Does the phrase “social media marketing,” make you cringe? The concept may conjure up images of choreographed “influencers” dancing on TikTok, or hours wasted trying to keep up with an ever-changing digital landscape. To busy small business owners, it can feel like a distraction at best or an unwanted chore at worst.

After a long day wrestling with payroll or fending off pushy vendors, the last thing you want to do is sit down and craft a witty social media post. It may feel pointless, but the reality is social media is one of the main, non-negotiable channels to reach potential customers, inform your existing audience, and build the trust that traditional advertising used to handle.

Like many of the necessary tasks you don’t particularly love—like quarterly taxes or cleaning the storeroom—it takes some discipline and effort. The good news: as a builder, doer, and entrepreneur, that discipline is already part of your DNA.

Pick Your Battleground

The key to making it manageable is focus. Start by picking one or two channels that make sense for your business. Don’t try to be everywhere at once; go to where your ideal customers are. You can choose your own criteria, but for example, let’s use age group. You want to focus your attention on the social media channel that most closely aligns with the age group of your customer base.

Facebook: The OG.

Hard to believe, but at one time Facebook was exclusively for college students. Now, it’s firmly established as the primary social channel for the older generations (okay, Boomer). As you can see in the chart below, the primary audience for Facebook is going to be in the 30-49 and 50-64 demographics.

Instagram: The Younger Sibling

The ‘Gram is a good compromise and trends a little younger than Facebook. It’s highly visual, making it a great showcase for physical products or services like home improvement, food, or retail. Bonus: it’s owned by Meta, so cross-pollination with Facebook is possible and easy once you have the accounts linked.

TikTok/YouTube Shorts/Instagram Reels: The high-lift options

If you are targeting younger users, short form video on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube shorts may be worth the effort. Just be aware that the lift is heavier because of the video format, but even a short video of your latest project or new product shot on your phone can be enough.

Forget the Rest (For Now)

The examples above are the low-hanging fruit for social media engagement. They may not be ideal for your business, and it’s up to you to find the best channel. Others include Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and many more, but remember that it’s better to pick one or two that align with your audience and keep them active than to have five forgotten, stale, or half-hearted accounts.

The Content

Simple, Relevant, and Authentic

You picked your channel, dialed in your audience, but what should you post? This is where many operators get paralyzed, thinking they need to be comedians or professional videographers. Your strategy (as a begrudging participant) is to be simple and authentic. Share things that are relevant to your daily operations, and quick to create.

Work In Progress

Post a photo (or video) of work in progress. Maybe it’s a half-finished installation, just-arrived inventory, or a new piece of equipment. This shows you are busy and active.

“Just unloaded a huge shipment of lumber. Fences going up this weekend.”

A Simple Update

Everyday logistics updates are critical posts. New hours, seasonal changes or holiday closings let your customers know when you’re going to be there.

“Just a heads up, we’ll be closed for Boxing Day. Be sure to come visit us tomorrow!”

Before-and-After Shot

This is a great way to show the value you provide. A closet overflowing with sweaters and clutter, versus the result after you have installed shoe bins and organization cubbies. An old, dusty barn-find versus the powder-blue, white-trimmed Camaro you just restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep track of recurring questions or issues and put them into a quick text post. This serves a dual purpose of answering repeat questions and giving you additional content.

“Yes, we sharpen mower blades! Bring them in by Tuesday for same-week turnaround. Our man Rusty makes them razor sharp.”

Thank You to the Community

Show appreciation for your community and strengthen local ties. This could be a photo of a successful event, a shout-out to a star team member, or just a simple message of gratitude.

“Huge thanks to everyone who made our annual fish-fry the best yet!”

The Trigger Event Strategy

To make posting easy, tie it to certain events in your existing workflows. Post the moment with a quick smartphone photo, or save the idea for later. A couple of handy trigger events:

• When something goes right: A successful installation, happy customer, or new product arrival
• When something changes: New hours, new seasons, new staff member

It’s Called “Social” For A Reason

If you only post, and never check back, it’s like showing up at a networking event, shouting your name into the room, and walking out the door. The algorithms love engagement. When you respond to a comment, the platform sees the post starting a conversation and is more likely to show it to other people.

• The 5-minute rule: Once a day, check your notifications. “Like” any comments people leave and give a quick “Thanks” to any compliments
• Answer Questions: If someone asks how much for mower sharpening, or if you’re open on Saturday, answer them publicly. Chances are, five other people have the same questions. If it’s a recurring theme, make it a post
• The “Human” Touch: Don’t be afraid of emojis, or keeping it casual. People want to know there’s a real person behind the business

The Tortoise and the Hare

Regardless of the nature of your business, social media and social media marketing are critical—and powerful—drivers of success. Even if you are finished with Facebook and iffy on Instagram, you need a presence to stay competitive.

Your profiles are a bridge between you and your community. If you are posting and engaging regularly, you’re doing more than just marketing; you’re building a reputation for being accessible and reliable.

The goal is maintenance and communication, not viral sensation. Putting regular, sincere effort will establish authenticity, communicate your values, and share important details about your business.