The Social Media Trap Most Brisbane Business Owners Fall Into
I was sitting down with a landscaper in Chermside last month. He was exhausted. Between quoting jobs, managing his crew, and actually doing the work, he was trying to 'do social media.'
He told me, "I spend an hour every night trying to think of something new to post on Facebook, then I do it all again for Instagram the next day. It feels like a second job that doesn't pay me."
He’s right. Most of what you hear about social media is rubbish. You’re told you need to be everywhere, posting brand-new stuff every single day. If you do that, you’ll burn out, and your business will suffer because you’re staring at a screen instead of fixing a leak, selling a house, or running your shop.
Here’s the truth: You don’t need more content. You need to make the content you already have work ten times harder for you. In marketing circles, they call this 'repurposing.' I call it 'not wasting your life on your phone.'
Why One Good Post is Better Than Ten Average Ones
Think about the last time you saw a post from a local business that actually made you want to call them. It probably showed a finished job, a happy customer, or a quick tip that saved you money.
If you have one video of you explaining how to spot a roof leak, that video is gold. But if you only post it once on Facebook, 90% of your potential customers in Brisbane will never see it.
Instead of filming ten different videos, take that one 'gold' video and break it into pieces. This is how you get more customers without spending your entire weekend editing videos. It’s about being smart with your time so you can focus on the work that actually puts money in the bank.
The "Big To Small" Strategy: How to Turn One Job Into Two Weeks of Posts
Let’s look at a real-world example. We worked with a cabinet maker in Coorparoo. He’d just finished a stunning kitchen renovation. Normally, he’d take one photo, post it to Facebook with the caption "Finished this today, looks great," and that was it.
We changed his approach. From that one single job, we created enough content to last him three weeks. Here is exactly how we did it, and how you can do it too:
1. The "Main Event" (The Video)
He filmed a 2-minute walk-through on his phone. No fancy cameras, just him talking. He showed the soft-close drawers, the hidden bin, and the stone benchtops. This went on his Facebook page and his website.2. The "Quick Tips" (The Snippets)
We took that 2-minute video and cut it into three 15-second clips. Clip 1: How to choose the right handles. Clip 2: Why stone is better than laminate for resale value. Clip 3: A quick 'before and after' transition. These went on Instagram and TikTok. Same footage, different use.3. The "Expert Advice" (The Text)
We took the advice he gave in the video and typed it out as a short tip for a local community group. People love helpful advice, and it helps you get your business noticed as the local expert rather than just another person shouting "buy from me!"4. The "Proof" (The Photo)
Finally, we took a high-quality still photo of the finished kitchen for his Google Business Profile. When people search "kitchen renovations Brisbane," that’s where they find him.He did the work once. He filmed once. But he showed up in front of customers five or six different times.
Stop Chasing Likes, Start Getting Enquiries
I need to be blunt here: A 'like' from someone in Sydney or London doesn't pay your mortgage in Brisbane. If you are a local tradie or shop owner, you need to stop wasting time on things that don't lead to a phone call.
When you repurpose your content, don't just copy and paste. People use different apps for different reasons.
Facebook is for community and long-form stories. Post the full video here. Instagram is for the 'pretty' stuff. Post the best-looking photo here. Google Business Profile is for people ready to hire you right now. Post your contact details and a photo of your work here.If you try to treat every platform the same, you’re throwing money down the drain.
Three Quick Wins You Can Do This Week
You don't need a marketing degree to do this. You can start today with these three steps:
1. Raid Your Photo Gallery
Scroll back through your phone from the last month. Find a photo of a job you’re proud of or a happy customer. Day 1: Post the photo with a story about the job. Day 3: Post the same photo but focus on one specific problem you solved for that customer (e.g., "We got this done in 24 hours so the family could have their bathroom back").- Day 5: Use the photo to ask a question to your followers (e.g., "Which colour tiles would you choose for this layout?").
2. Answer One Frequent Question
What is the one thing every customer asks you? "How much does it cost?" "How long does it take?" "Will it be messy?" Record yourself answering that on your phone. It should take 30 seconds. Post that video. Then, next week, take the text of that answer and post it as a written tip.3. Update Your Google Profile
Most Brisbane businesses ignore their Google Business Profile. Take a photo you already posted on Facebook and upload it to Google. People searching for your services will see you’re active and professional. It takes two minutes and is often more effective than a week's worth of Instagram posts.What’s a Waste of Money?
Don't go out and buy a $2,000 camera. Don't hire a 'content creator' who wants to make artistic films that don't actually show what you do. Customers want to see the real you. They want to see that you show up on time, do a good job, and don't leave a mess.
A shaky video of a plumber fixing a real pipe in Indooroopilly will always get more bookings than a polished, fake stock video of a generic plumber. Authenticity sells. Polish just looks expensive.
How Long Until You See Results?
This isn't a magic button. If you start being smarter with your content today, you won't have 100 new leads by tomorrow morning. Marketing is a slow burn.
However, within 30 days of using this "one-to-many" approach, you will notice: 1. You are spending less time worrying about what to post. 2. More people in your local area will recognise your business name. 3. The people who do call you will already feel like they know and trust you because they've seen your face and your work multiple times.
The Bottom Line
You started your business to provide a service and make a profit, not to become a full-time social media manager. Stop treating every post like a one-off event. Treat your content like your tools—look after them, use them often, and make sure they’re working for you, not the other way around.
If you're tired of shouting into the void and want a strategy that actually brings in local Brisbane customers, we can help. At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about 'viral' posts; we care about your phone ringing.
Ready to grow your business without the headache? Contact Local Marketing Group today.