Why Most Small Businesses Waste Money on Social Media
If you’re running a business in Brisbane—whether you’re a plumber in Coorparoo, a cafe owner in West End, or a lawyer in the CBD—you’ve likely felt the frustration of social media. You post a photo, you get three likes (one from your mum, one from your wife, and one from a bot), and the phone stays silent.
Most business owners think they need to reach tens of thousands of people to make a sale. They see celebrities with millions of followers and think, "I could never afford that."
Here’s the truth: You don’t want a million followers. You want fifty local customers who are ready to buy right now.
This is where "micro-influencers" come in. Don't let the name put you off—it’s just a fancy way of saying "local people with a loyal following." These aren't Hollywood stars; they are Brisbane locals who talk about food, home renovations, fitness, or parenting. Their followers actually listen to them. When they recommend a business, people show up.
In this guide, I’m going to show you how to find these people, how to get them to talk about your business, and most importantly, how to turn those mentions into actual money in your till.
What is a Micro-Influencer (And Why Should You Care?)
In the marketing world, people get obsessed with big numbers. They think a person with 100,000 followers is better than someone with 5,000.
They’re wrong.
For a local business, a person with 5,000 followers who all live within 10 kilometres of your shop is worth ten times more than a "famous" person whose followers are spread across the globe.
Think of it like this: If you’re a mechanic in Geebung, do you want a shout-out from a car enthusiast in London with a million followers? No. You want a shout-out from the local Brisbane 4WD enthusiast who has 3,000 followers who all live on the Northside and need their cars serviced.
The Trust Factor
People are tired of being sold to by big corporations. They trust their mates, their neighbours, and people they feel they know online. When a micro-influencer posts about your service, it doesn't feel like an ad. It feels like a recommendation from a friend.I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses. We worked with a boutique gym that was struggling to get new sign-ups through Facebook ads. We stopped the ads and instead invited three local "active mums" from the area to try a class for free. They posted about how much they loved the workout and the creche. The gym got 12 new memberships in a week. That’s the power of local trust.
How This Actually Makes You Money
Let’s talk about the bottom line. You aren't doing this for "brand awareness" or "engagement." You’re doing it for sales.
Working with local influencers helps your business in three specific ways:
1. Immediate Enquiries: When they post, your phone rings. 2. Social Proof: When a potential customer looks you up and sees a trusted local person using your service, they are much more likely to book. 3. Content You Can Use: You can take the photos and videos they create and use them on your own page. It makes your business look successful and popular.
If you want to close more sales rather than just getting likes, having a real person vouch for you is the fastest way to do it.
Finding the Right People in Brisbane
Don't just pick someone because they have a pretty Instagram feed. You need to be strategic. You are looking for three things: Location, Audience, and Vibe.
1. Location
This is the biggest mistake small businesses make. If you are a physical shop or a tradie with a specific service area, your influencer must be local.How to find them: Go to Instagram or TikTok. Search for Brisbane-specific hashtags: #BrisbaneEats, #BrisbaneTradies, #NorthBrisbaneMums, #BrisbaneAnywhere. Look at the comments: Are the people commenting local? If they’re all talking about the weather in Sydney or New York, move on.
2. Audience
Who are you trying to reach? If you’re a landscaper, look for local "home reno" accounts. If you’re a cafe, look for "foodies" who specifically review Brisbane cafes. If you’re a lawyer, look for local business networking leaders.3. Vibe
Does this person fit your brand? If you run a high-end, professional accounting firm, you probably don’t want to partner with a 19-year-old who posts party videos. You want someone who looks and sounds like your ideal customer.How Much Does It Cost?
This is the best part for small business owners: Often, it costs very little in terms of cash.
Micro-influencers (those with 2,000 to 10,000 followers) are often happy to work for "product in exchange."
The Tradie Approach: Offer a free service (e.g., a gutter clean or a safety check) in exchange for a few videos of the process and a shout-out. The Retail Approach: Give them $100 worth of stock to try and review. The Service Approach: Give them a free consultation or a month of your service.If they do ask for money, don't be shocked. They are spending their time creating content for you. For a small influencer in QLD, you might pay anywhere from $50 to $250 for a dedicated post. Compared to the hundreds you could waste on Google Ads that don't convert, this is a bargain.
The "Reach Out": What to Say
Don’t be weird or overly corporate. These are regular people. Send them a direct message (DM) or an email that sounds like it’s coming from a human.
The Wrong Way: "Dear Influencer, We represent XYZ Plumbing and would like to discuss a synergistic partnership to increase our brand equity." (They will delete this immediately).
The Right Way: "Hey [Name], love your posts about local Brisbane spots! I run a small plumbing business in Morningside and I’d love to offer you a free hot water system check-up in exchange for a mention on your story if you think your followers would find it useful. Cheers, Jack."
Be direct, be honest, and show that you actually know who they are.
Avoiding the Scammers
There are people out there who buy followers. They look like they have 20,000 fans, but they’re all fake accounts from overseas.
How to spot a fake: They have 20,000 followers but only get 10 likes on a photo. The comments are all emojis or generic things like "Great pic!" or "So cool!" They have a huge spike in followers overnight (you can check this on free sites like SocialBlade).
If you want to get noticed without ads, you need real people with real voices. Fake followers don't buy products.
Making Sure It Works (Tracking Results)
You need to know if your investment is paying off. Don't just hope for the best.
1. Use a Promo Code: Tell the influencer to share a specific code (e.g., "SARAH10" for 10% off). When people use that code, you know exactly where they came from. 2. The "How did you hear about us?" Question: Train your staff to ask every new caller how they found you. It’s simple, but most businesses forget to do it. 3. Track Website Visits: If you have Google Analytics, you can see if there’s a spike in traffic the day the influencer posts.
What to Do First
Don't try to sign up ten people at once. Start small.
1. Spend 30 minutes on Instagram tonight. Find three people in Brisbane who talk to your target audience. 2. Follow them and interact. Like a few posts, leave a genuine comment. Don't sell yet. 3. Send one DM. Offer something of value for free.
Look, I get it—you’re busy. You’ve got a business to run, staff to manage, and a life to live. But the old ways of advertising (Yellow Pages, local papers, or even generic Facebook ads) are getting more expensive and less effective.
Partnering with local experts is the most cost-effective way to get your name in front of the right people. It’s how modern Brisbane businesses are winning.
If you're looking for more ways to grow without spending a fortune on technical marketing, you might be surprised to learn how your staff can help get you more customers just by doing their jobs well.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve seen plenty of business owners get burnt because they didn't follow these rules.
Being too controlling: Don't give the influencer a script. If they sound like a robot, their followers won't trust them. Let them use their own voice. Ignoring the small guys: Someone with 800 followers who is the "king of the local footy club" can be more valuable than a generic lifestyle blogger with 8,000 followers. Not following up: If someone comments on the influencer's post asking a question about your business, jump in and answer it! Don't wait for the influencer to do your job for you.
Is This Right for Your Business?
If you sell a product or service that people can see (food, renovations, hair, fitness, landscaping, retail), this is a no-brainer.
If you’re in a "boring" industry like accounting or insurance, it’s harder, but still possible. You just need to find the people who talk about business or adulting in Brisbane.
Most of what you read online about "influencer marketing" is rubbish written for huge brands like Nike or Coca-Cola. For a small business in Queensland, it’s much simpler: Find someone local, be nice to them, give them something great, and ask them to tell their friends.
That’s it. No jargon, no complex algorithms—just good old-fashioned word of mouth, amplified by a smartphone.
Ready to get more customers without the headache?
At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses cut through the noise and get real results. We don't care about "likes"—we care about your phone ringing.
If you want a hand setting this up or want to know which local influencers are actually worth your time, get in touch with us today.