The most common question we get from local businesses isn’t what to write, but where. The answer depends less on the channel and more on who your customers are and how they find you.
When Instagram works
Instagram is strongest when what you do is visible: bread, haircuts, a finished deck, a newly furnished shop. The channel rewards images that stop the scrolling thumb and businesses that show everyday life regularly. It often suits customers who live or move around nearby and want to see what’s new before they drop by.
When Facebook works
Facebook is still the community noticeboard. It’s where events are shared, where opening hours are checked and where neighbours give each other tips in local groups. For many customers in smaller towns – and many older customers – Facebook is the channel they actually use. Longer texts work better here than on Instagram.
When LinkedIn is right
For most local businesses, LinkedIn is the wrong place. The exception is businesses whose customers are other companies and where trust and expertise are what sell – law firms and consultants, for example.
When none of them works
For some businesses, social media isn’t the right investment right now. If almost all customers come through recommendations, or if nobody in the business has time to answer comments, it may be better to invest in a good website and an up-to-date business profile on maps and search engines.
Our rule of thumb
Better one channel with rhythm than two that go quiet. One post a week in the same channel, in the same tone, builds more trust than ten posts spread across three channels in one month – followed by silence. Start where your customers already are. Add the next channel only once the first one runs by itself.
