With an engagement rate 15 times that of Facebook, Instagram is a necessity in social media marketing strategies. However, marketing and PR professionals can become easily overwhelmed by the number of best practice lists published on the Internet. Determining how to present your brand and who you will target can quickly help brands decide what advice, tips or trends are worthy of pursuing. Learn how to successfully use Instagram to tell your brand’s story with these five tips. 1. who’s your audience? Each social media platform has a different audience type, and while some users may follow you on multiple channels, they expect different experiences from each. Stick with a similar message across your channels, but keep in mind the reasons your audience follows your brand on Instagram. 2. Make your message on-point Successful storytelling results from setting a tone and maintaining it throughout your posts. Instagram is fun. Keep it that way by skipping the monotonous, serious tone. Not sure what adjective would describe your brand’s voice? Listen to conversations and watch interactions between employees in the break room. 3. Determine your best theme Designate a theme for your brand’s Instagram account. Think about your customers to brainstorm ideas. What attracted them to your brand? What can you offer if they follow your account? Stay on topic with your products and offerings, but mix your posts up with varying angles and lighting. 4. Calendar seeding Follow your theme when snapping pictures, remember your tone when writing descriptions and stay consistent in your posting schedule. If your brand wants to post twice a week, determine which days’ work best for engagement and designate those as your posting days. Your followers will begin to expect and look forward to your posts once you’ve established a schedule.