Hiring a social media manager sounds nice; like having someone to water your digital plants and make sure they don’t wither in the algorithmic sun. But for most local businesses, it’s just not in the budget. The good news? You don’t need one. You just need a smart setup, a little consistency, and maybe a decent cup of coffee.
Start where your people already are.
You don’t need to be everywhere; you just need to be where your customers scroll while waiting in line at the post office. For most local businesses, that means Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business Profile. Not TikTok. Not whatever new app your cousin keeps texting you about.
Facebook is still a powerhouse for local engagement. Events, promos, community shoutouts—it’s all fair game. Instagram’s perfect for showcasing your space, your team, your products, or even just a really good sandwich. And your Google Business
Profile? That’s your storefront on the internet. Keep it sharp.
According to BrightLocal, 98 percent of consumers used the internet to find local business info in 2022. Not 50. Not 75. Ninety-eight. So yes, it matters.
Schedule it and forget it (almost).
You don’t need to post every day manually; that’s what scheduling tools are for. Buffer, Later, Meta Business Suite—they all let you batch your content and schedule it across platforms. You can sit down on a quiet Tuesday morning, knock out a week’s worth of posts, and move on with your life.
Make one thing do three things.
You don’t need to create new content every time; you just need to get better at recycling.
Say you write a blog post about how to care for houseplants in winter. That same post can be chopped into an Instagram carousel, a quote graphic, and a short video. One idea, three formats. It’s like leftovers, but for content. And honestly, just as satisfying.
Encourage your fans to do the work.
User-generated content is exactly what it sounds like: stuff your customers make for you. A photo of someone wearing your merch. A glowing review. A video of their dog loving your homemade treats. It’s gold.
And it works. Nielsen found that 92 percent of people trust UGC more than traditional ads. That’s because it feels real; because it is.
Keep your Google profile alive.
Your Google Business Profile isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of deal. Keep it updated. Hours, services, photos, posts—Google notices when you’re active, and it rewards you with better visibility. That means more eyeballs on your business when people search nearby.
Also, don’t ignore the Q&A section or messages. People use them. And when you respond, it builds trust faster than any ad campaign could.
Use AI like a digital intern.
Look, AI isn’t magic, but it can save you time. Tools like ChatGPT, Jasper, or Canva’s Magic Write can help you write captions, brainstorm blog topics, or even design social graphics. It’s not about replacing your voice; it’s about speeding up the grunt work.
Track what’s working, skip what’s not.
Don’t just post and hope. Use the analytics tools baked into Facebook, Instagram, and Google. You’ll see which posts people engage with, when they’re most active, and what makes them click.
Once you know that, you can stop guessing. Just do more of what works.
Engage a little, regularly.
You don’t need to live online, but you do need to show up. Spend 15 to 30 minutes a day replying to comments, answering DMs, and responding to reviews. That’s it.
The algorithms love it. Your customers love it. And it keeps your brand from feeling like a ghost town.
Own your audience.
Social media is borrowed space; you’re renting visibility from platforms that can change the rules overnight. Email, on the other hand, is yours.
Use your social presence to drive newsletter signups. Then send useful, human emails. Tools like Mailchimp and ConvertKit make it easy to automate without sounding like a robot.
Let someone else post about you.
If you really don’t want to post yourself, consider local micro-influencers. These are people in your community with small but loyal followings—1,000 to 10,000 followers, usually. They’re affordable, they’re authentic, and their audience actually
listens.
It’s like word of mouth, but scaled.
Final takeaway
If you made it this far, here’s the takeaway: You don’t need a full-time social media manager. You need a plan, a few tools, and a little follow-through. Be consistent. Be human. And don’t try to be everywhere. Just be where it counts.
That’s one more tool in the belt.
We’ll be back soon with more you can use.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog