Successful social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to businesses today – and it costs nothing but a little time.
Whether you’re a plumber, IT company, holiday villa owner, estate agent, restaurant or retailer, the right social media strategy can help you attract new customers, build trust, and stay visible to existing clients.
Many businesses create social media accounts but struggle to generate engagement or enquiries. The good news is that successful social media marketing does not need to be complicated. By understanding the basics and following a few proven principles, you can dramatically improve your results.
There are thousands of companies out there promising to turbo-charge your social media.
Having helped small business for almost a decade now, we thought we’d throw our hat into the ring.
These are the guidelines that have presented us with the best results in terms of views, interactions and website hits.
Focus on Facebook and Instagram
While there are many social media platforms available, Facebook and Instagram remain the two most important platforms for most small and medium-sized businesses.
Facebook remains excellent for:
- Local businesses
- Community engagement
- Customer recommendations
- Longer-form content
- Sharing company news
- Building trust with local audiences
Facebook users tend to spend more time reading content, so longer captions and detailed posts often perform well.
Seek out local community and business groups you can join and make sure you share your posts into those groups.
Instagram is a visual-first platform focused on:
- Photos and videos
- Lifestyle content
- Before-and-after transformations
- Brand awareness
- Reaching younger audiences
Instagram users typically scroll quickly, so eye-catching visuals are essential. Content needs to look attractive and grab attention immediately.
Successful social media posts use hashtags. They are more important on Instagram than they are facebook, so try to get into the habit of remembering to include a few relevant ones at the end of your post. If you’re a plumber in Plymouth, think #PlymouthBusinesses, #Plumber, #PlymouthSmallBiz etc.
Different Approaches for Each Platform
One of the most common mistakes businesses make is posting exactly the same content on every platform.
Posting on Facebook
When creating Facebook content:
✅ Tell a story
✅ Share customer experiences
✅ Explain the problem and solution
✅ Encourage comments and discussion
✅ Include local information where relevant
Example:
“Today we helped a family in Hitchin whose boiler stopped working overnight. Our engineer identified a faulty pump, sourced a replacement and had the heating restored the same day. If you’re experiencing heating problems this winter, get in touch with our team.”
This style of content performs well because it provides context and creates trust. It gets straight to the point without a load of obvious marketing waffle.
Posting on Instagram
On Instagram, your visuals should do most of the work.
Keep captions shorter and focus on:
✅ Eye-catching images
✅ Short videos
✅ Before and after content
✅ Team photos
✅ Behind-the-scenes content
✅ Quick tips and advice
Example:
“Another heating system back up and running ✔️ Same-day repair in Hitchin 🔥”
Instagram users are more likely to engage with strong visuals than lengthy explanations.
The Ideal Number of Images
For most businesses:
- 1 to 5 images works well
- 3 to 4 images is often the sweet spot
- Showcase different angles or stages of a job
- Include people whenever possible
For Instagram feed posts:
- Carousels of 5 to 10 images often outperform single images
- Showcase a journey or process
- Include a mix of wide shots and close-ups
A carousel typically keeps users engaged for longer, which can increase reach and visibility.
How Much Text Should A Successful Social Media Post Have?
Facebook Captions
A good Facebook post is usually:
100-150 words
This allows you to:
- Explain what happened
- Tell a customer story
- Share useful information
- Include a call-to-action
- It forces you to stay focused on the subject
Instagram Captions
For Instagram, shorter is usually better:
25-100 words
Focus on:
- A strong opening line
- Key information
- A call-to-action
Most people will not read a lengthy Instagram caption unless the content is particularly compelling.
Video Content: The Most Important Format
Short-form videos continue to dominate social media performance.
Businesses that consistently post video content often achieve significantly higher engagement than those relying solely on images.
Ideal Video Lengths
Instagram Reels
Best performing length:
15-25 seconds
Maximum recommended:
60 seconds
Facebook Videos
Best performing length:
30-90 seconds
Longer videos can still work if they provide genuine value, such as demonstrations or tutorials.
What Makes a Good Business Video?
Keep videos simple.
Show:
- Before-and-after results
- Engineers at work
- Team members
- Customer testimonials
- Quick advice
- Product demonstrations
Avoid:
❌ Long introductions
❌ Excessive sales pitches
❌ Overly polished, corporate-style videos
People respond better to authentic content than heavily produced advertisements.
The Importance of Consistency & Authenticity
One great post per month is far less effective than regular activity.
A realistic schedule for most businesses is:
Minimum
- 2 posts per week
Better
- 3 to 5 posts per week
Excellent
- Daily posting
Consistency signals to both customers and social media algorithms that your business is active and relevant.
If this sounds like a lot of work, delegate it!
Allow a couple of members of your team to post content to your socials. Don’t be too precious about them.
An authentic looking post directly from location or as an event happens is far more effective than a retrospective, highly-polished post.
If an ad comes on the TV, you change channel, ignore it or stick the kettle on. If an ad appears on your social feed, you scroll past it.
Don’t make your posts look like polished ads every time!
Always Include a Call-to-Action
Many businesses forget to tell people what to do next.
End your posts with a simple instruction such as:
- Contact us for a free quotation.
- Call us today.
- Send us a message.
- Visit our website.
- Book online.
- Learn more using the link below.
People are far more likely to take action when you explicitly ask them to.
The Best Types of Business Posts
A successful social media account includes a variety of content.
Job or Project Spotlights
Show completed work and explain the outcome.
Before and After Images
These consistently perform well across most industries.
Customer Testimonials
Social proof is incredibly powerful.
Team Content
Introduce staff members and show the people behind the business.
Educational Tips
Help your audience solve small problems.
Behind-the-Scenes Content
Show the day-to-day operation of your business.
Seasonal Content
Tie posts to weather, holidays, or current events where relevant.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many businesses accidentally reduce engagement by:
- Using low-quality photos
- Posting only sales messages
- Writing overly long captions
- Ignoring comments from followers
- Posting inconsistently
- Using professional or stock images exclusively
- Failing to include calls-to-action
- Posts that sound ‘preachy’ or salesy.
The best-performing social media accounts feel human, helpful and authentic.
A Simple Formula for Every Post
If you’re unsure what to post, use this framework:
1. Grab Attention
- A strong image or video – more is not always better in a social media post.
2. Tell a Story
- What happened?
- What problem was solved?
3. Provide Value
- Share useful information
4. Include a Call-to-Action
- Tell people what to do next
Final Thoughts
Successful social media marketing is not about going viral. It’s about consistently showing potential customers who you are, what you do, and why they should trust your business.
For most businesses, Facebook and Instagram should form the foundation of their social media activity. Use Facebook to build relationships and tell stories, and use Instagram to showcase eye-catching visuals and short videos.
Stay consistent, focus on genuine content rather than perfection and always provide value to your audience. Think: What is the point of this post? If you don’t know, neither will your audience!
Over time, these simple principles can help turn social media followers into enquiries, customers and long-term advocates for your business.
We understand that not every small business has the time orresources to dedicate to social media. If you would like us to help, we’d love to hear from you.
