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Social Media for Businesses – The Basics

Have you just started your business and want to get the word out? Or have you been running your business for a while, and you’re looking for a boost? Well, starting a social media account for your business is a great way to gain more traction!

Today, the digital space takes up a huge portion of the marketing sphere. A lot of your organic reach is going to take place online, many of your customers will likely have found you that way. Having a social media presence is super important for reaching your customers and bringing awareness to your business.

In this article, we’ll touch on the basics; picking the right platform and getting set up. Getting deep into managing and analyzing social media can be a little stressful when you’re just starting, so focus on getting set up. Once you’re more comfortable, you can begin to dive a little deeper.

Choosing the right platform

This depends on the audience you are trying to target. You’ll want to have a good idea of who your ideal customer is in order to pick the best platform.

  • Facebook & Instagram – Best for most businesses. Facebook will have an older audience, while Instagram will be younger.
    • Tip: we recommend starting out on both Facebook and Instagram!
  • LinkedIn – Ideal for B2B and professional services.
  • TikTok & YouTube – Great for video content. The audience on TikTok will be younger.
  • Pinterest – Best for creative industries like fashion, food, and design.
Setting up a posting schedule

A good rule of thumb is:

  • Facebook & LinkedIn: 3–5 times per week
  • Instagram & TikTok: Daily or every other day
  • Twitter (X): 3–5 times per day
Best performing content on social media

Engaging content like videos, reels, behind-the-scenes insights, user-generated content, and interactive polls tend to perform best.

Growing your social media following organically

Consistency, engagement, and high-quality content are key. Use hashtags, interact with followers, post valuable content, and collaborate with influencers.

Recommended tools for managing social media marketing

How Do I Schedule Posts on Facebook and Instagram?

To schedule posts on Facebook and Instagram, simply use the Meta Suite! The Meta Suite is a social media management business tool that allows the owner of the account and authorized contributors to post, schedule, promote, and analyze performance in one place. As it’s name suggests, it encompasses platforms hosted by Meta. Through the suite you’re able to post on Facebook and Instagram at the same time!

You don’t have to use all of the suite’s tools (it’s free!); in fact we recommend starting out using it to schedule your posts! To make it easy for you, here are step-by-step instructions for scheduling your posts through the suite. We’ve also provided a free flyer for you to keep on hand! Let’s get to it!

Step 1: Create your account or log in

Head to business.facebook.com to either sign up or log in.

Step 2: Use the Planner tool

After you’re in, head over to the menu on the left and click on “Planner” represented by a calendar icon.

Step 3: Find your date

Once you’re in the planner window, you can choose which day you’d like to post. The viewer can be changed to daily, weekly or monthly. We recommend keeping it set to weekly!

Step 4: Set your time

When you have the day you want to post on, click on that date. Meta will take you to a new window. A pop-up will ask you to choose what time you want the content to be posted. Select the time you want!

Step 5: Upload your graphic

Upload the image you want to post by selecting “add image” or “add video.”

Step 6: Write your caption

Write the caption that goes with your graphic or image.

Step 7: Review

Double check you have the right date and time, your graphic is correct and your caption is free of grammatical errors.

Step 8: Post!

Hit the blue button that says “schedule” and you’re done!

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How to Get Maximum Reach on YouTube?

To maximize reach on YouTube, create high-quality, engaging content optimized for SEO (titles, descriptions, and tags), maintain a consistent posting schedule, use eye-catching thumbnails, encourage audience interaction, leverage YouTube Shorts, collaborate with other creators, and promote videos across multiple platforms.

YouTube is a powerful platform for getting your content seen, but it’s also intimidating. There’s so much to consider; the algorithm that’s always changing, thumbnails, title, descriptions, etc, etc, etc. We know it sounds scary, but we promise it’s not! YouTube can be your greatest weapon, once you understand how to use it!

We’ve made it simple and easy! If you want maximum reach on YouTube, follow these optimized strategies for content, SEO, and engagement!

Optimize Your Video for Search (SEO)

Keyword-Rich Title – Use searchable phrases (e.g., “How to Train a Puppy in 7 Days” instead of “My Puppy Training Journey”).

Compelling Description – Include keywords naturally in the first 2-3 lines. Add links, timestamps, and a CTA.

Tags Matter – Use relevant tags to help YouTube understand your content.

Custom Thumbnail – Bright, high-contrast images with text overlay work best.

Hook Viewers in the First 10 Seconds

Start Strong – Avoid long intros. Hook the audience with an engaging question, stat, or bold statement.

Preview What’s Coming – Tell viewers why they should watch till the end.

Post at the Right Time

Best Times to Post:

  • Weekdays: 12–3 PM (EST)
  • Weekends: 9–11 AM (EST)
  • Peak Days: Thursday & Sunday

Create Engaging Content

Tell a Story – People connect with narratives, not just information.

Use Pattern Interrupts – Change camera angles, text pop-ups, or animations every 5-10 seconds to keep attention.

Add Music & Sound Effects – Increases engagement and makes content feel more professional.

Keep Viewers Watching (Retention = More Reach)

Use Chapters (Timestamps) – Helps users navigate long videos.

Encourage Binge-Watching – Link to related videos in cards, end screens, and descriptions.

Call-to-Action (CTA) – Ask viewers to like, comment, and subscribe within the first 60 seconds.

Leverage Shorts for Extra Exposure

YouTube Shorts (Under 60 sec) – Get 10x more visibility in the Shorts feed.

Cross-Promote on Socials – Share your video on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to boost reach.

Be Consistent & Engage with Viewers

Post at Least 1x per Week – YouTube favors active channels.

Reply to Comments Quickly – Increases engagement, which boosts video ranking.

Pin a Comment – Encourage discussions with a question or a helpful link.

Wrapping Up – You Got This!

YouTube may seem like a scary overcomplicated beast, but its not! As we’ve shared with this blog, everything you need to know can be super simple, it’s just a lot of small tasks!

It takes time to find what works best for you, so don’t be afraid to experiment! Even if it doesn’t work out, take what you learned and apply it to the next strategy!

You got this! Make those awesome videos!

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What’s the Best Video Length for Posting on Instagram?

The best video length for Instagram depends on the format: Reels perform best at 15-30 seconds, feed videos at 30-60 seconds, and IGTV or long-form content at 1-3 minutes for optimal engagement. Why do these times work best? It’s all about engagement! When you’re creating your video for Instagram, you have to think about what will grab the viewer’s attention and how long their attention span is. This changes by the format! Users on Reels tend to only stay for less than 30 seconds, while IGTV users will stay for longer!

We’ll break down each format for you, and highlight the optimal lengths to see the best results. And the best part is we have a free download with all the information! So lets get into Instagram video formats!

Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are the most popular video format, and the default. Reels were created to compete with TikTok’s vertical, 30 second short from videos that exploded in popularity. They’re very similar, with videos often being posted cross platform because the format is identical. If you’ve made a TikTok, you can post it on Instagram Reels with little to no changes. When you create your Reel, here’s what to remember:

  • Reels should be sized at 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall
  • They should be 7 – 15 seconds
  • This is best for engagement and views

Instagram Feed Videos

Feed videos are just regular that get posted to your account. Your followers will see the video, and it will be added to the Instagram algorithm for discovery, but it will not be added to the Reels algorithm. This means your reach may not be as good. But regular videos are great for posting a horizontal video, or just to post to your followers if you don’t want to reach a wider audience!

  • Feed videos should be 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall (horizontal), or 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall for vertical
  • Video length should be 15 – 30 seconds
  • This is ideal for storytelling while keeping viewers attention

Instagram Stories

Stories are only live for 24 hours, and are usually for your core audience (followers.) Although anyone can see your stories, it’s usually those who engage more regularly with your content who sees them!

  • Size should be 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall
  • 5 – 10 seconds per clip
  • Great for promoting or sharing other posts
  • Quick, digestible content works best

IGTV & Longer Videos

IGTV is a stand-alone app that’s also available within the Instagram app and website. It’s optimized for sharing longer videos, and offers your viewers a more interactive experience with you!

  • Sized at 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels tall
  • 1 – 3 minutes
  • If highly engaging, but most users prefer shorter clips.

Why do shorter videos work best?

Instagram prioritizes short, engaging Reels for discoverability.

Attention spans are short—videos under 15 seconds tend to get higher retention & completion rates.

More shares & interactions happen with snappy, fast-paced content.

If your goal is more engagement, keep videos under 30 seconds. If you’re telling a deeper story, aim for 1-3 minutes but ensure the first 3 seconds hook the viewer.

Creating the most effective social media marketing assets starts with understanding what works best for the platform! Take what you’ve learned here and apply it to your own Instagram account, see how it goes! It’s important to remember that sometimes things work really well, and sometimes they don’t. Take what you’ve learned from each post, and apply it to the next. Success happens in the long run, not overnight! Good luck on your marketing journey!

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