You know you should be on social media. But with a business to run, the idea of keeping two or three accounts busy is exhausting. So when it comes to Facebook or Instagram for business, which one deserves your time first?
The honest answer is that it depends on your customers and what you sell. Here’s how to work it out, without signing up for more than you can keep up with.
Start with one, and do it properly
A single account that’s set up well and posted to regularly beats three accounts that were abandoned after a fortnight. An empty or outdated page can actually put people off, because it makes them wonder whether you’re still trading.
So the first decision isn’t really which platform is best. It’s which one you can realistically keep going alongside everything else you do.
Consistency matters more than volume. Posting once a week, every week, does more for you than ten posts in a burst followed by months of silence.
Easy ideas for your first month
- A photo of a recent job, product or dish, with a line about it
- A quick introduction to you or your team
- The answer to a question customers often ask
- A kind review, shared with the customer’s permission
- Upcoming hours, closures or specials
When Facebook makes more sense
Facebook tends to suit businesses that serve a local community and get work through word of mouth. It works well if:
- Your customers are locals looking for recommendations, such as for tradies, mechanics, cleaners or health practitioners
- You run events, workshops or specials that people need dates and details for
- Local community groups are where people in your town ask “who’s good for…?”
- Your posts are often practical updates, like opening hours, holiday closures or new services
Across the Northern Rivers, local Facebook groups are a big part of how people find and recommend businesses. Having a proper business page means that when someone tags or recommends you, there’s somewhere useful to land.
When Instagram makes more sense
Instagram is built around images and short videos. It tends to suit businesses where the look of the work is a big part of the sale:
- Cafés, restaurants and food producers
- Retailers and makers with products to show
- Hair, beauty and wellness businesses
- Builders, gardeners and designers with before-and-after photos
If you can take a decent photo of your work most weeks, Instagram can be a good fit. If you don’t have much to show visually, it can feel like a constant struggle to find something to post.
Facebook or Instagram for business: a quick way to decide
Ask yourself three questions:
- Where do my customers already spend time? Ask a few regulars. Their answers are more useful than any general advice.
- What can I post easily? Updates and news lean towards Facebook. Photos of your work lean towards Instagram.
- How much time do I have? Be realistic. Thirty minutes a week, done consistently, is a perfectly good start.
If you’re still torn, start with Facebook for a service business and Instagram for a visual one. You can always add the second later.
Both platforms are owned by the same company, so you can link the two accounts and share posts across them. That makes adding the second one much easier once the first is running smoothly.
What about LinkedIn?
If you mostly work with other businesses, such as consultants, bookkeepers or commercial trades, LinkedIn may suit you better than either. The same rule applies, though: start with the one you can keep up with, and add more later.
Getting the setup right
Whichever you choose, the setup matters more than people think. A business account should have:
- Your proper business name, matching your website and Google listing
- Your logo as the profile picture, sized so it doesn’t get cut off
- Correct contact details, opening hours and a link to your website
- A short, clear description of what you do and where you do it
- Admin access held by you, not only by a staff member or a past contractor
That last point catches a lot of businesses out. If the only admin leaves, you can lose access to your own page. Our article on setting up social media the right way goes into more detail.
Social media works best alongside your website and Google
Social media is great for staying in touch with people who already know you. When someone is looking for a business like yours for the first time, though, they’re often searching on Google. That’s why your social accounts, your website and your Google Business Profile should all tell the same story and link to each other.
If you haven’t set up your Google listing yet, our guide to Google Business Profile setup is a good place to start. For general advice on marketing a small business, there’s also free small business guidance on business.gov.au.
How Inversit can help
Whether you settle on Facebook or Instagram for business, our digital setup service gets your accounts set up properly and connected with your website, Google Business Profile, Google Analytics and Search Console, so everything works together. We can set up LinkedIn too if it suits your business. It’s quoted to suit, so you only pay for what you need.
We can also help your accounts look the part. Bella, our photographer and graphic designer, can photograph your business, team and products, so your posts use real images instead of stock. There’s more on our digital setup service page.
Not sure where to start?
Still weighing up Facebook or Instagram for business? Book a free consultation and we’ll talk through your business, your customers and which platform makes sense first, with no pressure and no jargon. Call 02 6610 9202 or send us a message.
