Let’s Start With The Basics: Setting Up Your Social Media Presence
Now that you’ve gotten yourself set up on the right social media platforms for you small business (if not, read “Choosing The Right Platform For Your Small Business”), you’ll need to get started. It may seem overwhelming, but this article will go over choosing an easily found username, creating a profile bio that will not only attract the right audience but will encourage them to learn more about your business, how to follow the correct accounts, and how to create a first post that will start your account off on the right foot. Although the most important part is just starting, there is a way to set yourself up for success right from the beginning. So…let’s begin!
A Username That Works For You
Have you ever driven by a store whose name doesn’t explain what the store is and thought, “hmm, I’m not sure what that store is. I’ll look it up later.” and then as soon as you’re home you forget? Usernames are no different. You want people to be able to easily find you on social media. In order to guarantee your account will pop up when people search for you, follow these steps.
Start with your business’ name. Now, there’s no guarantee that this won’t already be taken so there’s a few ways to change it up while still making it easily searchable. And if the name is a common business name or a franchise, you’re going to want to start with the next step.
Add a location. For example, if your business name is “Just Sweets” then try “JustSweetsPlymouth” (or “Just Sweets Plymouth” depending on the platform you’re on).
Try adding numbers or characters. Think “JustSweets1” or “Just-Sweets-Plymouth”. You could even put the numbers of your address on the end.
Making your business name clear is your first step in setting yourself up for success on social media. Now, let’s create a profile bio that will capture people’s attention.
Creating A Stacked Profile Bio
When writing your profile bio, you only have a certain amount of characters, so brevity is important. Let’s go over the steps to a concise, but captivating bio.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. This is just good advice for anything!
Give a brief description of the essence of your bio. Let’s take our fictional “Just Sweets”. I might write something like “Offering the best sweet treats South of Boston.”
Now let’s add in what makes your business unique. Maybe it’s something like, “Offering the best sweet treats South of Boston using completely local ingredients.”
Ok, I can NOT emphasize this step enough, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! Now, if you sell items online and ship all over the world, then you can choose to skip this step, BUT if you have a brick and mortar location or only ship to certain areas, you need to include your location in your bio. I can’t tell you how many businesses I have come across on social media that I have been interested in and then I click on their profile and can’t find a location and so I go to their website and STILL can not find a location. This is such an easy step to take and really makes a difference.
The same goes for your hours. If you have set hours, always make sure to include them and keep these updated whenever they change!
Include links. Link your website, other social platforms, and any other online shops you may have.
Don’t have a website? Let people know how you like to be contacted. That might look something like, “Offering the best sweet treats South of Boston using completely local ingredients. Located in the heart of Plymouth, MA at 123 Main St. Want to learn more or place an order? Send me a DM!”.
Alright, now you have a clear username and kickass bio, it’s time for your first reel! * The next two steps are interchangeable.* Some people may want to get inspiration from finding other accounts and seeing the type of content they put out there before creating their first reel and some people may prefer to have at least one post or reel up before starting to follow people.
Creating Your First Reel
You may notice that I have repeated creating your first REEL and not your first post. The reason for this is two fold: 1) You want something interactive and capturing for your first post and 2) You are your brand. So you need to get your face on camera frequently and this is a great way to introduce yourself and your business while also starting to get used to being on camera! No, you don’t need any fancy equipment or editing apps, but you will need decent lighting and a steady hand (or tripod—I will go over equipment in a future post!).
Here’s how to create a video that will resonate with people. Now, full disclosure, this video is not going to get a ton of views unless you have a huge myriad of followers already somehow (please please please do not buy followers—yes, it’s a thing and no, it will not actually help your business, I will go over this as well in a future post), BUT this will be the first post and one that people will go to when they check out your profile. Do better with an example? Scroll down to see a full example of what Just Sweets first reel might look like!
Come up with a script. You don’t have to stick to this script, but at least practice and write down what you want to say. The script should introduce yourself, your business, your location or where you sell to, your hours (if applicable), and again talk about what makes your business unique just like we did in your bio! I also recommend
Pick a good location. If you have a brick and mortar store (and it’s put together or at least has one nicely decorated wall so far) then I recommend filming there. Don’t have a brick and mortar location or it’s not ready yet? That’s okay, find a place with good lighting, a nice or plain backdrop, and very little background noise. If you don’t have a tripod or somewhere to prop up your phone, make sure to ask a trusted friend to record for you!
This step is for those who are a little handy with technology or have someone who can assist them. Take video footage of your store, your products, and/or of you in action. You’ll want to sprinkle these into the video to give visuals of your business and offerings.
Always make sure to add subtitles! Studies show that 50% of people who scroll social media do so with the sound off, so having subtitles or captions is important!
Add a caption (the text that appears above or below the video on social media) that has these three elements: 1) A brief synopsis 2) A Call To Action (CTA) like “come and visit” or “check out my website” 3) Use 3-5 hashtags that are specific to this video and its content.
EXAMPLE: Just Sweets bakery introductory reel
🎥 Reel Script: Just Sweets Bakery – First Introduction Post
(The video starts with a cozy shot of the bakery’s front door, then cuts to Honey Dewmaker standing inside, smiling at the camera, apron on, surrounded by fresh pastries.)
🎤 Honey:
"Hey, South Shore! I’m Honey Dewmaker, and I’m so excited to welcome you to Just Sweets! We’re a small-batch bakery right here in Plymouth, MA, and we do things a little differently."
(Cut to a close-up of hands rolling out dough, then drizzling icing over cinnamon rolls.)
🎤 Honey (voiceover):
"Everything we make is crafted with love and completely locally sourced ingredients—because the best flavors come from right here in our own backyard."
(Cut to a vintage-style photo of a little girl baking with her grandmother, then transition to Honey holding a fresh pie.)
🎤 Honey:
"Baking has always been a part of my life. Some of my best memories are Sunday afternoons in the kitchen with my grandmother, covered in flour and sneaking bites of cookie dough. Now, I get to bring that same joy to you!"
(Cut to a customer taking a bite of a croissant and smiling.)
🎤 Honey:
"We’re here Tuesday through Saturday from 6 AM to 2 PM, so whether you need a morning pick-me-up or a treat for later, we’ve got you covered!"
(Cut to a shot of a steaming latte next to a plate of cookies.)
🎤 Honey:
"Come visit us at 123 Main Street in Plymouth and taste the difference local ingredients and a little extra love can make. I can’t wait to meet you!"
(Final shot: A warm, inviting view of the bakery, then the screen fades to text with the bakery’s name, address, and Instagram handle.)
🎉 CTA (Text on screen):
📍 123 Main St, Plymouth, MA
📅 Tues-Sat | 6 AM - 2 PM
📲 Follow us @JustSweetsPlymouth & tag us when you visit!
🎥 Caption:
✨ The wait is over—Just Sweets is officially open! ✨ I’m Honey, and I can’t wait to share my love for baking with you. Come say hi and grab a treat made with locally sourced ingredients! See you soon! 🍪💛 #JustSweets #JustOpened #SouthShoreBakeries #FoodLove #PlymouthMa
Now that you have created your very first introductory reel (yay!) it’s time to start following other accounts. Now the most important thing to note is that you don’t want to start following hundreds of accounts at once as social media platforms will flag your account as spam and will suspend your account! Here are Instagram’s specific rules, but I recommend these for all platforms:
No more than 10 accounts PER HOUR
No more than 250 accounts PER DAY (although for newer accounts, it’s recommended no more than 100-150)
No more than 7500 account IN TOTAL
Here’s who you will want to start following:
Other businesses in the area. Small businesses need to support each other and if you are neighbors, you’re going to want to get to know each other and find ways to collaborate and support one another! This is a small step in what could be a very great relationship.
Accounts that directly relate to your business. This may be others in your industry. Why would you want to follow your “competition”? Because 1) there’s plenty of room for the both of you and 2) you could pick up some ideas along the way. It also shows potential followers that you are supportive and not competitive of others in the industry.
Local town groups and pages. (You will want to join these on Facebook as well). On Facebook these are groups you can advertise in, but on any platform, these are groups that will help you know more about your target audience and how to appeal to them directly.
Alright, I know this was a lot, so I’m going to end this here. You should now have a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to how to get started on social media in a way that sets you up for success! Need a little extra help? Shoot me a message and I’d be happy to give you some personalized guidance! Just email SouthShoreSM@gmail.com (you do not need to live in the South Shore area for me to help you—thank you Zoom and FaceTime!).
