Sales & Marketing

6 Social Media Ideas for Your Small Business

We may earn a commission from the links in this post.

Are you a small business owner looking for new, fresh ideas to broaden your presence on social media? Are you feeling overwhelmed and underwhelmed by the resources available? If so, then this post is perfect for you! With the right strategies in place, businesses of all sizes can gain visibility online – so let’s dive into how. Here are six ideas that will help freshen up your social media content.

the friday fund

6 Social Media Ideas for Your Small Business That You Can Recreate

#1. Behind-the-Scenes Tour

"Take a sneak peek into our operations! Join us on a virtual tour of our store, meet our team, and see where the magic happens. #BehindTheScenes #OurTeam"

Giving a behind-the-scenes tour of your business on social media is a fantastic way to connect with your customers and build brand loyalty. It allows them to see the hard work, creativity, and passion that goes into the products and services you provide. Sharing behind-the-scenes content helps you forge a deeper connection with your audience and create a level of authenticity that they might not get from traditional marketing methods. If you have never given a tour like this before, we've got you covered! Just follow the steps below:

  • Plan Your Tour: Before the tour, assess which parts of your business your audience would find interesting. Consider areas that are usually off-limits, or parts of your business that are particularly hectic, where your audience would enjoy behind-the-scenes access. In addition, you should think ahead and determine the key points that you will want to cover in your tour. This will ensure your content is well-organized, thoughtful, and aim-driven. 
  • Choose Your Platform: The platform you choose to host your behind-the-scenes tour is crucial. Instagram and Facebook, for instance, offer a live streaming option where you can instantly share videos with your followers. Instagram also provides IGTV for longer videos that are more in-depth. YouTube can cater to your video needs that require more time and structure.
  • Include Your Team: Your audience wants to know your team. They're also an integral part of your business, so make sure to feature your team's role in your company and highlight their skills and talents.
  • Show Product Development: People find it incredibly exciting to see how products are created, from ideation to the final product. Give your audience a look at the art and techniques that go into making your products. A time-lapse of a product coming to life, or the steps of a product's journey from conception to the store shelf, can make for fantastic content that will grab your audience's attention.
  • Engage with Your Audience: Ensure that while you give your behind-the-scenes tour, you engage with your audience. Live Q&A sessions on Instagram and Facebook, for instance, are a great way to interact with your audience. Whenever you post behind-the-scenes content on social media, encourage your audience to ask questions as it gives them an opportunity to get their answers.

Related Reading: How to Grow Your Small Business on Instagram

#2. Product Spotlight

"Meet our Product of the Week! [Product name] is not just an item; it's a solution to [problem]. Stay tuned for a special discount code! #ProductSpotlight #DealOfTheWeek"

Product Spotlights on social media give you an opportunity to showcase your products and services in an engaging and informative way. In the below tips, we will be discussing how to do a product spotlight on social media as a business owner.

  • Define the purpose of your product spotlight: Before you create a product spotlight, you need to define its purpose. Is it meant to generate leads, promote sales, or increase brand awareness? Depending on the purpose, you can tailor your content accordingly. For instance, generating leads may require you to provide a more detailed review of the product, while promoting sales may require a discount or limited-time offer.
  • Highlight the key features of your product: In your product spotlight, focus on the key features distinguishing your product from competitors. Describe how your product can solve a customer's problem or fulfill their needs while explaining what they can expect from your product.
  • Use engaging visuals: Visuals are an essential part of social media marketing. They grab the attention of potential customers and create an emotional connection to the product. Use appealing images and videos that showcase your product in action, its packaging, and its unique details.
  • Call-to-Action: A call-to-action (CTA) encourages your customers to take action, such as purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or placing an order. Use clear phrases like “Shop Now,” “Learn More” or “Limited Time Offer.”

#3. Customer Testimonial

Share a photo of a happy customer with their purchase and their review: "We love seeing our customers happy! Here's [Customer Name] with their favorite [Product]. #CustomerLove #ShopLocal"

One of the keys to growing your business is by showcasing what others are saying about the value and quality of your products or services. By highlighting customer feedback and testimonials, businesses can increase their credibility and establish trust with their audience. Find out how to effectively utilize customer testimonials on social media as a business owner.

  • Ask for Testimonials: Asking for testimonials from satisfied customers can be the first step towards utilizing social media for marketing purposes. It’s important to personalize the request and not use generic messages while contacting customers. You can use email, direct messaging or social media polls to capture their feedback.
  • Keep it Short and Sweet: When using customer testimonials for social media, it’s important to keep them short and sweet. Social media users typically don’t have the patience to read long paragraphs. Craft your message in a way that accurately represents the feedback provided while maintaining a concise yet impactful message.
  • Highlight Specific Examples: When selecting testimonials to showcase on social media, attempt to use ones that highlight specific examples of how your product or service added value or addressed a need. Specific examples provide a clear illustration of your customer’s experience and pique interest in other potential customers that might have similar needs.

the friday fund

#4. Throwback Thursday

Post an old photo from when you first started the business: "Throwing it back to our humble beginnings. Thank you for being part of our journey! #TBT #OurStory"

Throwback Thursdays #TBT is an evergreen trend that has stayed around on Social Media for quite some time now. As a small business owner, Throwback Thursday presents a great opportunity to showcase past products, services, campaigns, and milestones. It is an excellent way to engage with your audience and show the human side of your brand.

  • Determine the goal of your throwback: Before selecting an image or content for your throwback, ask yourself what your objective is in participating in Throwback Thursday. It could be as simple as celebrating a milestone, showcasing an older product, or even telling the story of the evolution of your brand. Whatever it is, knowing your goal sets the tone and direction of your post.
  • Be Consistent: If your goal is to celebrate a milestone or showcase an older product, make it a series, post images that depict progress, and reflect on your growth as a brand. This consistency will help your audience envision your brand's journey, values, and mission.
  • Use the right hashtags: Hashtags are an essential part of social media posts, and using the right ones increases post visibility. When doing Throwback Thursday, there are common hashtags like #TBT, #ThrowbackThursday, #FlashbackFriday, among others, that can help your post gain more traction.

Related Reading: The Best Marketing Tools for Small Businesses

#5. Meet the Team

"It's #TeamTuesday! Meet [Employee Name], the [Job Title] who keeps our store running smoothly. Their favorite product is... #MeetTheTeam"

This series will help show the human side of your business and give your audience a chance to see who they're buying from. Below we discuss the best practices for conducting a Meet the Team social media series so that your audience can get to know the talented individuals behind your company.

  • Showcase Your Team Members:
    Your Meet the Team series should showcase the unique personalities and talents of each team member. Consider creating a questionnaire that each member fills out to make sure you're featuring their interests and hobbies. You can also take behind-the-scenes photos of them in action or create videos showcasing their daily tasks.
  • Use Engaging Content:
    As with any social media campaign, content is key. Your posts should be visually appealing and informative. Take time to make sure your photos are high-quality, and create graphics that are easy to read and understand. Your goal is to create a connection through these visuals between your team and your audience.
  • Post Regularly and Consistently: 
    To build engagement, you need to post regularly. Consider posting once or twice a week, depending on the size of your team, and stick to a consistent schedule. This will help your audience know when to expect your posts and make them more likely to engage.
  • Engage with Your Audience: 
    The last step in a Meet the Team social media series is engagement. Make sure you're responding to comments and messages, and encourage your followers to ask your team members questions. This will help build a relationship between your team and your audience.

#6. Community Involvement

Share images of how your business gives back to the community: "Proud to be part of this amazing community! Here's a snapshot from last weekend's [Event Name]. #CommunityLove #GiveBack"

As a small business owner, you know that community involvement is a key factor to business success. Not only does it help establish your brand as a reliable presence in the community, but it also helps to impress potential customers and generate buzz around your business. Read these helpful tips and strategies to share your community involvement on social media in a way that is informative, engaging, and effective.

  • Highlight Your Involvement Across Different Platforms: 
    Ensure that you highlight your involvement across different social media platforms. Share photos of events you participate in, share positive feedback or reviews that customers may post, and even participate in conversations about things happening around your community. Stay active and consistent on your social media platforms and ensure that updates and interaction is regular so your following can stay updated with your community involvement.
  • Partner with Local Organizations: Get involved with local organizations and participate in their events or support their mission statements. Some organizations, such as local schools, chambers of commerce, or community centers, may have higher following numbers on social media platforms. This can help target a larger following as you share photos or stories about your involvement with these organizations.
  • Share the Benefits: Share the benefits of community involvement by posting stories or updates on how it helped your business and why you continue to get involved. People want to see what your business is doing in the community and why it matters. Share how it helped your business grow or the positive effect it had on your community in general.
  • Be Authentic: Finally, ensure that your posts come across as authentic. Don't go overboard on bragging about community involvement to not sound self-congratulatory but present your involvement in a way people can relate to. Share stories and be transparent about what you are doing; this makes your business seem trustworthy, genuine, and grounded. 

Enhance Your Social Media 

Utilizing social media can help small businesses thrive by engaging with customers, cultivating trust, and increasing brand visibility. You can create a strong social media presence for your small business by recreating these six social media ideas. User-generated content can help create a sense of community and increase engagement on your social media platforms. By implementing these social media ideas, small businesses can create a successful social media strategy and increase their customer base. If you aren't sure where to begin, check out our Fundid Growth Partners to find the best tools for your business! 

New call-to-action