Why Most Business Posts Get Ignored (And How to Fix It)
I was chatting with a cabinet maker in Coorparoo last week. He’d spent three hours on a Sunday night putting together a video of a kitchen renovation he just finished. He posted it to Facebook, waited for the phone to ring, and... nothing. Two likes (one from his mum) and zero enquiries.
He asked me, "Why does that teenager down the road get a million views for dropping a Mentos in a Coke bottle, but I can’t get twenty people to look at a $30,000 kitchen?"
It’s a fair question. Most small business owners feel like they’re shouting into a void. You’ve been told you need to "be on social media," but nobody told you how to make it actually bring in money.
When people talk about things going "viral," they usually think of dancing cats or teenagers doing stunts. But for a business owner in Brisbane, viral doesn't have to mean reaching a billion people in America. It means getting your work shared by 500 local people who might actually hire you.
Here is how you stop wasting time and start making posts that people actually want to share.
The "So What?" Factor
Most business owners post what they care about, not what the customer cares about.
If you post a photo of your new delivery truck, nobody cares. That’s just you bragging about your overheads. But if you post a video showing how that truck can fit into a tiny inner-city driveway in Paddington where every other delivery company fails? Now you’ve got something useful.
To get people to share your stuff, you have to hit one of three buttons: 1. Educational: Teach them how to save money or fix a problem. 2. Relatable: Show them a struggle they recognize (like the nightmare of Brisbane traffic or a DIY project gone wrong). 3. Visual Proof: Show a transformation that looks like magic.
I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses. A local pest controller didn't just post "We kill termites." He posted a video of what a termite nest looks like behind a perfectly painted wall in a home in Ascot. It was terrifying. People shared it because they wanted to warn their friends. That one post filled his diary for three months.
Stop Overcomplicating the Tech
You don't need a film crew. In fact, if your video looks too polished, people think it’s a TV commercial and they scroll right past it.
People trust "real." Use your phone. Talk like a human. If you're a mechanic, show us the disgusting, gunked-up oil filter from a car that hasn't been serviced in three years. Tell us exactly how much that mistake cost the owner.
If you find yourself stuck trying to think of new ideas every day, you're doing it wrong. You're better off having one great post that works than twenty boring ones that don't. I often tell my clients to stop recording new videos and focus on making one really high-quality piece of content work harder for them.
The Secret Sauce: Local Controversy and Opinion
If you want people to talk about you, you have to have an opinion. Safe is boring. Safe doesn't get shared.
I’m not saying you should talk about politics. I’m saying you should have an opinion on your industry. - A landscaper saying: "Why most people in Brisbane are wasting money on the wrong turf for our climate." - A bookkeeper saying: "The three things your accountant isn't telling you that are costing you thousands." - A cafe owner saying: "Why we refuse to charge extra for almond milk."
When you take a stand, the people who agree with you will become your biggest fans. They will tag their friends and say, "See! This is what I was telling you!"
Where to Put Your Energy (And Where to Stop Wasting It)
Look, I get it—you’ve probably heard that you need to be on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. You don't. You're a business owner, not a full-time content creator.
Pick one place where your customers actually hang out. If you’re a B2B service, it might be LinkedIn. If you’re a tradie, Facebook groups are often a goldmine.
Speaking of groups, if you've ever tried to post your services in a local community group and got kicked out immediately, you know how frustrating that is. There is a specific way to get real customers from community forums and sites like Reddit without looking like a spammer. It’s about being helpful first and a salesman second.
The Reality Check: Costs and Timelines
Let’s be blunt: This isn't free. Even if you don't pay for ads, it costs your time.
- Time: Expect to spend 2-4 hours a week thinking about and creating content if you’re doing it yourself. - Results: You won't go viral overnight. It usually takes 5 to 10 "flops" before you figure out the tone that makes people click. - Money: If you hire an agency to do this for you, expect to pay anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000 a month depending on the volume. If someone offers to do it for $200, they are just going to post boring stock photos that will do absolutely nothing for your business. It’s a waste of money.
If you find that your organic posts are starting to get some traction—meaning people are commenting and sharing—that is the only time you should consider putting money behind them. Don't throw money at a post that no one liked for free. If you've struggled with this before, you might need to fix your ads before spending another cent.
What Should You Do First?
If you want more phone calls and bookings this month, don't try to be a "social media influencer." Be a local expert.
1. Find the most common question you get asked. The one that makes you roll your eyes because you’ve answered it a thousand times. 2. Record a 60-second video answering it. Start the video with the problem. "If your hot water system is making a knocking sound, stop what you're doing..." 3. Post it to your business page and share it to one local community group (if the rules allow). 4. Don't sell. Just help. At the end, simply say, "If you're in the North Lakes area and need a hand with this, give us a buzz."
Most of what you read online about "going viral" is rubbish written for people who want to be famous. You don't want to be famous; you want to be busy. You want your phone to ring with people who already trust you because they saw you solve a problem online.
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses cut through the noise. We don't care about "likes" or "engagement" unless they turn into bank deposits. If you're tired of posting to crickets and want a strategy that actually brings in customers, let's have a chat.
Ready to grow your business without the headache? Contact us today and let’s get your phone ringing.