Free guides
Social media guides for local business owners.
Plain-English answers to what to post, what to say and how much time it really takes. Free, no sign-up. Use them yourself, or hand the whole thing to us.
5 posts every local business should rotateStuck on what to post? Rotate these 5 posts every week: behind the scenes, a customer result, you, a common question, and how to book.Why most small businesses go nowhere on Instagram (and the fix for each)Five reasons small business Instagram pages stall, and the simple fix for each: a schedule, your face, less selling, a clear next step, and 90 days.4 social media mistakes costing service businesses clientsPosting only when it's slow, doing it all at night, leaving DMs on read, and guessing what works. Here's what to do instead.Stop ending posts with "follow me." Say these 5 lines instead.Five copy-paste lines to end your posts with: save it, send it, comment a word, pick A or B, and tap to book. Each one gives people a reason to act.A new customer gives your page 3 seconds. Here's what they see.Your profile photo, your bio's first line and your top 3 posts decide if a new customer stays. How to fix each one, and what to pin instead.7 Reel ideas for any local business (no dancing)Before and after, your day in 15 seconds, the daily question, meet the team, how it's made, the customer's reaction, and tips for first-timers.How to write a video hook: say the result firstYour first line decides if anyone watches. Lead with the result, not hello. Weak vs strong hook examples for salons, restaurants, contractors and gyms.Your week with a social media manager vs withoutWhat changes when you hand off social media: planning, posting, answering DMs and knowing what works. A side-by-side look at an owner's week.Holiday posts to plan now, before November hits (2026)A 2026 holiday posting plan for local businesses: gift cards, Small Business Saturday on Nov 28, thank-you posts, book before the rush, year in review, January.How to turn your 5-star reviews into postsYour 5-star reviews are free content. Three easy ways to post them: a clean screenshot, the story behind it, or reading it out loud. Then ask for more.How many hours does social media really take a small business?Doing social media right takes about 5 hours a week: planning, filming, editing, posting and replies. That's about 260 hours a year. Here's where it goes.