In a rut when it comes to knowing what to post on Facebook? Frustrated because you can’t get in front of your fans?
Trust me, you aren’t alone!
I’ve seen many small businesses owners get hung up on posting the same type of content over and over again…whether its working or not. The good news is that you can still create awesome content that your fans will love and when they show the love, you get more reach!
17 Killer Facebook Post Ideas For Small Business Owners
This post will give you 17 killer Facebook post ideas for small business owners that are working NOW, by generating lots of likes, shares and, comments, as well as increasing click throughs to your website.
1. Pose a Problem and Ask for Advice
This type of Facebook post idea is great on a number of different levels.
First, people LOVE to answer questions and to help solve problems.
Also, if you ask a question that may also help THEM with a problem, they’ll be grateful for the help!
Some ideas include:
- What would you do if……..
- One of our readers has a question. Can you help?
- I need to make a decision and am looking for your feedback….
- What advice would you offer to a person who is struggling with….
Bonus tip: Take the responses you’ve gotten and turn them into a blog post. This will give you new ideas for your content, and also give you something else to share with your Facebook audience!
2. A Contest Post
Who doesn’t love a good contest?
There are a ton of great contest apps out there that you can use to run your contest AND grab emails to add to your list as well! There’s nothing like a good twofer, right?
I currently use 22 Social and have had great success when using their app to run my contests, promotions and special offers.
There are also other apps available like Wishpond and ShortStack. You can also run Facebook contests directly on your fan page.
Some contest ideas for you:
- Comment to win – Ask your fans to answer a question in order to enter
- Submit a photo contest – Best photo wins!
- Fan of the week contest – Ask your fans to submit a photo or video and then choose one to be your FOTW
Looking for more contest ideas? Check out my post, 13 Killer Facebook Contest Ideas.
3. Facilitate a Discussion or Debate
You may have heard of some changes that are coming to your Facebook feed…changes that will impact what businesses should be sharing on their pages.
Facebook has said that posts that “spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people” will get greater exposure in the newsfeed.
So, how exactly do we do this? Here are some ideas:
- Share your views on a hot topic and ask your fans to weigh in
- Share breaking news that your audience will care about
- Directly ask for feedback or thoughts via a call to action (“Please make sure to share your thoughts in the comments below”)
4. Run a Poll or Survey
Polls and surveys are great not only for generating discussion but for gaining valuable insights from your audience.
Creating polls on Facebook has never been easier. Simply go to the posting box on your page and select Create Poll from the drop down menu options. Next to your profile picture, enter the question you want to ask people. Next, enter the options for your poll. Add any photos you want to your post. Select the date you want your poll to end and hit post. Voila! You’ve created a poll on Facebook!
Alternatively, you can do a survey using a free tool like Google Forms or Survey Monkey (free for up to 100 responses).
Some ideas for polls or surveys include:
- What is your biggest challenge?
- What products would you like to see us offer?
- What strategy has worked best for you when it comes to ________?
- What are your favorite tools or products to help with _________?
- What is the #1 issue you’re currently struggling with?
Bonus strategy: If your poll or survey collected data that would be interesting to your audience, share the results in a separate Facebook post. You can even use the survey or poll results as an opt-in freebie!
5. Create and Share Events
Particularly in the case of local businesses, Facebook recommends creating events as a way to elicit engagement and get more visibility in the Newsfeed.
Often these will be live, local events like a sale, conference or store opening. However, you could also create Facebook Events for online events like:
- Webinars
- Live Q&A’s
- An online sale
- A virtual launch party
6. Live Videos
Another strategy that will get your fans talking – and therefore bump up your exposure in the Newsfeed – is sharing live videos.
In fact, according to Facebook, live videos get an average of 6x as many interactions as regular videos!
Some ideas for your Lives:
- Product demos or tutorials
- Behind the scenes footage
- A contest or giveaway
- A product launch
For more advice on using Facebook Live for your business, check out these posts:
Top 22 Ways to Use Facebook Live to Market Your Business
7. Tell Stories
Stories have a way of cutting through the noise and making an impact on people. They also have a way of getting seen in the Newsfeed!
With so many businesses flooding Facebook with boring, promotional content, stories related to your life, family or business are sure to be appreciated.
Some ideas for stories you can share include:
- How and why you got started in your business
- How a certain product helped you overcome a problem
- Personal anecdotes to increase your “know, like, trust” factor
- How someone else (a real OR fictitious person) achieved success in their life or business
For more on the hows and whys of using stories in your business, check out my post, 5 Reasons Storytelling is a Must for Marketers.
8. Share Inspirational Images
If you follow me on Facebook, you know this is a strategy I use almost every single day!
There is so much negativity in the world (and on Facebook)…I choose to encourage and inspire my fans by posting inspirational or motivational quotes and images instead.
This works with every client we have ever had, by the way!
Fortunately, you don’t need a designer or tons of money to create eye-catching images you can use. Some of my favorite tools for creating social media images are Canva, Adobe Spark, and Pic Collage.
For more tips and tricks for creating stunning graphics, check out these posts: How to Create Amazing Graphics with Phone Apps and The Secret to Great Facebook Graphics.
9. Follow Friday
Give your fans the opportunity to share a link to their website, group or Facebook page; not only do they get the chance to showcase their business or products, but they can meet new people and make new connections.
This is also a great strategy for getting interactions on your post…which means an increase in Newsfeed visibility!
10. Fill in the Blank
I’m not exactly sure what it is about filling in the blank posts, but people just love them!
You can rephrase just about any question as a fill in the blank, and they often receive more engagement than basic questions.
Some examples I’ve seen recently include:
- “I’m so close to succeeding…if only I could just ________________”
- “The biggest thing holding me back right now is _______________”
- “Happiness is ______________”
- “If I were granted three wishes today, I would wish for ____________”
Test this out for yourself!
11. Blog Posts…With Context
I see many business owners simply posting links to their blog posts, without including any additional context.
When sharing a blog post, be sure to include a description or short excerpt from the post so your fans know what to expect when they click on the link.
You could even include a personal story (either yourself or a reader’s) about your own struggles with the issue discussed in the blog post…and how you overcame it!
12. “Comment to Receive” Posts
This is a strategy I often use when I have something I want to promote or give away for free on Facebook.
Instead of simply linking to a particular product, landing page or offer, ask your audience to comment with a particular word or phrase in order to get it.
For instance, in the post above, I asked my audience to respond with “Chatbot” if they wanted more information.
Not only does this mean more comments (and therefore more visibility in the Newsfeed), it means I can connect on a more personal level with my audience through Facebook Messenger!
13. “Quick Win” Videos
A great way to built trust and credibility is to share “quick wins” with your audience. These are simply very practical, proven tips – in this case, by video – for achieving a particular goal or overcoming a certain issue.
Some examples could be:
- 3 things you can do today to improve your relationship
- The #1 tool you can download today to increase your followers
- The one simple trick you can use to close more sales
14. Share a Picture of Your Business, Employees or Office
Sharing a photo of your workspace, your employees or even your customers (with their permission, of course) makes your business so much more relatable! Knowing there are real people behind your brand will go a long way to building trust and relationships.
People also LOVE to see behind the scenes stuff – so bring your camera to your next staff meeting, lunch or event!
15. Get Personal
This is where you, as a small business owner, have an inherent advantage over big brands.
Don’t be afraid to post a personal photo or story from time to time to differentiate yourself from the big brands your fans also follow.
Some ideas to show your personal side could include:
- A photo from a recent holiday
- A funny story about your kids or pet
- A strange/embarrassing/interesting encounter you had
- Seasonal photos or videos (e.g., photos from a Christmas party)
16. Q&A’s
Live video is ideal for holding question and answer periods on Facebook – but you can also hold Q&A’s via a text-based post.
Ask your audience to hit you up with their most pressing questions, then set aside half an hour to an hour to respond.
These Q&A sessions are great for providing value, for building trust, and for getting exposure in your fans’ feeds!
17. A Challenge
A challenge can be a great way to bring your fans together, get them engaged, and help them feel less alone.
Post a simple challenge – something strategic they can do to solve a problem or overcome a hurdle.
Some ideas could be:
- 7 days to a more organized house: Post one tip a day
- 5 days to tighter abs: Post a daily video sharing your best core exercises
- Gain 100 fans: Give actionable tips for increasing your fans’ Facebook audience
- Build a business plan in a week: Post a one-page template each day to get your fans’ businesses up and running in 7 days
Want to try out a challenge but aren’t sure where to start? Check out my blog post, How to Prepare, Plan and Launch a 7 Day Challenge.
So, these are some of my best tips…17 killer Facebook post ideas any business owner can use. I hope you picked up some tips that you can use for your own business!
