What to Post and Where: A Guide for Small Business Owners

Hey there, entrepreneurs! As young business owners ourselves, we know that navigating the social media landscape can feel like trying to find your way through a maze. With so many platforms out there, it’s crucial to understand what content thrives, and where. We’ve broken down the top platforms for you—Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest, TikTok, Threads, and LinkedIn—along with tips on what to post and examples that’ll spark your creativity.

1. Instagram: Visual Storytelling

What to Post: Eye-catching visuals, behind-the-scenes content, and engaging stories. Instagram is all about aesthetics, so high-quality photos and videos are a must. As the platform has grown, organic content is performing MUCH better than graphic content, so while you should still be looking at aesthetic, try to incorporate it into you feed organically, using photos or videos taken by you or your team.

Best Content Types:

• Reels: Short, engaging videos that are great for trends, providing bite-sized information, or visually showcasing your business. Aim to post at least one video per week. The more videos you post, the better!

• Carousel Posts: Showcase a series of products or a step-by-step process. You can post up to 20 photos now, so go nuts!

Example: A local coffee shop could post a carousel of their best-selling drinks, complete with mouthwatering shots and a behind-the-scenes reel of the baristas crafting those drinks.

2. Facebook: Community Engagement

What to Post: Longer posts that spark conversations, community updates, events, and customer testimonials. Facebook is your go-to for building a community around your brand.

Best Content Types:

• Live Videos: Host Q&A sessions or product launches.

• Polls and Questions: Encourage followers to share their opinions.

• Engagement in community groups: One of our favourite features about Facebook is the community aspect of groups and pages. As a business owner, we recommend joining Facebook groups that may be relevant to your niche, and contributing to them on a weekly, or even daily basis.

Example: A fitness studio could post a live workout session and follow up with a poll asking followers what classes they’d like to see next.

3. X (formerly Twitter): Quick Updates

What to Post: Timely updates, news, and quick interactions. X thrives on short, punchy content that encourages dialogue.

Best Content Types:

• Thread Updates: Share longer stories through a series of connected tweets.

• Short Updates: Share timely updates with your followers

• Humour: X is a great spot for humorous content where you can have fun with your brand. If you go this route, try to keep your tweets as relevant as possible, drawing from popular topics, trends and pop culture.

Example: A local bookstore could share a thread about their upcoming events, sprinkle in some witty book-related memes, and engage with followers asking for their favourite reads.

4. Pinterest: Visual Inspiration

What to Post: Pin-worthy graphics, DIY projects, and inspirational quotes. Pinterest is all about discovery, so think visually appealing content that drives traffic. What’s great about Pinterest is that you can link back to your website, which will also help boost your own SEO.

Best Content Types:

• Infographics: Share useful tips or statistics related to your industry.

• DIY Guides: Create step-by-step visual guides that showcase your products.

• Before & Afters: If you’re a business that works in design, renovation or hand-made products, Pinterest is going to be a #1 platform for you. Share photos of your projects that will have your audience pinning your work for future inspo.

Example: A home decor business could create an infographic showing the latest design trends alongside pins featuring their products styled in various rooms.

5. TikTok: Creative Video Content

What to Post: Fun, engaging, and often spontaneous videos. TikTok is about creativity and trends, so don’t be afraid to experiment! To truly be competitive on TikTok, you should be posting daily, or even multiple times per day.

Best Content Types:

• Challenges and Trends: Participate in or create your own challenges.

• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Show the human side of your brand.

• Hot takes or opinions: See something trending? Share your take, or own personal experience.

Example: A bakery could create a series of fun TikTok challenges, like decorating cakes with a quirky twist, showcasing their skills while engaging with the community.

Pro Tip: To keep users engaged, make sure the first THREE SECONDS of your video is engaging, or else you’re video will be scrolled past.

6. Threads: Casual Conversations

What to Post: Casual updates, thoughts, and discussions. Threads is about building a community in a relaxed setting, so keep it conversational. To grow on Threads, we recommend posting a few times a week, or even daily!

Best Content Types:

• Personal Insights: Share stories or thoughts that reflect your brand’s personality.

• Engagement Questions: Ask followers for their opinions on relevant topics.

Example: A travel agency could post about their latest travel experiences and ask followers to share their dream destinations.

7. LinkedIn: Professional Networking

What to Post: Industry insights, professional achievements, and thought leadership content. LinkedIn is all about professionalism, so focus on building your brand in your niche. You should not be posting everyday unless it’s actually relevant, so be a bit more strategic and thought-out with your posting schedule on this platform.

Best Content Types:

• Articles and Blog Posts: Share in-depth articles that showcase your expertise.

• Company Updates: Announce milestones, new team members or new partnerships.

Example: A tech startup could write a post about the latest trends in their industry and share insights on how their product fits into that landscape.

At the end of the day, take this away:

Each platform has its own vibe and audience, so tailoring your content is key to engaging effectively with your followers. By understanding what resonates on each channel, you’ll not only boost your brand’s visibility but also foster a loyal community around your business.

When it comes to your posting schedule, remember to post quality over quantity. Although it may be tempting to post everyday on all platforms, you want to avoid user burnout, so be strategic over what you post!

If all else fails, remember this: social media is a place to have FUN. Users are not on social media to be sold to, they’re there for entertainment and education. Have fun, be authentic, and post organic content that adds value!