Category: Marketing tips

It is the question we hear most often from small business owners. The honest answer: less than you think, as long as you are consistent. Here is a realistic guide.

Consistency beats frequency

Platforms reward accounts that show up regularly. Three good posts every week for a year will do far more than daily posting for a month followed by silence. Choose a rhythm you can keep up when you are busy.

A realistic weekly rhythm

• Instagram: 3 feed posts or reels a week, plus stories on most days.
• Facebook: 3 to 4 posts a week. Reuse your Instagram content with a tweaked caption.
• TikTok: 3 to 5 short videos a week if your audience is there; otherwise skip it.
• LinkedIn: 2 posts a week for B2B services, written in the first person.
• Google Business Profile: 1 update a week. It is social media for search.

What to post

A simple mix keeps your feed interesting without much planning. Roughly a third of posts can show your work and products, a third can teach something useful, and a third can show the people and personality behind the business. Only about one post in five should be a direct sales message.

Batch it

Set aside two hours at the start of each month. Plan your posts, take photos in one go and schedule everything with a free tool such as Meta Business Suite. Then spend five minutes a day replying to comments and messages.

Check what works

Once a month, look at which posts got the most saves, shares and messages, not just likes. Make more of those. Drop the formats that never land.

If you would like a ready-made monthly plan and someone to post for you, take a look at our social media marketing service.

When someone nearby searches for what you sell, Google shows a map with three businesses at the top. That spot, the “Maps pack”, gets most of the clicks and calls. Here is the checklist we use to get small businesses into it.

Get the basics right

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
• Choose the right primary category. It is the strongest ranking signal you control. Be specific: “Italian restaurant”, not just “Restaurant”.
• Use your real business name. Adding keywords to your name breaks Google’s rules and can get your profile suspended.
• Match your NAP everywhere. Name, address and phone number must be identical on your website, profile and directories.

Fill in everything

Complete profiles rank better and convert better. Add your services with short descriptions, opening hours including holidays, attributes such as accessibility and payment options, and at least ten good photos of the outside, inside, team and work.

Keep it active

Post an update every week and add new photos every month. Answer questions in the Q&A section yourself, before someone else does. Active profiles send Google a clear signal that the business is open and cared for.

Build reviews steadily

The number, quality and freshness of reviews all count. A steady flow of new reviews every month beats a burst of fifty and then silence. Always reply, and mention the service naturally in your reply.

Support it from your website

• A clear page for each service you offer, mentioning the areas you serve.
• Your address and phone number in the footer of every page.
• LocalBusiness schema markup so search engines understand your details.
• A fast, mobile-friendly site: most local searches happen on phones.

Track the results

Your profile’s Performance tab shows searches, views, calls and direction requests. Check it monthly. If the numbers are flat after three months of steady work, it is time for a deeper look at categories, competitors and your website.

Want us to check your profile? Our local SEO service starts with a full audit and a prioritised fix list.

You do not need a big budget to market a small business well. You need a few habits you can keep up every week. Here are seven ideas we use with clients that cost little more than time.

1. Claim and polish your Google Business Profile

For most local businesses this is the single best free marketing tool. Add your opening hours, services, at least ten real photos and a short description that says who you help. Post an update every week: a new product, an offer or a behind-the-scenes photo.

2. Ask every happy customer for a review

Reviews help you rank in Google Maps and persuade people to choose you. Make it easy: print a QR code by the till, add the link to receipts and send it in your follow-up email. Reply to every review, good or bad, within a few days.

3. Turn one piece of content into five

Film a 60-second video answering a common question. That one video becomes a reel, a TikTok, a YouTube Short, a blog post (from the transcript) and a quote graphic. Same effort, five times the reach.

4. Partner with a business next door

A café and a bookshop, a florist and a wedding photographer, a gym and a physio. Cross-promote each other with a joint offer or a shared giveaway. You both reach a new, local audience for free.

5. Start a simple email list

Social media reach goes up and down; your email list is yours. Offer something useful in return for an email address, such as 10% off a first order or a free guide, and send one friendly email a month.

6. Show the people behind the business

Customers buy from people. Photos of your team, your workshop or your morning routine get far more engagement than polished product shots. Do not overthink it: real beats perfect.

7. Measure one number

Pick one number that matters, such as calls, bookings or online orders, and check it every month. If a tactic does not move that number after three months, swap it for something else.

Want help putting this into practice?

These ideas work best when they are done consistently. If you would rather spend your time running the business, book a free strategy call and we will show you which three to start with.