Why Most Business Owners Waste Money on Social Media
If you’re like most Brisbane business owners I talk to, you’ve probably felt the frustration of posting something on Facebook or Instagram, only to have it disappear into the void. You spent twenty minutes taking a photo, wrote a caption, hit post, and... nothing. Two likes (one from your mum) and zero phone calls.
Most people call this "going viral," but I hate that term. It sounds like luck. It sounds like a teenager dancing in their bedroom. For a business owner in Morningside or Chermside, "going viral" should actually mean: making your message spread so far that your phone doesn't stop ringing.
I’ve looked at the data from dozens of local campaigns. The reality is that 99% of business posts are boring. They are digital flyers that people scroll past. To actually get results, you need to understand the simple math of why people share things.
In this guide, I’m going to break down a case study of a local Brisbane service business that turned a simple $0 post into three months' worth of booked-out work. We aren't going to talk about technical jargon; we’re going to talk about what makes people click, share, and buy.
Case Study: The $50,000 Fence
We worked with a fencing contractor based out of Logan. Like most tradies, his social media was just photos of finished fences with the caption "Another happy customer!"
It wasn't working. He was spending an hour a day on it and getting zero leads. We changed his approach using what I call "The High-Value Hook."
Instead of showing the finished fence, we filmed a 45-second video of him showing a "dodgy" fence a competitor had built nearby. He pointed out exactly why it was rotting after only two years and what homeowners should look for to avoid getting ripped off.
The Results:
- Shares: 450+ (mostly in local community Facebook groups) - Enquiries: 42 in the first week - Total Sales: Over $50,000 in booked quotesHe didn't need a fancy camera. He didn't need to understand how the internet works. He just needed to provide value that people felt compelled to share with their neighbours. This is how you build a customer base that actually spends money with you rather than just clicking a heart icon.
The Three Reasons People Share Your Content
If you want your business to be seen by thousands of local people without paying for ads, your content must do one of three things. If it doesn't, you are wasting your time.
1. It Makes Them Look Smart
People share things that make them look like they are "in the know." When the fencer shared how to spot a bad job, people shared it to their friends saying, "Look at this, we need to check our back gate." They felt helpful and informed.2. It Triggers a Strong Emotion (Usually Helpful Anger or Joy)
I’m not talking about political anger. I’m talking about "I can't believe people get ripped off like this" or "I am so glad a local business actually cares." In Brisbane, we have a strong sense of community. If you show your team going above and beyond, people will support you. You can actually get more customers just by showing the human side of your business.3. It’s Locally Relevant
A post about "How to garden" is boring. A post about "The 3 plants that actually survive a Brisbane summer in sandy soil" is a goldmine for a local nursery. It’s specific, it’s local, and it solves a problem.Stop Being a Robot: Use Your Staff
One of the biggest mistakes I see is business owners using stock photos or overly professional graphics. People don't buy from logos; they buy from people.
I’ve seen a mechanical shop in Milton double their booking rate simply by stopping the "Special Offer" posts and instead posting a photo of their head mechanic explaining why a certain European car always breaks down at 100,000km. It was honest, it was blunt, and it saved people money.
When you start turning staff into stars, you build a level of trust that no amount of paid advertising can buy. People feel like they know you before they even pick up the phone.
The Costs and the Reality Check
Let’s be honest about what this takes.
- Time: You need about 2 hours a week to plan and record. - Equipment: You already have a smartphone. That is all you need. Do not buy a $2,000 camera. - Money: If you do it yourself, it’s free. If you hire an agency like us to manage the strategy, you’re looking at a professional investment, but the goal is always to see that money come back 5x or 10x in sales.
How long until you see results? Usually, if you hit the right note, you’ll see the phone ring within 48 hours of a post going "mini-viral" in a local group. But consistency is what keeps the work coming in during the quiet months.
What You Should Do First
Don't try to be everywhere at once. If you're a plumber, you don't need to be on TikTok dancing.
1. Find your best story: What is the one question every customer asks you? Answer it on video. 2. Keep it short: Under 60 seconds. 3. Post it where your customers are: Usually local Brisbane community Facebook groups or Instagram. 4. Make it easy to buy: If someone comments, reply immediately. Don't make them hunt for your phone number.
Most of what you read online about "going viral" is rubbish designed for influencers. For a business owner in South East Queensland, it’s much simpler: be helpful, be local, and show your face.
If you want to stop guessing and start getting actual enquiries from your social media, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we focus on the stuff that actually puts money in your bank account, not just pretty pictures.
Contact Local Marketing Group today to see how we can grow your business.