Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn

Social Media as a Marketing Multiplier

If you read the chapters of this book in order, and subsequently implement the tactics in order of chapter, then it may seem that social media is further down the list of tactics for marketing your business than one would think. Social media gets a lot of attention in the marketing world. However, its placement here is intentional. While social media is an important component of a company’s comprehensive digital strategy, the prior activities are more foundational for a small business. They should take priority when optimizing your business for traditional and AI platforms.

A business can have an exceptional social media presence, publish engaging content, and attract thousands of followers while remaining relatively invisible in search results. For most small businesses, even an exceptional social media presence cannot fully compensate for an incomplete Google Business Profile or a poorly developed website. These foundational platforms establish credibility and provide essential business information. Once they are established, social media becomes a marketing multiplier, extending the reach and value of content already created.

Consider the work completed in earlier chapters. By this point, a business should have an optimized Google Business Profile and a website containing detailed service information with a growing collection of content addressing common customer questions. Much of that information can be adapted for Facebook and Instagram without starting from scratch. A website article can become several social media posts. A customer question can be answered via a post. A service description can become an informational graphic. The business is not creating more information, instead it can find additional ways to distribute existing information on social platforms.

One reason it is important to develop the topic cluster first is because effective social media can be very impactful for providing opportunities to reach customers who may not be actively searching for a particular product or service. When those customers become interested, they can visit the business’s website or Google Business Profile to learn more, which supports the existing digital foundation developed in other platforms rather than attempting to replace it.

The objective is not simply to accumulate followers, likes, or shares. It is to create additional opportunities for customers to discover the business and take meaningful action. When social media is connected to an established content strategy, each marketing activity can reinforce the others. This is why social media a marketing multiplier.

One Message, Multiple Platforms

You may wonder why Facebook and Instagram are grouped into a single topic in this chapter. Both platforms are owned by Meta and can be managed through Meta Business Suite. Although they have different audiences and approaches, managing them together simplifies marketing for small business owners.

The Meta Business Suite allows businesses to create a single post, select Facebook and Instagram as publishing destinations, and publish or schedule content simultaneously. Once the accounts are connected, reaching both audiences requires little additional effort. This illustrates the marketing multiplier effect discussed throughout this book, allowing businesses to expand their digital presence without doubling their workload.

There are differences between the platforms, including image formats, tagging capabilities, links, and publishing features. For example, Facebook posts generally support clickable website links, while Instagram feed captions do not. Facebook also accommodates more detailed written content, whereas Instagram emphasizes visual presentation and concise messaging. Consequently, some posts may benefit from minor adjustments before publication.

Ideally, every social media platform would receive content specifically designed for its audience, layout, and engagement patterns. However, creating separate images, captions, and calls to action requires additional time. Business owners must consider whether the potential benefits justify that investment. For many small businesses, publishing one well-designed post across both platforms is an effective starting point.

Artificial intelligence can accelerate content creation, image development, and platform-specific revisions. Nevertheless, every variation adds another step to the process. The objective should be to maximize the return on time invested rather than simply producing more content. Start with an efficient approach that can be maintained consistently, then selectively customize content where performance data demonstrates value.

Consider how this approach works in practice. Start with a question customers frequently ask and develop a detailed website article that answers it. Next, adapt the information into a shorter Google Business Profile post, highlighting the central takeaway and linking to the website when appropriate. Finally, use the same topic to create a Facebook and Instagram post through Meta Business Suite.

This process eliminates the need to research a new subject for each platform. Your website becomes the primary source of detailed information, while other platforms distribute and reinforce that content. Together, these activities create a coordinated digital presence consistent with the Topic Cluster approach.

Another advantage of Meta Business Suite is its centralized performance data. Business owners can examine metrics such as reach, engagement, and audience interactions to determine which posts generate interest. These insights can guide future content and identify messages that resonate with customers.

Social media activity does not automatically improve Google rankings or visibility in AI-generated answers. Its benefits are often indirect, including greater brand awareness, customer engagement, website traffic, and opportunities for discovery. Nevertheless, maintaining a consistent presence across relevant platforms can strengthen a business’s overall digital footprint.

How to Develop Consistency

Business owners often believe that sophisticated content is more important than consistency when it comes to social media. However, a steady stream of useful information is often more valuable than an occasional, highly polished post. Regular publishing provides opportunities to communicate with customers, highlight services, answer questions, and maintain an active digital presence.

The challenge is finding time to maintain that presence while managing the daily responsibilities of a business. Fortunately, the topic cluster and editorial calendar developed in earlier chapters provide a practical solution. Rather than continually developing new ideas, business owners can adapt existing website content into a manageable schedule of social media posts.

Start with a publishing frequency you can maintain, even if that means posting only twice a week. As the process becomes more familiar, evaluate which content generates meaningful engagement and adjust your schedule accordingly. The objective is to establish a sustainable routine rather than pursue perfection. You can work on how this fits into an overall marketing schedule when you work on the marketing editorial calendar in Chapter 15.

Understanding Image Dimensions

Although this book is not intended to be a technical manual, understanding a few basic image dimensions can make publishing across platforms easier. Properly sized images help businesses present their content consistently while reducing the need to create separate graphics for Facebook and Instagram.

Images may include photographs of products, facilities, employees, or infographics that explain industry-related topics. Artificial intelligence can assist with developing these visuals, although authentic photographs often provide a more direct representation of the business. Regardless of how images are created, selecting appropriate dimensions helps ensure they display effectively.

For practical purposes, consider the following starting points:

To simplify, use a square image with a 1:1 aspect ratio, such as 1080 × 1080 pixels when you want to post your graphics to both Facebook and Instagram. This format will enable you to reuse the same visual content without creating separate versions. Both Facebook and Instagram also accommodate portrait-oriented images, particularly the 4:5 format, such as 1080 × 1350 pixels. These images occupy more vertical space in a mobile feed, potentially making them more noticeable as users scroll. For advertisements, product photographs, or promotional messages that benefit from additional visual space, the portrait format may be a better choice.

Keep in mind that larger images do not automatically produce better engagement. The quality of the visual and relevance to the intended audience are generally more important than the dimensions alone. Business owners should also recognize that images may be cropped or displayed differently depending on which platform the content appears.

For small businesses seeking an efficient marketing routine, a square image is an excellent default when publishing simultaneously to Facebook and Instagram. It provides a versatile format that reduces additional editing and makes content repurposing easier. This is more than enough technical information to get you started. They key is to start posting.

Leveraging Groups of People

Companies spend considerable time and money trying to segment consumers into different groups. One often-understated benefit of Facebook is that its Groups already accomplish some of this segmentation. People voluntarily join groups based on shared interests, needs, or characteristics. Depending on the group’s rules and openness to business participation, companies may have opportunities to market directly to these audiences.

If you operate a business within a particular geographic community, Facebook Groups can provide opportunities to reach potential customers directly. These groups can bring together people from a particular geographic community, or those with specific interests. Connecting individuals with similar interests, attitudes, values, lifestyles, motivations, and preferences is a valuable marketing approach. Group members exchange experiences and information that become recommendations that can influence purchasing decisions.

A 2020 article by Iwona Lupa-Wójcik examined the influence of Facebook Groups on consumer purchasing decisions, focusing on members of wedding-related groups who were planning weddings and seeking information about products and services. The study found that participants considered recommendations, opinions, and experiences shared by other group members when making purchasing decisions. These discussions helped members evaluate potential vendors, compare services, and identify businesses that might meet their needs.⁶

This research highlights the influence Facebook Groups can have on purchasing behavior by connecting consumers with others who share similar interests and experiences. For small businesses, the findings demonstrate the potential value of participating in relevant online communities where prospective customers are already seeking recommendations and discussing purchasing decisions.

Facebook Ads

Small businesses may be hesitant to try Facebook advertising because they may be uncertain whether it is worth the spend. There can also be considerable uncertainty surrounding the process and how effective it might be. However, because Facebook is one of the platforms with the largest audiences, it makes sense to consider this tactic. Additionally, the platform has sophisticated tools for targeting potential customers based on their interests, behaviors, and other characteristics. These capabilities can help businesses reach people who may be interested in their products or services.

Facebook advertising provides small businesses with an opportunity to reach customers beyond those who already follow their social media pages. While organic posts help maintain visibility and encourage engagement, paid advertisements allow businesses to distribute their messages to selected audiences within a defined geographic area. This can be particularly valuable for businesses that depend on customers from surrounding communities.

One of the greatest advantages of Facebook advertising is its flexibility. Business owners can establish advertising budgets, select geographic markets, and promote specific products or services. Advertisements can include photographs, videos, and direct links to websites, allowing businesses to communicate their value while encouraging customers to take action. Unlike some traditional advertising methods, Facebook also provides performance information that can help businesses evaluate the results of their campaigns.

When evaluating advertisements, business owners should look beyond impressions, likes, and clicks. These metrics provide useful information, but they do not necessarily indicate that specific advertising is generating customers. Whenever possible, businesses should measure outcomes like inquiries, purchases, appointments, or other meaningful actions. A small advertisement that generates five new customers may be more valuable than one that receives thousands of views without producing a sale.

The key is to test Facebook advertising before making a significant financial commitment. Don’t go all in and spend a lot of money immediately. Instead, test the platform to determine what works. For example, you can develop a special promotion and allocate a small advertising budget to see whether it gains traction. Based on the results, you can decide whether to increase your investment or try a different approach.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn deserves consideration as part of a comprehensive social media strategy, particularly for businesses serving professional audiences or other businesses. Although its audience differs from Facebook and Instagram, many of the same principles apply. Businesses can share educational content, demonstrate expertise, highlight services, and build relationships with prospective customers.

For businesses operating primarily in consumer markets, Facebook and Instagram may deserve greater attention. However, companies providing professional services, commercial products, or business-to-business services may find LinkedIn particularly valuable. As with other platforms, the objective is to adapt existing content to reach the audience most likely to benefit from it.

Putting It All Together

Social media should not be viewed as an isolated marketing activity. It is most effective when connected to the broader digital strategy developed throughout this book. Your website provides detailed, authoritative information about your business. Your Google Business Profile communicates essential local business details. Customer reviews provide independent feedback and credibility. Social media extends the reach of your content and creates additional opportunities for customer engagement.

Each component has a different role, but they become more valuable when they work together. You do not need to create entirely new content for every platform. Instead, you need to create valuable content once and distribute it intelligently. For business owners, that distinction can mean the difference between an overwhelming marketing workload and a practical, sustainable strategy for improving digital visibility.

This chapter could easily be expanded into several chapters and could even become its own book if it focused on specific posting tactics. However, this is not a detailed “how-to” book. The technical information needed to leverage these platforms is readily available in many place. The key is consider where media fits in your overall strategy and then repurpose information from opther sources, such as your topic cluster.

Applying the Lessons: The Standard Pizza Business

The Standard Pizza Business (TSPB) makes delicious pizza, and what better way to show it off than Facebook and Instagram? After all, people love looking at pictures of food, especially when they’re hungry! This is a great way to influence people about how good your product it.

The owner should begin by making sure the restaurant’s Facebook and Instagram business profiles are complete. That means accurate contact information, operating hours, website links, and a description of the restaurant’s menu and services. Of course, plenty of mouthwatering pizza photographs are a must!

Next, it’s time to have a little fun with social media. TSPB could introduce a weekly post called “Pizza of the Week,” featuring a specialty pizza with a great photograph and a short description. Another idea is “Behind the Counter,” where customers get to meet employees or see how their favorite pizzas are made. It’s hard to underscore this point enough. Have fun on social media platforms!

Want to get customers involved? Let them help create a pizza! TSPB could ask followers to vote on unusual topping combinations. Pineapple and jalapeños? Pepperoni and hot honey? Let the customers decide! The winning combination might even become next week’s special.

The owner should also share community events, customer favorites, and short videos of pizzas coming out of the oven. Remember, social media is about more than advertising. It’s an opportunity to interact with customers and build relationships.

Here’s a time-saving idea for the owner. Use Meta Business Suite to schedule Facebook and Instagram posts together. It’s easy to do using the Meta Business Suite. And while thinking about efficiency. TSPB can also reuse photographs, customer questions, and other content already developed for its website and Google Business Profile.

The owner should add social media to the editorial calendar and start with two posts each week. That’s a manageable schedule that can be expanded as the restaurant becomes more comfortable. It’s important to consistently remind customers why they love TSPB and give new customers a reason to try it. It is important to post regularly and find a rhythm for posting.

Who can argue that a great photograph of a pepperoni pizza appearing in someone’s Facebook feed at 5:30 p.m. might be all the advertising needed to sell another dinner! And most importantly, you don’t need a budget to do this. Just show people what you do!

References

6. Lupa-Wójcik, I. (2020). Groups on Facebook as a marketing tool. Marketing of Scientific and Research Organizations. https://doi.org/10.2478/minib-2020-0020