What 50+ Free Social Media Audits Taught Us About Small Business Marketing
Over the past week, I had the chance to run free social media audits for dozens of home service businesses inside the Jobber community. While I couldn’t get to every single page (you guys showed up in force!), I did uncover clear patterns that kept repeating. The good news? These are quick wins that almost every small business owner can apply today. So, here are the Top 10 Social Media Lessons from the audits. Plus, a few standout accounts you’ll want to follow for inspiration. 1. Crisp Covers Create First Impressions Your cover image is the online equivalent of a storefront sign - it’s the very first thing people see when they land on your page. And yet, blurry, stretched, or outdated images were the most common issue I found. Facebook cover dimensions should be 820 x 360 pixels (with a safe zone in the center). A clean, branded photo or graphic instantly elevates credibility. Think of it as the first handshake: firm, clear, and confident. 2. Don’t Skip the Service Areas Your “About” and “Intro” sections are prime real estate for local SEO. By simply adding your service areas (towns, neighborhoods, or counties) you make it easier for customers - and algorithms - to know exactly where you work. This one adjustment boosts discoverability without spending a dime. 3. Featured Posts and Albums Are Wasted Space Far too many businesses leave their Featured Posts section empty or don’t use albums to showcase their work. These sections are perfect for: Highlighting your best before-and-after transformations Sharing glowing testimonials Showing off awards, community involvement, or team culture It’s like putting your top projects in the shop window instead of hiding them in the back. 4. AI Copy-Paste Isn’t Enough Yes, AI is a powerful tool. But I saw plenty of accounts posting AI-generated captions word-for-word… and it showed. The tone felt flat, and the posts didn’t match the personality of the business. Take two minutes to edit. Add your own phrasing, humor, or local references. Your brand’s personality is what makes people remember you, not a wall of generic text. And if you want to go further, you can actually train AI to write in your brand’s voice or even build a custom GPT. That’s a bigger strategy for another day, but for now, just make sure your posts sound like you. 5. People Connect With People Logos don’t build relationships, faces do. The businesses with the strongest engagement were the ones where owners and team members showed up in photos or videos. Even a simple behind-the-scenes shot or quick intro video goes a long way toward building trust. 6. Content Should Connect, Not Just Sell If every post is “book now,” you’re missing an opportunity to connect. Your feed should balance: Educational posts (tips, how-tos, insights) Entertaining content (behind the scenes, funny moments, transformations) Promotional posts (specials, booking info, services) That mix builds trust and keeps people coming back between service calls. 7. Consistency Matters More Than Perfection One post every few months won’t cut it. You don’t need to post daily, but even showing up once a week signals to both your audience and the algorithms that you’re active and reliable. Think of consistency as your digital “open sign.” 8. Engagement is Earned, Not Automatic Posting more doesn’t automatically bring more engagement. The trick is to watch what’s already working - whether it’s team photos, before-and-afters, or seasonal tips - and double down on it. Then, experiment with new content in small doses. Over time, you’ll find your formula. 9. Branding is More Than a Logo Your logo is just one piece of your brand. Branding also includes your colors, fonts, tone of voice, and the way your captions make people feel. When all of those elements are consistent, your business becomes instantly recognizable in the feed. 10. Captions Are Your Billboards Every caption is an opportunity to stop someone from scrolling past. A simple, clear, and human opening line can do more than a paragraph of jargon. Don’t underestimate the power of one well-written sentence to grab attention. Bonus: Pages Doing It Right Want inspiration? Check out these businesses that are already winning on social: Verde Cleaning – Clean, modern branding and consistency. Dynamic Heat and Cool – Video storytelling that makes “boring” HVAC exciting. Pete’s Window Washing – Not posting recently, but branding here is top-notch. Premier of Floors – Great mix of project showcases and brand voice. Ealy Construction – Strong visuals and storytelling in their posts. EZ Breezy Air – Professional look, strong service positioning. Closing At the end of the day, you don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Pick one or two of these wins to tackle first. Tighten up your About section. Swap out that blurry cover image. Post a quick selfie with your crew. These quick wins build momentum, and momentum builds a brand. Which one of these will you tackle first?What are you doing for PR?
As business owners we wear many hats. We should have a small PR hat. What are some things you are doing from a public relations standpoint to promote your business? Community sponsorships & Partnerships Human - Interest Stories Press Releases for local publications Charity & Giving Back Local Media & Online Publications Social Media PRAre you building your personal brand?
Your personal brand is just as important as your business brand. Building your personal brand as a business owner can help build authority in your industry, social proof, and trust among your peers, employees, and customers. What do you want to know about building a personal brand? Have you claimed your Google Knowledge Panel?Seeking ideas for developing power partnerships to better work with clients & grow our biz?!!
Hi all, We are a local fire protection company here in Los Angeles and we do both sales and service of fire extinguishers, as well as specialty fire equipment and resources. I am putting this question out there both for connections and suggestions on best developing power partnership with other local companies that work with residences, properties and businesses, to help collaborate on our services provided and add more value to them and more revenue to both partners. Example of our power partners are roofers, GC's, management companies, HOAs, solar companies, fire and water damage companies, Security and locksmith companies, Insurance agencies... Would love to hear your feedback and suggestions and love to work with you as well, if we could benefit from partnership. This, would be a more effective way to grow our businesses than social media or other passive ways I believe! Payam. Lavi | Supervisor PalFirePro.comWhat to do when business gets slow?
What would you add? Here are 10 things you can do when business gets slow to help drive more business: Call past clients. Cheapest client to acquire but most overlooked. Send out monthly newsletters that have nothing to do with sales. Just connect. Relationships are the goal. Send out handwritten cards to past clients with a $5 Gift Card for coffee. Create raving fans who market your business for you! Hit the street. Get door hangers and go door to door. Get your team to join you! Double down on networking relationships. Schedule a meeting every day with a different referral partner. Don’t cut back on marketing. Cut down on other areas but never marketing. Double down on marketing when others are pulling back. Negotiate costs with vendors instead. See how partnerships could lower costs or help cover costs…for example providing co-branded marketing material. Be disciplined and active on social media and community pages. Low hanging fruit. Serve. Givers gain. Give your time, your expertise, and resources and it will come back to you. Communicate with your team. Let them know what they can do to help. Don’t suffer in silence…before it’s too late. Start a service contract that keeps you top of mind with your clients all year and generates reoccurring revenue. LEARN. IMPLEMENT. TAKE MASSIVE ACTION! 😎🤙🏼Your Best Marketing Ideas!
What has been your most successful marketing tool in 2024? Is there anything new you are trying going in to 2025 and beyond? Mine has been word of mouth and literally making neighboring sites envious of how we take care of our clients. What has worked for you? What are you looking to try next? 😎
