Imagine this: You’re a small business owner in Charlotte with an incredible product or service, but you’re struggling to get the word out. Traditional advertising is expensive, and word-of-mouth can only take you so far. Now, picture another business, just like yours, exploding in popularity because they figured out how to use social media the right way.

That’s exactly what happened to Lolly Wolly Doodle, a North Carolina-based clothing company that went from a tiny side hustle to a multimillion-dollar business, all thanks to social media. They didn’t have a massive ad budget. Instead, they built an engaged online community, listened to their audience, and created content that people wanted to see.

If they could do it, why not you?

The truth is, social media isn’t just a place for funny videos and vacation pictures, it’s one of the most powerful marketing tools available to small businesses in Charlotte. Let’s dive into how you can use it to grow your business and connect with more customers than ever before.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Industry and Niche

Each social media platform serves a different audience and purpose. Choosing the right one for your business depends on who your customers are and how they consume content. Below is an overview of the primary demographics and content types associated with major social media platforms:

Facebook

Primary Audience: Broad demographic appeal, with a strong presence of users aged 25-54.

Best For: Community building, customer service, and brand awareness.

Common Content Types: Long-form posts, live streams, ads, and community engagement.

Ideal For: Small businesses, local businesses, eCommerce, and service providers.

Instagram

Primary Audience: Predominantly 18-34 years old, highly visual audience.

Best For: Brand storytelling, influencer marketing, and visual appeal.

Common Content Types: High-quality images, reels, stories, IGTV videos.

Ideal For: Fashion, beauty, travel, food, and lifestyle brands.

YouTube

Primary Audience: All age groups, but especially 18-49 years old.

Best For: Long-form educational and entertainment content.

Common Content Types: Tutorials, product reviews, how-to guides, and vlogs.

Ideal For: Educational businesses, coaches, content creators, and brands that can invest in video.

TikTok

Primary Audience: 13-34 years old, Gen Z and young millennials.

Best For: Viral trends, short-form engaging videos, and influencer collaborations.

Common Content Types: 15-60 second videos, challenges, behind-the-scenes content.

Ideal For: Trend-driven industries like fashion, entertainment, and fitness.

Twitter (X)

Primary Audience: 25-49 years old, professionals, news consumers.

Best For: Real-time updates, thought leadership, and customer engagement.

Common Content Types: Short-form text posts, trending topics, customer service

Ideal For: Tech, finance, journalism, and personal brands.

Reddit

Primary Audience: 18-35 years old, niche communities, knowledge seekers.

Best For: Educational and discussion-based content.

Common Content Types: Text-based discussions, AMAs, niche community engagement.

Ideal For: Brands that provide in-depth knowledge, research, or community-focused engagement.

Which Platform is Right for You?

Most businesses should be active on multiple platforms. To begin, try to choose 1-3 platforms where you can make similar content. The key is not to limit yourself to one platform but to understand what kind of content will perform well on each. Different platforms have different audiences and engagement styles, so keep that in mind when planning your content.

Our Hot Take: Ecommerce brands are exploding right now by integrating their products directly into social media platforms. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Business Profiles allow you to upload product listings so  visitors don’t have to leave the platform to purchase. TikTok Shop is the fastest growing of them all thanks to their algorithm boosting videos with products tagged in them, plus this platform makes it easy for creators to make videos about your product and earn a commission from each sale they make. They are also offering significant discounts on products listed on TikTok Shop, but they still pay businesses the full amount, this means your customers can save money on your products but you still collect the full sale price!

Once you've selected your platforms, the next step is to determine what kind of content to make.

Researching Successful Content in Your Niche

Before you jump into creating content on the platforms you chose, we recommend spending some time researching the kind of content that already is performing well. Start my searching for your product or service on each platform.

We recommend creating a Google Doc where you can list and link at least 10 high-performing posts from your industry.

Take note of common patterns in the top posts:

►Are they primarily videos, images, written posts, or carousel posts?

►Do they feature stories from real customers?

►Are they timelapses showcasing a product or process?

►Do they focus on educational, advice-driven content?

Once you have identified the best-performing content in your niche, start brainstorming content ideas that you can create. Think of how you put your own unique spin on the videos that are performing well.

Create a Realistic Content Plan

Some types of content are more difficult to create than others, so be realistic with your capabilities and resources. Develop a content plan based on what you can consistently produce.

►Start simple: It’s more important to get into the habit of posting regularly than to aim for perfection from day one.

►Set a goal: Rather than focusing on how many likes or shares you get, set goals around an upload frequency like posting once a week.

►Be patient: Viral success rarely happens on the first post. Focus on consistency and gradual improvement rather than immediate results.

►Keep it authentic: Most of the time, posts that feel authentic perform better than overly polished, highly produced videos. If you’re comfortable in front of the camera, simply use your phone to record a selfie video. Avoid overcomplicating the process with fancy editing, transitions, or effects, these often don’t have a significant impact on performance but can add unnecessary effort, time, and cost. Keeping it simple will help you stay consistent and reduce the likelihood of burnout or hesitation to start posting.

Putting it All Together

If you’ve been waiting for the “perfect” moment to start using social media for your business, here’s the truth: the best time to start was yesterday, and the second-best time is today. Building an audience takes time, and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll develop the skills and community you need to grow.

Don’t stress over the numbers in the beginning. Focus on creating content, posting consistently, and engaging with your audience. Set a goal to be active on the platform, comment on industry posts, join conversations, and be present in the digital space where your customers already are. Once you’ve established a routine, you can start tracking metrics like engagement and website clicks.

If you want to take advantage of the benefits social media can provide but don’t know where to start or just don’t have the time, The SMB Strategists are here to help. We have helped businesses here in Charlotte get millions of views organically and grow real communities for their business.

Reach out today, and let’s make social media work for you! You can find us at thesmbstrategist.com or give us a call at 919-500-7643