For my small buyer’s agency, educational content helps build trust and credibility with consumers.

What is educational content? Its content helps build trust and credibility with consumers by sharing clear, data-backed information in a way that they can understand. As a small-business owner, I publish books, videos, blogs, articles, and other free resources online. 

How educational content works for us

Educational content plays a central role in the way we run Palise Property. It’s not just a marketing tool; it reflects our values. Unlike others in the space who rely on clickbait or hype, our approach is more formal and data-driven. We focus on delivering real value with no sales agenda. That builds trust, positions us as credible experts, and attracts the kind of clients who align with how we work.

It also works as part of our funnel. Our content helps potential clients get to know us before they ever pick up the phone. And for existing clients, it continues to educate and support them as their investment needs evolve. The end goal isn’t volume: it’s impact. We want to work with people who are serious about property, and our content helps filter for that.

The hardest part of creating educational content is making sure it actually pays off. For us, payoff doesn’t mean money but impact and relevance. 

Exposure might light the fire, but if there’s no meaningful follow-through, it fizzles out. That’s why I’ve focused on building a full ecosystem of content that meets people wherever they’re at in their learning journey. Everyone learns differently – some prefer reading, others visual or auditory formats – so I’ve made sure we cover all bases. We’ve published three books, produced both short- and long-form video content, released a podcast series, built interactive online courses, and created free downloadable tools like spreadsheets. All of it is 100 per cent free, with no paywalls or sales hooks. 

In comparison, traditional ads have fizzled

We’ve found that any type of content or advertising that isn’t rooted in education simply doesn’t perform for us. Traditional ads that just promote our services – with no value or insight attached – tend to fall flat and deliver a poor return on investment.

We’ve found that when we lead with value, we attract a higher quality of lead. Genuine education has consistently produced better results than any traditional promotional strategy. It filters for the right audience and allows us to build long-term relationships, not just short-term clicks.

In our industry, trust is essential

As a high-ticket service, trust isn’t optional – it’s essential. 

Our clients are not only paying tens of thousands in fees, they’re also relying on us to make smart decisions with hundreds of thousands of their own money. We’re often guiding them through the biggest financial transaction of their lives. 

That’s why our focus on education is so crucial. It allows people to get to know us, understand how we think, and feel confident before ever signing up. Staying top-of-mind through valuable content helps build long-term trust – and that’s what drives real results in this industry.

The post Why educational content matters for small businesses in high-value sectors appeared first on Inside Small Business.

At my agency, we’ve learned that LinkedIn is far more effective as a slow-burn marketing tool. Instead of forcing instant interactions, we focus on building genuine connections through consistent, valuable content over time. And it’s working. Let me lift the hood on some of our sales processes that we have refined, tested and measured over the years.

Potential clients often tell us that they first found my agency via my weekly LinkedIn ‘What’s Noteworthy in PR’ video segments. They might watch one, then another, and perhaps even a dozen more, quietly following our work before reaching out. It’s a strong reminder that trust is built slowly over time.

From LinkedIn, potential leads often move to our website. Here they watch additional videos, read through detailed case studies, and review our capabilities thoroughly. Before making direct contact, prospects will often head back to LinkedIn. Days, months, or even years might pass by before they feel ready to reach out. That’s okay – we’re playing the long game, after all.

When potential leads feel ready to investigate further, they then get in touch either by filling out contact forms on our website or by calling directly. We track this closely and are able to quickly evaluate the suitability of each enquiry. If there is uncertainty about whether we’re the best fit, we request the potential client complete a bespoke briefing form to help determine our compatibility.

When they do eventually get in touch, our leads have already formed a clear impression. They’ve seen our expertise demonstrated over and over again, which accelerates the sales conversation significantly. By the time they’re on the phone or filling out a contact form, they’re warmer leads, because trust has already been established.

Once qualified, we set up an initial call to gather essential information. Using this insight, we craft a tailored proposal offering multiple budget options, often accompanied by a personal video message to strengthen the human connection that we kick-started on LinkedIn.

People buy from people, not businesses. Our presence on LinkedIn bridges the gap between a faceless agency and our real, relatable team members – the people our potential clients will be working directly alongside.

LinkedIn also serves as a powerful reassurance tool. Perhaps a client initially discovered us through SEO or media coverage quoting me as an expert. Before they take the plunge, they inevitably head to LinkedIn to verify what they’ve heard elsewhere. This step solidifies trust because they’re seeing consistent messaging, genuine interactions, and real-time evidence of our capabilities.

Many of our long-term clients can be traced back to LinkedIn, where initial curiosity gradually became genuine interest and, eventually, loyalty.

LinkedIn is not an instant-gratification play. If you view LinkedIn purely as a place for quick wins, you’re missing its true power. It’s a long game, where consistency, authenticity, and value-driven content steadily cultivate trust and credibility.

Don’t underestimate the quieter, relationship-building power of LinkedIn. Use it to regularly showcase expertise, offer real value, and build trust – without the spammy messages.

The post Why slow-burn LinkedIn leads are the best leads for my PR agency appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Who am I?

I’m a neurodivergent dog mum who used to run a creative branding business in Melbourne. Most of my work involved helping small businesses – especially those in “dry” industries like insurance and finance –bring their message to life through visual storytelling using social media.

I’ve since left my branding business and now run a travel and lifestyle platform with my dog, Bentley, at the helm. Bentley also has his own social media presence, which generates income through YouTube ads, sponsorships and affiliate links.

This journey of growing my dog’s social media channel has added a whole new layer to my marketing knowledge. It’s taught me valuable lessons like no other experience. I’m here to share some key points with you, so you can apply them to turn social media posts into profit.

Lesson #1: The value of emotion in branding

If business represents the left brain and logic, branding embodies the right brain and emotion.

Previously, I ran an Airbnb business and used Bentley as a marketing strategy. I quickly found that including Bentley in the branding made my platforms more engaging and marketing. That emotional connection is what helped turn posts into bookings.

I featured Bentley in listing photos to stand out and themed the house around him with posters and polaroids of guests with Bentley displayed on the fridge. The impact of my dog was palpable: Some guests booked specifically to meet Bentley, some only confirming their stay if he was present!

Back when Airbnb was booming in Queensland, listings were everywhere. Many were more luxurious than mine, and I didn’t have the budget for high-end renovations. So I worked with what I had: Bentley. I knew Bentley’s presence elicited an emotional response, and this helped my brand stand out in a crowded market.

Lesson #2: Community is much more important than virality

I’ve applied a few principles from How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie to connect with Bentley’s audience. Here’s what I do:

• Show genuine interest – I still take the time to reply to most of Bentley’s followers. Some of them I even know their names and where they’re from.
• Encourage them to share their experiences – People love talking about their own experiencse, stories, and opinions. I invite them to do that.
• Make them feel important – I answer their questions, create content they’ve asked for, and involve them in decisions.

Instead of always chasing the next viral trend, use some of that energy to build real relationships.

Talk to your audience. Ask questions. Get curious about them.

Because those relationships are the real fuel behind long-term growth

An engagement-focused social media presence that acts as your direct market research, FAQ, and community hub help your business grow into something even bigger.

At the end of all this, you’ll have customers who truly believe in you, support you, and want to buy from you.

Lesson #3: Views are nice, but engagement builds the brand

I’ve had posts hit 1 to 3 million views, and I can tell you – they didn’t translate into income anywhere near that scale. While algorithms can push your content, only real humans choose to engage.

Getting viral is more common than ever, but that doesn’t guarantee breakthroughs.

Sure, you can ask bots to like and follow, but those fake accounts will eventually get removed and your own account can get banned. So let’s count that out of the conversation.

What really matters is action-based engagement like real comments, DMs, answering questions, and link clicks. Don’t get discouraged if your first few posts don’t get much engagement. Some people are shy about commenting publicly. They might DM you instead, which is even better.

If people aren’t engaging, you might not have hit the right audience or the right sore point yet. But that comes with time and consistency.

Information + emotion = long-term memory

Want people to remember you? Make them feel something.

That’s what my dog Bentley has taught me, through joyful social media posts that have made thousands of people smile.

The post I made my dog into a social media influencer – here’s what I learnt about small biz marketing appeared first on Inside Small Business.

These days, every business owner understands the importance of having a great website. But few have a great LinkedIn profile, because they mistakenly think of it as an online CV. It’s not – it’s a marketing document. In other words, the role of your profile is not to impress potential employers but potential customers.

Five years ago, you could get away with having a substandard LinkedIn profile. But in 2025, it’s the digital equivalent of showing up to an important business meeting wearing tracksuit pants, because it makes you look sloppy and unprofessional.

Remember: potential customers are secretly reading your LinkedIn profile before deciding whether to call you or the other suppliers they’re researching. If those rivals’ profiles are more professional than yours, you can hardly blame customers for choosing them over you.

With that in mind, here are the five things you need to do to create a LinkedIn profile that attracts and converts customers.

1. Upload a professional profile photo

You should present yourself with the same level of formality in your LinkedIn photo as you would if you were holding an important business meeting in your office.

Boring is good – you’ll look reassuringly professional if you’re wearing business clothes and staring straight at the camera. Flashy is bad – you’ll look unprofessional if you’re sporting sunglasses or talking on your phone.

2. Choose a descriptive headline

Your headline can make or break whether a potential customer decides to read the rest of your profile. So don’t waste this valuable marketing opportunity by choosing a bland headline.

If, for example, you were a mortgage broker, you should avoid headlines like “Mortgage broker” or “Example Home Loans CEO”. Instead, you should write a headline that explains what you do and who you help. If there’s space (you have a maximum of 220 characters), you can also include your phone number and explain what makes you so good at your job.

Here are three hypothetical examples:

• Mortgage broker for Sydney home buyers, investors & refinancers | More than 200 five-star Google Reviews | Famous for my friendly, caring service
• I help first home buyers, upgraders & investors with home loans and refinances | 15+ years mortgage broking experience | Contact 0444 444 444 or name@examplehomeloans.com.au
• Small business finance broker | Call me for business loans, commercial loans, equipment finance, vehicle finance, tax debt refinances & more | 0444 444 444

3. Write a detailed About section

The About section is where you get to talk about yourself for up to 2,600 characters (or about 425 words). Remember, this will be read by potential customers, so you should see this as a marketing opportunity. That’s why it’s generally a bad idea to talk about your family, hobbies or favourite foods.

Instead, give potential customers the answers to these four questions:

• What products/services do you sell?
• What types of customers do you serve?
• Why should they choose you rather than a rival supplier?
• How can they contact you?

For the third question, you can copy/paste Google Reviews into your About section.

For the fourth question, provide your mobile number and email address.

4. Be strategic with your Experience section

The Experience section is where you get up to 2,000 characters to describe each of your jobs. If you really want to nail this section, follow three rules.

First, devote the most words to your current role. Again, explain what products/services you offer, explain what customers you work with, explain why you’re so good and include your contact details. If necessary, you can just copy/paste content from your About section, although it would be better to find a different way to present the same information. Also, you can include Google Reviews – ideally different ones from those in your About section.

Second, include progressively less information as you go back in time – the earlier in your career a role occurred, the less you should write about it. That’s because you want potential customers to focus on your more recent roles, particularly your current one.

Third, for your earlier roles, include information only if it’s relevant to your current career. So if our hypothetical mortgage broker worked as a personal trainer 10 years ago, it would make no sense for him to talk about exercise programs and nutrition plans, because that would have no relevance to his mortgage broking career. Instead, he would be better off writing something like this: “During my time at Example Fitness, I developed strong listening skills and the ability to empathise with a diverse range of personalities, which were to prove invaluable years later when I became a mortgage broker and had to solve tricky finance problems.”

5. List key qualifications in the Education section

The Education section is where you list your qualifications. Again, include only those qualifications that are relevant to your current role. For our mortgage broker, relevant qualifications would include things like a Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage Broking or a Bachelor of Finance; irrelevant qualifications would include a Certificate IV in Fitness or a Bachelor of Arts.

The post How to write a LinkedIn profile that helps you attract and convert customers appeared first on Inside Small Business.

If you’re a small-business owner, you’ve likely heard it a million times: it’s important to post content on social media as part of your marketing strategy. 

But you’re also tired and busy with day-to-day operations, and don’t have time to be a social media creator all day. Right?

Marketing expert and SME owner Maddi Ragno knows all too well how much time it takes to ideate, create, and post social media content to promote your business.

“People aren’t just seeing a social media post like they used to back in 2018 or 2017 and buying your product,” says Maddi, who founded MADE Creative Co. “They’re wanting more touch points… We also know that consumers jump across platforms. It’s overwhelming for sure.”

Inside Small Business Editor Mia Lockett talks to Maddi in the first episode of the Small Biz Fix podcast to understand how an entrepreneur can use social media to actually unlock growth for their business.

But if you don’t have time to listen to the podcast right now: Want to post social media content that is not only more appealing to audiences, but easier to produce? Here are three quick tips you can take to go.

Gem #1: Film your everyday

One of the biggest mistakes business owners tend to make with social media is thinking that everything has to look beautiful and on-brand. But social media perfectionism doesn’t just waste your precious time, it could also be alienating your audience.

“People don’t want fake stuff. They want authentic stories,” said Phil Kuoch, a small-business owner who also featured as a guest on episode one of the Small Biz Fix. “People really love getting to know the founders and the people behind the business.”

Phil knows the value of authentic content. He originally hired a marketing agency to do socials for his Melbourne-based bakery, Goldelucks – but their perfect, polished posts did nothing for his audience. It was only when Phil took over the content creation himself, filming rough videos of his day-to-day bakery operations, that sales grew exponentially.

“We’re in an era of ‘authentic’,” Maddi explains. “Film your everyday: Film moments that are happening, conversations you’re having on the phone, team meetings. Then you have a bank of content that you can chop up and voiceover later.”

Gem #2: Use tools like SimilarWeb and AnswerThePublic to generate educational content ideas

Maddi explains that social media can be an excellent “proof” tool to assure potential customers of your expertise, authority, and trustworthiness. When she markets her own services, she uses platforms like TikTok to make short educational videos about her areas of expertise.

“In sales calls, I’ve had people say: ‘I’ve watched a lot of your TikTok videos. You don’t even need to pitch to me,’” she says.

If you want similar results, but don’t know where to start, try using tools like SimilarWeb and AnswerThePublic, which scour the web for the top questions that people are searching for. You can input key words relating to your business activities and view the questions your target audience has about that key word. Then, you can create educational social media content based on real questions that your customers have.

Not only are you creating valuable social media content that will actually get views; you’re setting yourself up as a trusted professional in your field.

Gem #3: If you’re on Instagram: Trial reels are free advertising

Phil says he’s been using the new trial reels feature on Instagram to attract new people to his account. The feature allows you to “trial” your content by showing it to non-followers first. Ostensibly, this allows you to test a post that’s outside of your usual niche before you show it to your usual audience. But, as Phil has discovered, it’s also free advertising.

“We’ve been reposting our trending and viral videos to trial reels,” he explains. “It’s an amazing feature to get new followers.”

This feature is particularly relevant to someone like Phil, who uses social media as a discovery channel. This means that instead of leading directly to a sale, his social media platforms attract new customers, keep his business top-of-mind for existing ones, and lead interested parties to the next stages of his sales funnel, like the Goldelucks website.

Listen to episode one of the Small Biz Fix for more on social media marketing, including:

• The single most common mistake that business owners make on social media
• Which platforms you should be on
• How to analyse your results (meaningfully and easily)
• Even more content-creation hacks
• And much, much more!

The post The Small Biz Fix episode 1: Three proven social media content strategies to drive growth  appeared first on Inside Small Business.

But trust me, it’s not about being everywhere just for the sake of it. It’s about being smart with your strategy, showing up where it matters and making your marketing work for you.

I run 17 marketing channels (yes, 17!) and they’ve been key in building my seven-figure business, The Search Republic.

So let me break down how I do it, and how you can too.

1. More channels doesn’t mean more work (If you do it right)

Many business owners avoid expanding their marketing beyond social media because they assume it means more time, more effort and more stress.

The truth?

If you set up your channels strategically, they work together to amplify your impact.

• Owned channels: My two websites my agency The Search Republic and my personal brand website Sonja The Search Queen. SEO, email marketing and lead magnets are my digital assets that keep working for me long after I hit “publish”.
• Social media: Instagram Posts (Carousels + Reels), LinkedIn posts and YouTube content all serve different purposes, but feed into the same ecosystem.
• Offline & high-touch Channels: Speaking engagements, PR and my book The Search for Resilience all help me build credibility and deepen my authority.

It’s not about doing everything, it’s about doing the right things in the right places.

2. Your personal brand is your biggest asset

One of the reasons I’ve been able to grow my business so quickly is because I’ve built a strong personal brand Sonja The Search Queen.

With more people marketing their businesses online than ever before and the introduction of AI – we’re in a personal brand economy.

People want to work and connect with people, not faceless businesses.

I show up daily on Instagram Stories, share thought leadership content and regularly pitch to be a podcast guest.

The key?

Consistency and authenticity. I’m not just selling services – I’m building relationships and trust.

3. Content creation doesn’t have to be a full-time job

People always ask how I keep up with 17 channels without burning out. The secret? Repurposing and systems.

• A LinkedIn post becomes an Instagram carousel (and vice versa)
• A speaking gig is turned into multiple Instagram Reels
• A live webinar turns into YouTube content

I also use Asana for content planning. If you batch create and automate where possible, you’re not constantly chasing content deadlines.

4. Community and relationships drive business growth

Social media isn’t just about posting – it’s called “social” media for a reason.

I spend time engaging, responding to comments and in the DMs on Instagram to nurture relationships, support my audience and generate leads.

Beyond that, strategic collaborations with brands expand my reach without me having to spend thousands on ads.

It’s not just about what you know – it’s about who knows you.

5. Consistency over perfection

I don’t post on 17 channels, every day. But I do show up when it counts and I do it consistently. My best performing platform is Instagram, so I double down there.

My advice?

Pick two to three core channels, master them and then expand. Don’t try to be everywhere at once, especially when you don’t have systems in place to support you. Make sure you’re showing up where your audience actually is.

Final thoughts

Marketing isn’t about throwing content into the void and then hoping for the best. It’s all about strategy, consistency and connection.

You don’t need 17 channels to succeed. But you do need to diversify and be intentional with where and how you show up. The goal isn’t to do more – it’s to do better.

Your future customers are waiting, so start showing up in a way that works for you.

The post How to manage several marketing channels effectively as a small-business owner appeared first on Inside Small Business.

The statistics come from the Digital 2025 Australia report by Meltwater and We Are Social, who asked Australian internet users over 16 what they used to conduct brand research.

Shockingly, only 37 per cent used a business’ own website to research its products and services.

There’s no doubt that social media is now a crucial part of any brand’s online presence. However, the same report shows that search is still king in some areas.

Search engines are still the most common way that Australians discover a business in the first place, with 37.6 per cent of internet users over the age of 16 finding brands this way. In fact, social media is only the fourth-most common source of brand discovery. 

Only 26.8 per cent of users discover new brands via this channel, behind word of mouth (34.3 per cent) and TV ads (29.5 per cent).

What might this mean?

Your Australian customers are still most likely to stumble upon your business via search engine results page, meaning a great SEO strategy remains your most powerful weapon of discovery.

However, when it comes to researching a brand, Australians are increasingly turning to social channels – more so than even brand websites. In other words, consumers now view social media as one of the best ways to get to know your business.

This means that it’s more important than ever to make sure that your social media accounts contain everything your customer needs to know about your business. This doesn’t just mean your products and services, either. Increasingly, people are turning to social media to understand a business’ purpose, ethos, and trustworthiness.

The post Social media rivals search as top tool for brand research in Australia appeared first on Inside Small Business.

1. Your ad campaigns won’t exit Meta’s learning phase
2. Your campaigns will fail to reach new customers

The importance of overcoming Meta’s learning phase

If you fail to invest enough budget or time into Meta ads, your campaigns will struggle to exit the learning phase. This means the algorithm won’t be able to gather enough data to effectively serve your ads to the right people in the right way, making it almost impossible to scale your account.

Meta requires 50 events to exit its learning phase, which should ideally occur within a 14-day period. Think of these events as actions like purchases, leads and link clicks. They will differ depending on your campaign’s objective(s).

Once the campaign or ad set exits the learning phase, you will experience more consistent results and be in a better position to scale your budget and grow revenue. This is by far when you will see the best results.

Audience limitations with low-budget campaigns

In addition to the learning phase, having a low budget will limit who sees your ads.

With its Advantage+ features (AI targeting), Meta will take the easiest route to find the best audiences. It will usually default to your existing customers, or those who have recently engaged with your brand. This means that rather than reaching new prospects, you’ll be targeting customers who would’ve purchased something from you regardless of whether they saw your ad.

You won’t see Meta do this with larger budgets. Instead, you’d attract more new customers and increase your return on investment.

Monitor, monitor, monitor!

A common misconception many businesses have with Meta is that they can ‘set and forget’ their advertising campaigns. A lot of marketers and businesses run ad campaigns in the background, without making optimisations or testing/adding new creative.

To ensure your ad spend is properly utilised, Meta campaigns need to be carefully monitored and where applicable, optimised. You need to constantly ‘feed the beast’ with new creative. After all, your business could have the most well-structured campaign, but if your creative falls short, so will your overall ad performance, given Meta’s strength across AI targeting.

Allocating budget

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Meta ads, with so many factors at play, including budget and business objectives. To generalise, however, you want to allocate your budget accordingly:

• 10-20 per cent to prospecting new customers with ‘non-conversion’ objectives like traffic, awareness and leads
• 60 to 70 per cent towards prospecting new customers with conversion-based objectives (sales and leads)
• 10 per cent of your budget on nurturing existing customers and retargeting engaged shoppers

If resources allow, your conversion campaigns should be a mix of Advantage Shopping Campaigns (soon to be renamed Advantage Sales Campaigns) and manual targeting campaigns.

Your strategy should also allow for creative diversity, meaning you have a strong variety of ad types and hooks that are constantly being tested and optimised.

If you still can’t increase your budget

Businesses not yet in a financial position to fully invest in paid ads can instead use smaller budgets to run solo lead generation campaigns, with a focus on building your email database. From there you can nurture leads and move them down the purchasing funnel through email automations and regular personalised campaigns.

It should be noted that Meta ads is only one part of scaling revenue and growing your business. If you’re serious about acquiring customers for your product or service-based business, ensure your whole ecosystem is set up with strong foundations; from a high-converting website experience, clear unique selling points, strong average order value, customer retention, strong customer service, timely email automation and more.

The post The Meta ads mistakes too many SMEs make appeared first on Inside Small Business.

Update each social media profile

When was the last time you logged in to each social media profile and made sure that all of the ‘boxes’ were filled in? These ‘boxes’ change on a regular basis and you could be missing out on a new feature that could increase your digital asset value and help you appear in both search and AI chat results. For instance, that old Facebook Profile will let you link to all of your other social media platforms! I recommend doing this every six months. Make sure your logos and descriptions are consistent too and make sure you only have one profile for each platform.

Goal: Log in and update all of your social media accounts once every six months.

Search for and delete duplicate accounts

I worked with one client who had six YouTube accounts because they didn’t keep their login details so every time they published a new video, a staff member would create a new YouTube account with a different email address. There are a lot of individuals and enterprises that have duplicate or multiple accounts that they don’t need. Finding the login details or reissuing passwords can take time, but the reality is that these duplicate profiles reduce your chances of appearing in aligned search results. Make sure you also take a backup of the account and the content there before you delete the profile.

Goal: Keep all of your login details up to date and accessible to people who need it so you never create another duplicate account.

Check your website social media links

Have you listed all of your social media profiles on your business website and when you click on the logos, does it take the website visitor to the right account? I am always staggered by the number of businesses that have forgotten to include all of their social media profiles on their website and haven’t added these links to their Google Business Profile https://business.google.com either.

Goal: Review your website functionality after every update and make sure all social media logo links work.

Invite key people to follow you

When was the last time you invited your key clients, stakeholders and referral partners to follow you on your socials and click the Notification Bell so that they see more of your content in their newsfeed? Yes, the logos may be visible on your email signature, email newsletter and/or website but do you ever provide instructions to ‘Follow us’ as well? When you onboard a new client, do you invite them to follow you as part of your onboarding process? As a minimum, I would suggest that you invite every person who contacts you via email, phone, text, DM etc to connect with you on LinkedIn – from now on (my three favourite words). If they don’t buy from you now, they may remember you in the future.

Goal: Invite 80 per cent of everyone you meet online or in person to connect on LinkedIn.

Follow people and enterprises that are important to you

If you want to support word of mouth referrals and potential search results, you need to be connected and that means making sure that you follow your supporters. When was the last time you liked and commented on one of their social media posts? This process will help you curate your own newsfeed with content that will matter to your business. If you support others, they are more likely to support you.

Goal: Engage with the newsfeed of the most aligned social media platform for your business once a week for 10 minutes.

Write reviews for others

When was the last time you wrote a review for someone? If you sign up to Local Guides Connect https://www.localguidesconnect.com, your Google reviews will earn points and your reviews will appear above other reviews which is fantastic free publicity. Don’t just stick with Google Reviews either! Facebook reviews will appear in Bing / Microsoft Edge results and there are far fewer reviews there so you can really stand out. Make sure your own business has a website page for reviews so you can publish other reviews you receive directly without asking your clients to do any extra work (apart from getting their permission to publish it or you can share it anonymously).

Goal: Write one review for someone else once a week.

Revisit your posting strategy

Is it consistent (at least once a week)? Is it quality (within your style guide)? Do you share a variety of content (images, videos, polls, carousels)? Is it systemised (not necessarily automated)? Do you batch produce content and schedule it? Do you engage with all comments? Personally, I recommend that all content be published on your website first (the only online real estate you own) and then shared on social media. Naturally, each platform wants you to use their tools to upload and edit content, but if you don’t have time for that, making sure something appears on all of your platforms once a week means that any future clients can do their due diligence on their preferred social media platform.

Goal: Publish one new piece of content on your website and share it on all of your social channels once a week.

Consider developing an engagement strategy

Social media works when people listen (react) and speak (post). So it is up to you to make sure your business listens more than it speaks. If you have identified your favourite accounts and clicked the notification bell, you can spend some time engaging with their content in your newsfeed with reactions (likes) as well as comments (lengthy comments will earn you lots of brownie points). Ideally, aim for an engagement ratio of at least 3:1 – three engagements, one post. Naturally, the more engagements you make, the more likely your content will be shared by the algorithm to others.

Goal: Engage more often than you post on social media, at least at the ratio of 3:1 or more.

Prioritise the right metrics

Platforms like TikTok have moved away from the number of ‘followers’ to the number of ‘views.’ In other words, your content will reach more people if it is viewed for longer rather than if you have a lot of followers. This is a major change and in some cases, it makes people create content that is highly emotive and is designed for a ‘reaction’ rather than ‘value.’ Be warned. This is very dangerous for a business that needs leads and sales, not views. Please stick to your core messages of education and value with the occasional call to action that will suit your ideal client otherwise you will attract unwanted interest from people who are not going to purchase.

Goal: Keep your business in mind with all social media activity and don’t be distracted by views or shiny objects.

Abide by the user agreements

It can be very tempting to ‘game’ the social media platforms to get the results you need. Don’t waste your time. Bad behaviour is quickly identified and you risk losing your account without warning. Be curious. Explore new features when they come out. Make it easier for everyone to consume your content (visible and embedded captions). Add to the conversation. Remain solution-focused. Provide value. Be authentic. Most importantly, decide on your strategy and consistently show up in a way that is sustainable for you and your business. Then get back to business.

Goal: Maintain your integrity on all social media at all times.

The post Maximise your social media presence in 2025 with these 10 simple tweaks appeared first on Inside Small Business.

For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), building credibility and engaging with customers can feel like an uphill battle. One way to bridge the gap between your brand and potential customers is user-generated content (UGC).

UGC refers to any content – text, images, videos, reviews, or social media posts – created by customers or fans about your brand, product, or service. Think Instagram photos of a customer enjoying your product, TikTok videos showcasing its use, or Google reviews praising your service. 

Yes, reviews are UGC! They’re one of the simplest and most accessible forms of this valuable content. 

Unlike traditional advertising, UGC has an authentic touch. It’s real people sharing real experiences, which makes it more relatable and trustworthy to prospective customers. 

A recent study showed that 79 per cent of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. For SMEs with limited marketing budgets, UGC can be a game-changer. 

Why UGC works so well for small businesses

1. It builds trust: Consumers trust other consumers more than they trust brands. UGC showcases authentic testimonials, making your business more relatable and trustworthy. 

2. It’s cost effective: UGC costs you nothing to produce. Your customers create it for you, saving you time and money while providing fresh, engaging content. This is effectively your step into the world of PR. Offering incentives for customers to create and share content will be your best friend. 

3. It boosts engagement: Sharing UGC on your social channels can increase likes, comments, and shares. People love seeing themselves featured and are more likely to tag others, expanding your reach. 

4. It improves SEO and discoverability: Reviews, testimonials, and social posts about your business can improve your online visibility, driving more traffic to your website or social media. Keep in mind that Google Reviews can only be edited by a customer, their review is authentic and their own, so prepare yourself for the feedback. 

How do I get my audience to create UGC?

There are a few ways you can get your audience to create UGC for you.

1. Encourage reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, or your website. Make the process easy with direct links and reminders. 

2. Host competitions: Create social media contests where customers share photos or videos using your product. Offer incentives like discounts, free products, or shoutouts for participation. 

3. Create a branded hashtag: Encourage customers to use your hashtag when posting about your business. A memorable hashtag helps track and reshare UGC while building a sense of community. 

4. Share and celebrate UGC: Regularly feature customer photos, videos, or reviews on your social media, website, or newsletters. It shows appreciation and encourages others to join in. It’s about creating a community and acknowledging the time and effort that content creation requires. 

5. Leverage influencers: Partnering with micro-influencers who already use your product can generate organic UGC that resonates with their followers, extending your reach. 

Before sharing UGC, ensure you have the creator’s consent to use their content and credit them for their work. A simple message or comment is usually sufficient, and it shows respect for your customers. 

UGC is an invaluable tool for SMEs looking to grow their customer base and amplify their online presence. By encouraging and sharing authentic content created by your customers, you can build trust, increase engagement, and boost your brand’s credibility – all without a hefty marketing budget. 

So, start leveraging the power of UGC today, and let your customers help tell your story!

The post How to use user-generated content to boost your small brand’s engagement appeared first on Inside Small Business.