Keeping Social Media Simple (and affordable) for Small Businesses
You don’t have to be on TikTok (despite what your neighbour says)
Let’s clear this up straight away - your business does not need to be on TikTok just because your neighbour’s cousin’s dog groomer “blew up” on it.
For a lot of small businesses, TikTok is loud, fast and time-consuming. It rewards constant video, trend-chasing and being on camera, which is great if you love that stuff, but exhausting if you’re already juggling staff, customers, stock, invoices and everything else that comes with running a business.
That’s why I don’t offer TikTok management for my clients. Not because TikTok is bad, but because for the type of businesses I work with, it’s usually not necessary and often not worth the stress.
Being everywhere isn’t the same as being effective
There’s a lot of pressure on small business owners to be “on all the platforms”. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn… maybe YouTube too, while you’re at it?
But showing up everywhere usually means showing up inconsistently. A post here, a reel there, then radio silence for weeks.
I manage social media for small businesses that are:
On a budget
Short on time
Focused on real customers, not viral fame
For those businesses, Facebook and Instagram do a lot of heavy lifting, and they’re more than enough when they’re done properly. They’re where your customers already spend time, they’re familiar, and they’re ideal for staying visible, sharing updates, and reminding people that you exist and do good work.
Instead of spreading energy across five platforms, I’d rather help you show up consistently on the ones that actually matter.
LinkedIn is a “maybe”, not a must
LinkedIn is a great platform for when it suits the business.
If you run a café, a mechanic workshop or a local service business, chances are your customers aren’t scrolling LinkedIn looking for you. In those cases, it’s usually unnecessary.
But for certain businesses like consultants, professional services, B2B businesses, then LinkedIn can be a really good fit. When it makes sense, I’ll suggest it. When it doesn’t, I won’t push it just because it’s there.
Social media should work for your business, not become another box you feel guilty about not ticking.
Why I focus on Facebook and Instagram (and mostly still images)
I mainly create still image content for Facebook and Instagram, and that’s a deliberate choice.
Still images are quicker to produce, less disruptive to your day and don’t require you to be on camera or constantly creating new video. They also allow me to keep my fees realistic and accessible for small businesses with limited marketing budgets.
You don’t need to dance, talk to your phone or follow every trend to have a strong social media presence. You just need clear, consistent content that reflects what you do and helps people recognise and trust your business.
The goal isn’t viral — it’s visible
Most small businesses don’t need thousands of followers or viral posts. What they actually need is to stay top of mind with the people who already live, work and buy locally.
A steady, well-maintained Facebook and Instagram presence builds familiarity over time. And familiarity builds trust. When someone needs what you offer, they’re far more likely to choose the business they’ve seen popping up regularly (even quietly) in their feed.
Keep it simple, keep it doable
If you’re a small business on a modest marketing budget, social media doesn’t need to be complicated. You don’t need to chase every new platform or feel behind because you’re not doing what someone else is doing online.
Simple platforms. Clear content. Consistent presence.
That’s it.
And for a lot of small businesses, that’s more than enough. Want some help with it? Flick me an email.