Social Media Ideas for Local & Small Businesses

Do you find it challenging to come up with fresh ideas for your social media content? Perhaps you’re struggling to craft a witty caption for that adorable photo of your furry friend wearing a sweater. Or maybe you’re tasked with developing a week’s worth of engaging social media posts, or even an entire month’s content calendar for your business.

For small and medium-sized businesses, time is often a precious commodity. Spending time on coming up with new ideas for social media can be consuming.

As you stare at an empty social media content calendar, you might find yourself struggling to come up with ideas. To help jumpstart your creativity, here are some ideas to consider and inspire you.

Let’s get Personal

On social media, consumers typically don’t invest in a brand or product until they can relate to the story behind it. To create that connection, don’t hesitate to infuse a personal touch into your social media content. These social media ideas can help to humanize your brand and make your feed feel more relatable to your audience.

1. Reintroduce yourself and your brand to your audience - Writing a post about how you or the business owner got started can resonate with both long-time and new followers. Some people who recently started following your account may have missed your original introduction posts. Refreshing your audience’s memory about the who, what, when, where, why, and how behind your brand is always a good idea. Including photos with faces has been proven to boost engagement by almost 40 percent compared to images without faces, so don’t hesitate to use selfies to showcase the friendly face behind your business on social media.
2. Behind the scenes - Offering a glimpse into the inner workings of your business can make for compelling content (especially when done with video). If your industry involves on-site services or in-office services, consider creating a video tours of different locations to share on social media channels. This can add an interesting and engaging perspective to your content.
3. Your own Story or struggle - It’s likely that your clients are not the only ones facing difficulties, and your followers may also be able to relate, which can result in increased engagement with your post. As any social media expert will attest, establishing a personal connection can be incredibly impactful.
4. Keep the quotes coming - Who inspires you? Do a Google search to find any quotes from these people. Alternatively, you can search for quotes that are relevant to your industry. Sharing quotes is a great way to provide your audience with a glimpse into what motivates you, and can help to establish a deeper connection with your followers.
5. The morning routine - Capture the fun and deliciousness of your morning routine by snapping a workout selfie or taking a mouth-watering picture of your avocado toast creation for breakfast.
6. The inspiration for your business - Whether you were driven by a lack of industry options or a desire to help others through your product or service, showcasing a brand’s motivation can help users feel more connected to it. This type of content can foster a deeper sense of engagement with your audience.
7. A favorite childhood memory - This social media strategy is an excellent approach to highlight the human side of a business or brand and to connect with your audience in a nostalgic manner. It serves as a reminder to customers that there are real people behind the business, which can help build positive sentiment and enhance the brand’s reputation.
8. Hometown vibes - This is a fun way to provide your followers with a glimpse into your personal life while also showcasing local businesses and attractions.
9. Fun or Unusual Hobbies - This can add a human touch to your brand and foster a deeper sense of personal connection with your followers.
10. Celebrate good times come on - Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or personal achievement, sharing it on social media can help your followers feel like they are a part of your journey.
11. Personal Cause or Charity - Sharing information about a cause or charity that holds significance to you can foster a brand loyalty and demonstrate to your followers that you prioritize more than just financial gain.

Leverage fun social media posts for more engagement

There are a few social media ideas that are surefire ways to boost interaction, with comments and engagement pouring in. These easy wins can help you get the ball rolling and increase engagement with your audience.

12. The all important question - Audiences are often eager to share their unique perspectives on various topics, so don’t hesitate to ask for their input.
13. Poll it out - A quick poll is an excellent way to gauge where you audience stands on a new design or extended operating hours. Instagram Stories, Facebook, and LinkedIn offer great in-platform polling features to gather feedback from your followers.
14. Book review - Sharing a good book recommendation can be a great way to connect with your followers, particularly those looking for trusted sources for reading recommendations. Whether, it’s an industry-relevant professional resource or a piece of fiction that your client has enjoyed, sharing it on social media can engage your audience and spark interesting conversations.
15. What’s Your Recommendation? - Ask your audience for recommendations on books, TV shows, Apps, Music, Local Restaurants, or anything else relevant to your industry. This can be a great way to engage with your followers and get them involved in the conversation.
16. Give it Away Now - Running a giveaway is an effective way to boost engagement on social media and attract new followers. By offering rewards, followers are incentivized to participate and spread the word to their own followers. However, it’s important to review the rules and regulations for giveaways on different social platforms as they may have specific disclosure requirements that need to be included in the post.
17. Meme it up - Memes are universally loved, and most businesses can find a way to incorporate them into their content feed in a way that aligns with their brand. They’re an effective tool to add humor to social media content and connect with the audience in a fun and light-hearted way.
18. Quiz/Trivia - Quizzes and trivia are not only entertaining but also a clever way for businesses to interact with their audience and evaluate their knowledge on industry-specific subjects. Not to mention, they generate direct engagement with social media content through likes, comments, or shares, increasing the account’s visibility and making it more noticeable to potential customers.
19. Caption content - A brand can share a humorous or captivating image and encourage followers to create the perfect caption for it. This social media strategy has the potential to generate a substantial increase in comments, thereby boosting the post’s engagement.
20. “Guess the product” - This social media idea involves posting a close-up image of a product and challenging followers to guess what it is. It prompts the audience to think about the product offerings, potentially driving sales and conversions from curious prospects.
21. Social Media Challenge - Incorporating social media challenges into a brand’s social media feed is a fun idea that has the potential to go viral. Creating a challenge that relates to the brand or industry and encouraging the audience to participate and share their own results on social media can generate buzz, build a community, and increase the visibility of the brand name or hashtag.

Let your audience know you are a thought leader

Use these social media ideas to position yourself as thought leaders in their industries based on their years of experience and expertise:

22. How to Tutorial - The desire for video content is on the rise, with over half of people stating that they would like to see more video content from the brands or businesses they follow. Take a few minutes to record a quick life hack or how-to tip that would be valuable to their online audience.
23. Infographic - Infographics are an excellent way to present information on a specific topic, and they tend to be highly shareable, resulting in increased engagement rates.
24. Quick Tip - A weekly post dedicated to sharing useful tips or advice, known as “Tip Tuesday”, can be effective across a range of industries.
25. Learn from my mistakes - A leader who acknowledges a failure and transforms it into a learning experience or a chance for development can exhibit authenticity, which is a quality that followers seek on social media. Use these failures to gain traction from your social audience.
26. Celebrate the win - a well-crafted humble brag can help a brand gain support from followers and showcase the effort they’ve invested in achieving noteworthy accomplishments.
27. Testimonials - You can enhance your brand’s credibility by showcasing positive feedback from clients, customers, and colleagues who have had great experiences with the business. Testimonials are a powerful way to build trust and demonstrate the value of your brand.
28. “Secret Sauce” - Showcase what makes your business unique and highlight its strengths in a social media post. Share interesting insights without revealing confidential information to position the business as an industry leader and build credibility.
29. 6 O’Clock News - By keeping followers informed about the latest trends, news, and developments in the industry, businesses can position themselves as authoritative and well-informed sources of information.
30. My Predictions - Share original analysis and predictions about the future of the industry, and provide recommendations on how clients or customers can prepare for the upcoming changes. By sharing insight predications, the brand can position itself as a valuable source of niche intelligence, and when the predictions come true, it can further establish the brand’s authority.
31. Q&A session - Engage with your audience by inviting them to ask questions about you, your brand or industry, and respond with informative and thoughtful answers that showcase your expertise. Hosting a Q&A session not only demonstrates transparency, but also establishes credibility, which can make a brand more appealing to potential customers. You can host Q&A sessions on various social media platforms, such as Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Stories.
32. The Podcast you like - Promote a culture of learning by sharing valuable resources! Brands and entrepreneurs can occasionally share podcasts that have influenced their thinking and shaped their perspectives. Posting about a favorite industry-related podcast allows the audience to gain insights into the resources that have helped shape the brand they support. This also offers a refreshing change from the usual promotional content.
33. Embrace the controversy - While some brands may be more comfortable than others to express opinions on controversial topics, taking a stand on a hotly debated issue can stimulate engagement and conversation. It can also be a powerful technique for communicating the brand’s values.

Classic social content considerations

You may have seen these social media ideas before, but don’t underestimate their power to enhance your online visibility.

34. The throwback method - Consider reposting older blog posts, graphics, quotes, and professional milestones, as well as sharing throwback photos from personal or work-related trips. These are effective social media ideas that can help to improve your online presence.
35. Seasonal or holiday highlight - The seasons and holiday offer great ideas for posts. Keep an eye on the calendar and use it to post your own content.
36. Solutions to the problems - To effectively sell any product or service, it is essential to communicate how it solves a particular pain point. Brands can use social media to highlight what makes their offering stand out or address the unique challenges it solves. One way to create such content is by featuring an influencer who discusses the product or service in a video, which the brand can repost. Alternatively, the brand’s owner or employees can talk about their goals and vision behind creating the product or service.

Lean on others for what to post on social media

37. “The Take-Over” - Give an employee the opportunity to take over the social media for a day. This not only adds a fresh perspective and content style to the feed, but also provides a full day of content that does not need to be scheduled into the social media management platform. Usually, brands offer some guidelines for takeovers but allow the person taking over to put their own creative touch on things.
38. Let the clients/customers shine - One effective way to build trust and credibility with your audience is to showcase satisfied customers using your product or service and highlighting their experience. This social media post provides real-life examples of your offering in use, which people love to see. 
39. Shout Out - Mentioning or tagging another brand or account in a post can be an excellent strategy to boost the chances of the post being shared and reaching a wider audience. Additionally, it can foster strong relationships with other brands, opening up opportunities for valuable collaborations.
40. Interview with a Guest - One simple method to achieve this objective is to arrange a video call using Zoom or Google Meet between yourself and a noteworthy guest. Conducting the interview virtually and recording it can also be done through these services. Once the interview is complete, you can download the video file and upload it to the social media platform that suits your needs. It is advisable to seek guests whose followers or subscribers share a common interest with your target audience. This way, people discovering the business through the interview are more likely to turn into potential customers.
41. Showcase User Generated Content - UGC has established itself as a critical component of digital marketing, and its effectiveness is apparent. Compared to meticulously crafted, stages promotional visuals, content produced by users is more genuine and relatable. UGC enables the audience to envision themselves utilizing the product or service, and it also signifies that the brand values and interacts with its customers.
42. Hosts or Attends - To improve the likelihood of attracting a larger audience, Facebook and LinkedIn provide dedicated event pages for hosting events. If you are participating in an event, it’s advisable to search for relevant events hashtags before creating a post. Additionally, sharing real-time updates during the event can be an effective way to engage with followers.
43. Share other profiles - Aside from promoting your own account, enticing your followers to join you on other platforms, it’s worthwhile to share profiles of industry influencers or other pertinent accounts to foster connections and broaden the reach.