Should Your Small Business Be on Instagram, Facebook or Both?

Being on every platform is a fast way to burn out. A small business is usually better off doing one platform well than three badly.

Facebook suits you if…

• Your people are local. Community groups, local services and events do well on Facebook, especially in local community groups and pages.
• You run events or regular opening times. Facebook events and page posts are where many locals check "is it on this week?"
• Your audience skews a little older, or is made up of families and community members.

Instagram suits you if…

• Your work is visual. Artists, makers, food, beauty, gardens, buildings, anything people want to look at.
• You're reaching people beyond your town, such as buyers, collectors and visitors.
• You can keep up a steady supply of good photos.

Both, the easy way

Instagram and Facebook are owned by the same company, and can be linked so that one post goes to both. If you're doing both, write once and post twice. Just check that the photo crops well as a square or portrait image for Instagram.

A routine you can actually keep

• One to three posts a week is plenty for most small businesses. Regular beats frequent.
• Batch it. Write and schedule a month of posts in one sitting, using Meta Business Suite (free) or a scheduling tool.
• Repeat what works. A weekly reminder, such as "We're open tomorrow, 10:30 to 12", can be scheduled for months ahead.
• Reply to comments and messages. That's where the relationship happens.

Don't build your house on rented land

Social media accounts can be hacked, suspended or simply stop being shown to people. Always point people back to your own website and email list, the two things nobody can take away from you.

Want your weekly posts to go out on their own? We set up automatic posting for small businesses and community groups. Book a free chat.