Most small business owners know they should be on social media. The trouble is time. You open Facebook or Instagram, stare at the screen, post a blurry photo with “Available, DM for price”, and then nothing happens for two weeks because the shop got busy.
You do not need to post every hour or hire an agency. You need a simple plan you can repeat every week. Here is a plan for social media for small business owners that takes about two hours a week.
First, pick one or two platforms
Being everywhere usually means doing everything badly. Go where your customers already spend time:
- WhatsApp Status and broadcasts: for customers who already know you. See our guide to using WhatsApp Business as a sales channel.
- Facebook: good for local businesses, community groups and adverts aimed at a town or area.
- Instagram: strong for anything visual, such as fashion, food, beauty, furniture and decor.
- TikTok: short videos that can reach people who have never heard of you.
- LinkedIn: if you sell to companies, institutions or professionals.
Start with the one where your best customers are. Add a second only when the first is running smoothly.
A simple weekly plan
- Monday: Show the product. One clear photo or short video of a best seller, with the price or price range and how to order.
- Wednesday: Teach something. A quick tip linked to what you sell: how to care for a fabric, how to store food, how to choose the right size.
- Friday: Show real people. A happy customer (with their permission), a delivery, your team at work, or a short review.
- Weekend: Behind the scenes or an offer. How something is made, new stock arriving, or a limited weekend deal.
Four posts a week is plenty. Being regular matters more than posting a lot.
Batch it in one sitting
Set aside one hour, for example on Sunday evening. Take all the photos for the week, write the captions in your notes app, and schedule what you can. Facebook and Instagram let business pages schedule posts through Meta’s free Business Suite tools. The rest of the week you only reply to comments and messages.
Better photos with just a phone
- Use daylight. Stand near a window or step outside. Avoid harsh midday sun and dark corners.
- Clean the background. A plain wall, a cloth or a clean table makes the product stand out.
- Clean the lens. A quick wipe fixes many blurry photos.
- Get close and keep it steady. Fill the frame with the product and hold the phone with both hands.
- Show it in use. A dress being worn or a sofa in a room sells better than an item on the floor.
Real photos of your real work build more trust than polished pictures that look too perfect.
Captions that bring orders
- Start with what matters to the customer, not “Good morning family”.
- Give the price, or at least a range. “DM for price” puts many people off.
- Say exactly how to order: a WhatsApp number, a link or your location.
- Keep it short and use plain, friendly language.
When paying to boost is worth it
Boosting a post (paying to show it to more people) can work, but only when:
- the post has already done well without payment, so you know people like it;
- you can target the right area and audience, not “everyone in Ghana”;
- there is a clear next step, such as a WhatsApp button or a link;
- you set a small budget, check the results after a few days, and stop if it is not bringing messages or sales.
Likes are nice. Messages, orders and repeat customers are what count.
A simple example
Example (for illustration): Akua sells handmade beaded jewellery in Koforidua. She used to post whenever she remembered. She switched to the four-post plan: Monday a new piece on a model with the price, Wednesday a short video on caring for beads, Friday a photo a customer sent from a wedding, and Saturday a “made this week” tray of new work. She takes all the photos on Sunday afternoon by her front window.
After a month her followers have not exploded, but she gets more direct messages asking about specific pieces, and two shops in Accra have asked about stocking her work.
Start this week
- Choose one platform where your best customers spend time.
- Block one hour this weekend to take photos and write four captions.
- Add the price and a clear way to order to every product post.
- Reply to every comment and message within a day.
- After four weeks, look at which posts brought messages or sales, and do more of those.
Want help with your social media? See EDOKAN’s social media page support.
