A local business does not need ten thousand followers around the world. It needs the few thousand people within reach to know it exists, to trust it, and to know how to come in. That is a smaller job, and it makes the choices simpler.
The basics, before any posts
- Your listing on maps and search is probably your most-visited page. Hours, address, phone and photos there matter more than any post.
- Your bio says what you are, where, and how to get in touch, in the first line.
- A pinned post or highlight for prices, opening hours and how to book.
What to post
- The place: the room, the window, the counter, the weather outside.
- The people: who will serve them, in their own words.
- The work as it happens: a dish, a haircut, a repair, a class.
- What changes: today’s special, a new date, a closed day, a queue.
- Local things, tagged by place, so people nearby can find them.
Show up like a neighbour
Reply quickly, in the voice you would use across the counter. Thank people who tag you. Tag the other local businesses you actually like. The friendliest local account is remembered longer than the best-looking one.
How much
Two or three posts a week and a few stories is a good rhythm for one person. A schedule helps most with the dull part: opening hours, holiday closures and the weekly special, written once and queued.
Count what matters
Not likes. Count how many people said they saw you online, how many messages asked about hours or prices, how many bookings came by message. Those are the numbers that fill a diary.
If a stranger could not tell from your last three posts where you are and when you are open, fix that before anything creative.