Photo courtesy of @nelsondacorgi
Updated May 2023
Increasing your business’s social media presence is so important in today’s business world. It is a great, simple tool to help boost sales, gain more brand awareness, and attract loyal customers. When creating content to post on these platforms, don’t stress about breaking the bank! There are so many *free*, impactful ways to create amazing content, without taking up too much time.
1. User Generated Content (UGC)
This is probably one of the easiest ways to get creative, unique content for your brand. By looking at what your customers are posting, whether that is photos, videos, reviews, etc., you can easily reshare these and have your own post from something that was already created. Not only is this good for your platform, but it shows your customers that they are appreciated and heard by your business, leading them to likely do business with you in the future! Check out our article, User-Generated Content: What It Is, Where To Find It, & How To Use It To Get Free Advertising, here!
2. Using Your Phone Camera
You don’t need to have a $500+ fancy, professional camera to take high quality photos and videos, just utilize what you already have, your phone camera! Be sure to set up your photo in good lighting, with a clean background, play around with different angles, and showcase your product! Whether it’s food, clothes, a service you do, etc., your phone camera can capture exactly what you want to show your followers. Check out our guide, How To Take Photos That Are Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Looking (Without A Professional Camera), here!
3. Collab with Other Accounts/Brands
This tip seems to be brushed off a lot, but is one of the most effective. Find another business or ‘influencer’ account that attracts a similar audience as your business does, and reach out to see if they would be willing to do a collab with you. This way you both are gaining more exposure to a wider audience that is similar to your already existing following.
Pro-Tip: Even just shouting out other businesses on a product you really like can be beneficial, even if there is no collaboration in effect. It shows them you are appreciative of their product and may lead them to give you a shoutout in return! Small businesses help small businesses! Check out our article, Influencer Marketing 101: How To Create Relationships That Promote Your Business, here!
4. Record Daily Happenings
By recording the things that happen everyday at your business, whether that’s a shipment delivery, packing orders, food being made/served, putting an outfit together, etc., you can simply record this, put some music over, and upload it to your accounts! This gives your followers and potential customers a glimpse into your company and they can see the exact steps taken into how they get your final product. Check out our article, 7 Local Dessert Shops & Bakeries That Are Doing It Right On Instagram (& How To Copy Them), for some fun ideas on how to do this here!
5. Keep Your Followers Up to Date
If you get a new shipment in, post about it! If you have a new menu item, post about it! If you are running a sale for only a week, post about it! By simply updating your followers on all social platforms, you are allowing them to feel part of a community and leave them feeling special. This creates a great relationship between business and consumer that can generate more sales and returning customers. Check out our article, 10 Local Businesses Leveraging Instagram To Make $$$ (& How You Can Too), here!
