and hook around it.
Best for: tutorials, before-and-after, trending formats, behind-the-scenes, product demonstrations.
Behind-the-Scenes Post
People connect with the humans behind businesses. A day-in-the-life post, a look at how something is made, or a candid moment from your working day builds trust faster than any promotional post. Chloe structures these to feel authentic rather than staged.
Best for: any business wanting to build a personal connection with their audience.
Soft Sell / Promotional Post
Leading with your product directly rarely works on Instagram. Chloe always leads with the customer's problem or desire first, then introduces your product or service as the natural solution. This approach converts significantly better than straightforward advertising.
Best for: launching a product, running a promotion, driving traffic to your website.
Story Concept
Stories disappear after 24 hours but are seen by your warmest audience — your existing followers. Chloe can write a Story concept with interactive elements like polls, questions, or countdowns. Stories are ideal for daily touchpoints that don't need to be permanent feed posts.
Best for: flash sales, audience polls, quick updates, Q&A sessions.
Real prompt examples to copy
Here are ready-made prompts you can adapt for your business. Swap in your own details and paste into Chloe's chat.
Educational carousel — generate the image
Your prompt: "Create an Instagram carousel for my nutrition coaching business. Topic: 5 breakfast mistakes that are making you tired by 10am. Target: working women aged 28–45. Educational and empowering tone. CTA: ask them to save it. Generate an image for the cover slide in a warm, clean aesthetic."
What Chloe will produce: A hook for Slide 1 ("Stop eating this for breakfast if you want energy that lasts ☀️"), content for slides 2–5 covering each mistake, a CTA slide, a full carousel outline, 3–5 hashtags, and an AI-generated cover image in warm tones with brand colours.
Single image post — uploading your own photo
Your prompt: "I'm uploading a photo of our new product packaging. Write an Instagram caption for my skincare brand. Target: women aged 20–35 who care about natural ingredients. Aspirational tone. CTA: link in bio for launch discount."
What Chloe will produce: A hook under 125 characters ("Your skin called. It wants this. ✨"), a full caption with product benefits, a CTA driving to the link in bio, and 3–5 hashtags. No image generation needed since you're uploading your own.
Reel concept — uploading your own video
Your prompt: "I have a short video of me making our signature candle from start to finish — about 45 seconds of raw footage. Write a Reel caption and hook for my handmade candle business. Target: people aged 25–40 who love home decor and artisan products. Warm and satisfying tone."
What Chloe will produce: A hook line for the first 3 seconds of your video ("POV: you're about to make your home smell incredible 🕯️"), a full Reel caption, audio style suggestion, hashtag strategy, and an optional thumbnail image brief.
Soft-sell promotional post — AI-generated image
Your prompt: "Create an Instagram post for my personal training business promoting my 6-week transformation programme. Lead with the problem, not the product. Target: men and women aged 30–50 who feel out of shape but don't know where to start. Motivational but not aggressive. Generate a bold, energetic image. CTA: DM me the word START."
What Chloe will produce: A "POV: You stopped making excuses and this happened" style hook, a caption that leads with the struggle before presenting the programme, a DM keyword CTA, 3–5 hashtags, and an AI-generated motivational image in your brand colours.
Behind-the-scenes — your own photo
Your prompt: "I took a photo of my workspace this morning — it's a flat lay of my tools and materials for my jewellery business. Write a behind-the-scenes Instagram caption. Warm and personal tone. Target: people who love handmade and artisan products. CTA: ask them what they're currently working on."
What Chloe will produce: A personal, story-driven caption with a hook that opens mid-action ("6am. Coffee's hot. The workbench is ready. ☕"), a behind-the-scenes narrative, and a community CTA that encourages comments.
Monthly planning tip: Ask Chloe: "Create a 4-week Instagram content calendar for my [business type] including a mix of carousels, single images, and Reels." She'll map out topics, formats, and content ideas for the whole month so you're never scrambling for what to post next.
How to get the best AI-generated images from Chloe
When you ask Chloe to generate an image, she uses your brand colours, tone, and content brief to create something tailored to your business. Here's how to get the best results.
What to tell Chloe | Example |
|---|---|
The mood or aesthetic you want | "Clean and minimal" / "Warm and lifestyle" / "Bold and energetic" |
The subject matter | "A workspace", "Our product on a marble surface", "A person enjoying coffee outdoors" |
Your brand colours (if not already saved) | "Use orange and navy as the main colours" |
The format | "Square 1:1 for the feed" or "Portrait 4:5 — it takes up more space in the feed" |
Whether you want text on the image | By default Chloe creates clean images without text. Ask her to include it if you want a short overlay (3–5 words maximum) |
Tip: Portrait format (4:5) takes up significantly more space in someone's Instagram feed than square. More space means more attention. Chloe defaults to 4:5 for feed posts — always a good choice.
How to refine Chloe's output
Chloe's first draft is a strong starting point. Use these follow-up prompts to get it exactly right.
Follow-up prompt | What it does |
|---|---|
"Make the hook shorter and punchier" | Tighten the opening line if it feels too long for the 125-char cut-off |
"Give me 3 alternative hooks" | Multiple options to choose from — useful for A/B testing |
"Make it sound less formal, more like a friend talking" | Shift tone toward conversational and warm |
"Turn this into a carousel instead" | Convert any single post concept into a multi-slide format |
"Add a stronger save CTA" | Chloe rewrites the call to action to prioritise saves over likes |
"Write a version for Stories too" | Get a companion Story concept alongside the feed post |
"Generate a different image — more minimal" | Request a new visual direction if the first image isn't right |
"Add more niche hashtags for [your industry]" | Get more targeted tags specific to your sector |
Do's and don'ts
✅ Do this | ❌ Avoid this |
|---|---|
Tell Chloe your audience — age, interests, situation | Vague prompts like "make me an Instagram post" |
Specify whether you're uploading content or want AI to generate it | Assuming Chloe knows you have a photo to upload |
Ask for the format that fits your goal (carousel for saves, Reel for reach) | Ignoring Reels — the algorithm actively rewards them |
Use portrait 4:5 format for feed posts — it takes up more space | Posting horizontal images in a vertical-first platform |
Engage with comments in the first hour after posting | Posting and disappearing — early engagement boosts distribution |
Ask for a content calendar to plan ahead | Scrambling for ideas daily and posting inconsistently |
Review and approve everything before it goes live | Posting directly without reading Chloe's output carefully |
Use Stories for daily touchpoints between feed posts | Treating Stories as an afterthought |
Frequently asked questions
Can Chloe generate images for my Instagram posts?
Yes — this is one of Chloe's most powerful features for Instagram. When you ask her to create a post, she can generate a brand-matched image alongside the caption. The image is created using your brand colours, tone, and a detailed visual brief she builds from your prompt. You review and approve both the image and the caption before anything goes live.
I already have my own photos. Can Chloe still help?
Absolutely. Upload your photo and tell Chloe what the post is about, your audience, and your goal. She'll write the full caption, hook, hashtags, and call to action around your existing image. You don't need to use AI-generated images to benefit from Chloe's content strategy.
Can I upload videos for Reels?
Yes. Upload your video and Chloe will write a Reel caption, craft a hook for the opening seconds, suggest an audio direction, and recommend the best posting time. You bring the footage — Chloe handles the strategy, copy, and hashtags.
What's the difference between a carousel and a single post — and which should I use?
A carousel is a swipeable post with 2–10 slides. Carousels generate significantly more saves than single images because they deliver more value — people swipe through to learn something and save it to come back to. If your goal is to build authority and grow your account, ask Chloe for a carousel. If you have a strong single image and just want to stay visible, a single post works well for that.
How many hashtags should I use?
Chloe follows Instagram's current best practice: 3–5 highly relevant hashtags rather than filling the caption with 20–30 generic ones. Quality over quantity. She selects a mix of branded, niche-specific, and community hashtags that are actually relevant to your content and audience.
What image sizes work best on Instagram?
Chloe generates images in the formats that perform best for each content type. For feed posts, portrait format (4:5 ratio) takes up the most space on screen and gets more attention. Square (1:1) works everywhere. For Reels and Stories, vertical (9:16) is the only format you should use.
Does Chloe post to Instagram for me?
Not at this stage. Chloe creates all the content — the caption, image, hashtags, and strategy — and you approve it inside Zaturn before it goes anywhere. You then post to Instagram yourself or use a scheduling tool. This keeps you in full control of everything that appears on your account.
I don't have a consistent aesthetic on Instagram yet. Can Chloe help with that?
Yes. Tell Chloe your brand colours, the general feel you want (minimal, warm, bold, professional), and your industry. She'll create content that reflects a consistent visual and tonal identity. Over time, consistently using Chloe with the same brief will naturally build a more cohesive Instagram presence.
My posts aren't getting many likes or comments. What should I do?
Likes are actually one of the weakest signals on Instagram's algorithm. Focus on saves and shares instead — these indicate that your content is genuinely useful or resonant. Ask Chloe to create carousel posts with real educational value (people save these), and include CTAs that drive comments ("Tell me one thing you'd add to this list 👇"). Also check your hook — if people aren't tapping "...more" or swiping, the opening line needs to be stronger.