Myth or reality: “Social media doesn’t work for my business”

I’ve heard it millions of times, nearly always in the same dejected tone: “I post things on Instagram, but it doesn’t bring me any customers.”

And I understand. Posting takes time, and time is in short supply when you run a business. If you’ve been posting photos for months and haven’t noticed any difference in your takings, it’s natural to think it’s all a waste of time.

So let’s take it step by step.

What’s true: Social media, on its own, won’t fill a restaurant. A lovely photo of a dish might not make someone cross the whole town to try it.

What isn’t true: that social media is useless. Often, it’s one of the reasons someone decides whether to visit one place or another. Before going somewhere new, most of us have a look to see what the food looks like, whether the place is open and what the atmosphere is like. If we find an account that hasn’t been updated since last summer, we start to have doubts.

That’s why the problem usually isn’t being on social media, but using it without a clear direction. Posting something “because it’s time to post” doesn’t work. What works is being clear about three things before you post: who you want to reach, what you want them to do after seeing your post, and what you offer that nobody else does. That’s what having a strategy means, and it certainly doesn’t have to be complicated.

For a small-town business, the answer to that last question is almost always the same: you. Show people who’s behind the business. Your face, the dish of the day explained in ten seconds, your regular customer who comes in every Tuesday. That personal touch. Exactly what you offer that a restaurant chain doesn’t.

My advice for getting started: before your next post, ask yourself why you’re putting it up. If you don’t have an answer, don’t post it just yet. One well-thought-out post a week is worth more than five posted out of habit.

The verdict? Half myth, half reality. Social media won’t sell on its own, and posting for the sake of it won’t either. But with a plan behind it, it’s one of the cheapest tools a business has to get chosen.