How to review a post before you post it: a checklist for Reels, carousels and captions
· 5 min read
Check four things before you post: will it be found (search words in the first line, on screen and said aloud), will it hold attention (point in the first seconds), will people respond (one clear ask), and does it follow what works on that platform.
Why review before, not after
After posting, you can only guess why a post didn’t do well. Before posting, you can still fix it. Most problems are visible in the draft: a slow opening, a caption that never says what the post is, a cover that doesn’t match the topic.
1. Will it be found?
- The caption’s first line names the topic in words people search.
- For video, the same words are said aloud and shown on screen, so every signal agrees.
- Hashtags are few and specific, at the end.
2. Will it hold attention?
- The point, or the question, lands in the first two seconds.
- On-screen text works with the sound off.
- Each beat gives a reason to keep watching; cut anything that repeats.
- The cover shows the topic, not a random frame.
3. Will people respond?
- End with one clear ask: a question people can answer, or a reason to save it.
- Skip “like and follow”. It gives nobody a reason.
4. Does it follow what works on this platform?
Each platform and genre has its own habits: length, format, captions, how covers look. Compare your draft with recent posts in your niche that did well, and note what they do that yours doesn’t.
Give it a verdict
End with one of three answers. Ready to post: nothing is holding it back. Has potential: post it after a few named fixes. Needs changes: something basic is in the way. A verdict forces a decision; a vague “looks good” doesn’t.
No checklist can promise views. It removes the reasons a good post gets missed.