A simple social media plan for a small business

Social media advice for small businesses often assumes you have a designer, a video editor and three hours a day. You probably don't. The good news is that consistency matters more than volume, and a simple plan you keep beats an ambitious one you abandon in week two.

Step 1: pick one or two networks, not five

Go where your customers already spend time, and where you can show up regularly:

Network	Best for	What works
LinkedIn	B2B, software, professional services, consultants	Lessons, opinions, stories from the work, practical tips. The founder's personal profile often reaches more people than the company page.
X	Tech, software, developer and creator audiences	Short, specific insights, threads, building in public, quick replies.
Instagram	Visual businesses: food, fitness, beauty, design, local services, products	Photos and short videos, behind the scenes, before and after, carousels with tips.
Facebook	Local businesses and communities, older audiences	Updates, events, offers, community groups, reviews.

If you're not sure, ask your last ten customers where they'd notice you.

Step 2: decide what you'll post about

Pick three or four themes that connect what you know with what your customers care about. For example, for an invoicing app:

Getting paid: tips on invoicing, reminders, late payments.
Running a freelance business: pricing, taxes, client relationships.
Behind the scenes: what you're building and why.
Customer stories: how real users work (with permission).

Themes stop you staring at a blank screen, and they keep your profile coherent.

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

For most small businesses, two or three posts a week per network is plenty. A simple week:

Monday: a practical tip (from an article, a common question, or something you learned).
Wednesday: a story or behind-the-scenes post.
Friday: something lighter or more personal, a customer question, or a link to a new article.

Batch them: write the week's posts in one sitting, then schedule them or set reminders.

Step 4: write for each network

The same idea needs a different shape on each network:

LinkedIn: a strong first line (it's all people see before "…see more"), short paragraphs, one clear idea, and a question or takeaway at the end. Links in the post can reduce reach for some accounts; many people put the link in the first comment instead.
X: say it in one or two sentences. If it needs more, make a short thread.
Instagram: the image or video carries the post. Write a caption that adds context, and use a handful of specific hashtags rather than thirty generic ones. Links in captions aren't clickable, so point to the link in your bio.
Facebook: conversational and local. Events, opening hours, offers and community news do well.

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Never invent results, reviews or statistics. One fake claim undoes months of trust.
Get permission before sharing customer names, photos or stories.
Reply to comments and messages within a day. Social is a conversation, not a billboard.
Don't buy followers. They don't buy from you, and they drag down your reach.

Step 6: measure what matters

Likes are nice. Visits, enquiries and sign-ups pay the bills.

Use UTM links on every link you share, so Google Analytics shows which network and which post sent visitors.
Once a month, look at which posts led to profile visits, website visits or messages, and do more of those.
Give a network at least two or three months before deciding it doesn't work.

Let MAALI write the first drafts

Writing two or three good posts a week is the hard part. MAALI's Social agent writes batches of posts for LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook in your brand voice, from your website, your products or services and your latest articles, and plans them over two weeks on a calendar. Each post comes with a visual idea and a link to your own pages. You edit, approve and post them yourself, so nothing goes out without you.

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

For most small businesses, two or three posts a week per network is plenty. A simple week:

Monday: a practical tip (from an article, a common question, or something you learned).
Wednesday: a story or behind-the-scenes post.
Friday: something lighter or more personal, a customer question, or a link to a new article.

Batch them: write the week's posts in one sitting, then schedule them or set reminders.

Step 4: write for each network

The same idea needs a different shape on each network:

LinkedIn: a strong first line (it's all people see before "…see more"), short paragraphs, one clear idea, and a question or takeaway at the end. Links in the post can reduce reach for some accounts; many people put the link in the first comment instead.
X: say it in one or two sentences. If it needs more, make a short thread.
Instagram: the image or video carries the post. Write a caption that adds context, and use a handful of specific hashtags rather than thirty generic ones. Links in captions aren't clickable, so point to the link in your bio.
Facebook: conversational and local. Events, opening hours, offers and community news do well.

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Never invent results, reviews or statistics. One fake claim undoes months of trust.
Get permission before sharing customer names, photos or stories.
Reply to comments and messages within a day. Social is a conversation, not a billboard.
Don't buy followers. They don't buy from you, and they drag down your reach.

Step 6: measure what matters

Likes are nice. Visits, enquiries and sign-ups pay the bills.

Use UTM links on every link you share, so Google Analytics shows which network and which post sent visitors.
Once a month, look at which posts led to profile visits, website visits or messages, and do more of those.
Give a network at least two or three months before deciding it doesn't work.

A simple social media plan for a small business: what to post, where, and how often

Step 1: pick one or two networks, not five

Step 2: decide what you'll post about

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

Step 4: write for each network

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Step 6: measure what matters

Let MAALI write the first drafts

Send feedback

A simple social media plan for a small business: what to post, where, and how often

Step 1: pick one or two networks, not five

Step 2: decide what you'll post about

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

Step 4: write for each network

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Step 6: measure what matters

Let MAALI write the first drafts

A simple social media plan for a small business: what to post, where, and how often

Step 1: pick one or two networks, not five

Step 2: decide what you'll post about

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

Step 4: write for each network

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Step 6: measure what matters

Let MAALI write the first drafts

Keep reading

A simple social media plan for a small business: what to post, where, and how often

Step 1: pick one or two networks, not five

Step 2: decide what you'll post about

Step 3: a weekly rhythm you can keep

Step 4: write for each network

Step 5: rules that protect your brand

Step 6: measure what matters

Let MAALI write the first drafts

Keep reading