Ah, social media. Where unlikely animal friendship videos reign supreme (in this writer’s feed, at least), motivational quotes float by hourly, and businesses of all sizes compete for likes, comments, and the ever-elusive share. Finding your place in this digital realm can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never tried it before.

For some small business owners, social media is a bit like a quirky neighbour – you know you should interact with them, but you’re not quite sure how. For others, social media accounts are stages where their brand’s personality shines brighter than the lights on Broadway.

No matter your current relationship with social media, one thing is certain: an active, well-managed social media presence can help your business thrive, grow, and stay ahead of your competition. And the best part? You don’t have to become a dancing sensation or start every post with “Hey, guys!” to make it work. Dancing might help, but only if you are either really good or really bad.

Let’s break down how social media can work for you, and why it might just be the business partner you didn’t know you needed.

 

 

How Small Businesses in Particular Can Benefit from an Active Social Media Presence

For Edmonton small businesses, social media can be the great equalizer. You might not have a national advertising budget, but you do have the ability to connect with customers where they already spend their time—scrolling through their phones, usually while ignoring the Netflix show they swore they were paying attention to.

Here’s the thing: customers today want more than just a product or service—they want a connection. A well-crafted social media presence allows you to:

• Show personality – Whether you’re a bakery with a cheeky sense of humour, an electrician who loves a good dad joke, or a yoga studio radiating calm, finding the right social media platform gives you the stage to let your brand’s voice shine.
• Stay top-of-mind – Regular posting means you pop up in your audience’s feeds regularly. Out of sight, out of mind? Not with a solid posting schedule.
• Build trust – An active account shows you’re engaged, responsive, and invested in your customers’ experience.
• Highlight what makes you unique – Special offers, behind-the-scenes looks, customer testimonials, how-it’s-made videos—these give your audience reasons to keep coming back.

The key here? Consistency + variety. You can’t post once every six months and expect results. And you can’t post the exact same thing over and over without your followers losing interest. Smart, professional posting means mixing up your content—photos, videos, tips, memes, product features—while staying true to your brand.

And remember: not all social media platforms are created equal or should be used equally by everyone. Which brings us to…

 

 

Which Social Media Platform Should You Use? Playing Matchmaker

Picking the right social platform(s) for your business is a bit like online dating. As an aside, kudos to you if you’ve ever navigated that disaster zone. Ideally, you want to find the social platform that fits your personality, goals, and the people you’re trying to connect with.

Here’s our quick guide to choosing your platform soulmate:

💼 Business to Business? Let LinkedIn Give You a Boost

If you’re selling to other businesses or offering professional services, LinkedIn is where you want to be. Businesses of all kinds use LinkedIn to network, cross-promote, and find other companies to partner with or provide goods or services they need. Think of LinkedIn as a classy networking event where everyone’s wearing blazers. This platform gives the opportunity to share thoughtful leadership posts, industry insights, case studies, and client success stories to position yourself as a trusted individual in your field. It also gives the chance to see what other similar businesses are doing for their marketing, ask questions, and establish connections with other professionals.

📸 Selling Something Pretty? Instagram Might Be Your Jam

Do you sell gorgeous cakes, handmade jewelry, artisan furniture, or boutique fashion? Instagram’s visual-first format is the perfect place to show off. With photos, videos, and Stories, you can let your products strut their stuff. Bonus points if you lean into Reels for extra exposure.

🛒 Want to Sell Through Social Media as well as Your Website? Facebook’s Your Friend

Facebook is a one-stop-shop of social platforms—it does a bit of everything. You can set up a shop right on your business page, share updates, post videos, and engage with your community. Paired with Meta’s advertising tools, you can target your dream customers with laser precision.

 

Of course, there are other potential matches out there. TikTok works for bite-sized entertainment and discovery, Pinterest can be helpful for inspiration-driven products, and X/Twitter can be used for rapid-fire updates and political commentary from the far-right margin. The main thing to remember is choosing the ones that make sense for you. Finding a more natural fit for your business will make the tasks of generating content and connecting with your audience easier.

 

 

Crafting a Social Media Presence That Works for You

Now that you know the “why” and the “which ones,” let’s talk about the “how.” How does a strong social media presence help your business’s bottom line?

A high-performing social media presence is more than just posting random updates whenever you remember to do so. It’s about building relationships. Think about your favourite people and things – celebrities, brands, and even your best friends. Building relationships is what makes us feel a strong connection. The same goes for your customers. When potential customers feel more connected to you, they’re more likely to support your business, recommend you to friends, and return to you when they need your goods or services again.

Here’s how we approach it:

1. Define Your Business Persona

Your business and how it operates is unique, and your social media should reflect that. So you need to define what fits you best in terms of the tone and style. This will help you generate content more easily, and also makes your social accounts come across as more professional and pulled together. Are you fun and lighthearted? Expert and authoritative? Relaxed and welcoming? Your tone and style should be consistent across all posts.

2. Plan Your Content

No one wants to see 14 posts in a week and then nothing for two months. A content calendar keeps things balanced, ensuring you cover promotions, education, entertainment, and customer engagement. Which brings us to…

3. Variety is the Spice of Life

Posting on a variety of topics keeps things interesting – both for you and your audience. Posting one type of content can cause your audience to become fatigued by what they are seeing, and they become less likely to remain engaged and interested. Instead, try to plan for a variety of different post types. Promos one day, educational content or how-to’s another day, case studies  once in a while, a survey post for a little something different. The key here is to plan your content to be diverse, interesting, and engaging. 

4. Engage, Don’t Just Broadcast

Social media is a conversation, not a billboard. Reply to comments, answer questions, thank people for reviews, and acknowledge when your customers share your posts.

5. Track and Adjust

Check your analytics. Which posts get the most likes, shares, and clicks? Lean into what’s working and adjust what’s not.

And remember: every business will have a different formula for success. What works for a super-cute and trendy coffee shop may not work for an industrial supply company. That’s the beauty of social media—you can craft a unique online personality that perfectly matches your business values and goals.

 

 

Social Media Presence + Social Media Digital Marketing = Game Changer

Here’s the magic trick: when you combine an active, engaging social media presence with targeted paid advertising, you go from reaching “some people” to reaching “exactly the right people.”

Meta ads (which cover Facebook and Instagram) let you target by location, interests, demographics, and even behaviour. That means you can:

• Show your ads to people in Edmonton who are actively searching for what you sell.
• Promote special offers to people who have visited your website before (hello, retargeting).
• Test different versions of your ad to see which one wins the most clicks.

It’s like giving your best sales pitch—but instead of shouting into a crowded room, you’re whispering directly to the people most likely to say “Yes, I want that.”

 

Not sure where to start? That’s where we come in.

At Digital Tea, we’re equipped to help you decide which platforms will work best for your business, define your tone and style, and build a social media presence that matches you (and your brand) perfectly. We have beginner packages for businesses that are just dipping their toes into social media, all the way to advanced strategies for businesses ready to dominate their niche. No matter what your social media needs and knowledge are, we’ve got you covered.

 

We’ll help you:

• Identify the right platforms for your audience
• Create a posting strategy and content calendar that keeps your content fresh and engaging
• Pair organic posting with powerful paid campaigns to drive growth

Because in today’s world, “getting liked” isn’t just a popularity contest—it’s a business strategy. And with the right approach, your small business can win at both.

Want to start building your business success story on social media? Let’s make your brand the one everyone’s double-tapping. Your customers are scrolling right now—let’s make sure your social media presence makes them stop and take notice!

Contact Digital Tea today!