The concept behind social media marketing and what makes an Instagram strategy good is heavily based on company goals along with the execution of the campaign (e.g. the social media agency/consultant you hire).

First off, people must crawl out of the hole they’ve been living in and realize that social media marketing isn’t about simply posting then crossing your fingers and hoping things will go viral. The concept of social media – and its core foundation – is around actually being social and building relationships, engaging with people that have common interests, and the list goes on.

One of the biggest failures we see with companies both large and small is treating social media marketing like advertising where the messages being distributed are almost always self-serving, and that just doesn’t sit right with most people, especially on social media.

Secondly, the best Instagram marketing strategy will be one that’s focused on understanding customers/trends (data) and communicating with them like human beings. Toss all of the sales strategy, upsell bs, etc. out the window and just become friends with customers and support them. It’s crazy how one positive comment or like from a huge brand can totally change someone’s life that’s maybe having a hard day.

And when you remove the idea of marketing/sales from your mind and focus on making new friends the world changes and things start to fall into place.

Don’t be afraid to test the waters – new algorithms, trends, etc. – to develop your own opinions on Instagram strategy regardless of what’s buzzing now. The best strategies in life come from experience where you go through situations and see what does and doesn’t work; and how that applies to your goals/future.

Lastly, a good Instagram marketing strategy is one that takes everything into account from behaviors to trends and focuses on connecting with like-minded people that can potentially generate revenue in the future.