On this page
- The quick answer
- Why the wrong choice wastes your time
- When Facebook is the better fit
- When Instagram is the better fit
- Facebook and Instagram side by side
- Which one for your type of business
- Do you need both platforms
- Three questions to decide in five minutes
- What to do this week
- Questions about Facebook and Instagram for a small business
- Want help choosing
Should a small business use Facebook or Instagram? Start with the one your customers already use, and add the second only when you can keep both going. If you can’t tell which that is, Facebook is the safer start for a business that depends on local recommendations, and Instagram is the better start if you have something good to show.
Most owners in Dorset have an hour or two a week for social media, not a whole team. So the real question is where that hour does the most good. This guide helps you pick, and shows you how to check your choice in five minutes.
One platform done well beats two done badly. Pick one, post steadily for three months, and then decide whether to add the second.
The quick answer
If your customers find you through friends, neighbours and local groups, start with Facebook. If your work looks good in a photo or a short video, start with Instagram.
Both work for a local business, and plenty of businesses use both. The trick is not to start both at once. Give the first one a steady three months and you will know a lot more about what your customers respond to.
Why the wrong choice wastes your time
Picking the wrong platform means weeks of posting that few of your customers see. You get no enquiries, you feel put off, and you stop. That is the real cost, and it is a shame because the work was never the problem.
A quick check up front saves you that. Ask where your customers already are, how much time you have and what you can show. The five-minute test near the end of this guide walks you through it.
When Facebook is the better fit
Facebook is the best home for a business that people find through other people. It is where neighbours ask who to call and where your hours and reviews sit one tap away.
You rely on local groups and recommendations
Many towns have community groups where people ask for a recommendation. If your customers are local and ask each other, a Facebook page lets people tag you and find you.
People need your hours and reviews
Customers often want practical details before they get in touch. A Facebook page holds your opening times, your address, your phone number and your reviews in one place.
Who it tends to reach
Facebook tends to reach a wide mix of local adults, including people who don’t use other platforms much. I have left out exact figures on purpose, because they change and most of them come from the platforms themselves. Ask your own customers where they look, and trust that over any chart.
In short:
- Choose Facebook if your customers recommend you to each other.
- It holds the practical details people look for.
- It reaches a wide mix of local adults.
When Instagram is the better fit
Instagram suits a business with something to look at. If a photo or a short video does the selling, it is a natural home.
You have something visual to show
Finished jobs, food, treatments, products and places all look good on Instagram. You can share photos, Reels and Stories, and my guide to Instagram for local business shows what works.
You want to reach new people
Reels and location tags can put you in front of people who have never heard of you. That makes Instagram useful when you want new customers, not only to be found by people who already know you.
Who it tends to reach
Instagram tends to suit people who like to look around before they choose. As with Facebook, I would rather you ask your own customers than rely on a figure from a chart.
In short:
- Choose Instagram if your work looks good in a photo or a short video.
- It can put you in front of people who don’t know you yet.
- It rewards a steady habit of Reels and photos.
Facebook and Instagram side by side
| What it does best | Local recommendations, hours, reviews | Showing your work to new people |
| Effort needed | Steady posts and quick replies | Good photos and short videos |
| Who it suits | Businesses people find through others | Businesses with something to look at |
| What to post | Updates, offers, events, reviews | Photos, Reels and Stories |
Which one for your type of business
These are starting points, not rules. Your own customers always have the last word.
Trades and home services
Usually Facebook plus a Google listing, with Instagram for finished work. Have a look at my page on social media for trades.
Cafes and restaurants
Usually Instagram first, with Facebook for hours and events. See social media for cafes and restaurants.
Clinics and wellbeing
Usually both, with careful wording. See social media for clinics and wellbeing practices.
Shops and retailers
Usually Instagram for what is new in, and Facebook for local reach. I’d show a few close ups of new stock on Instagram and share events and offers on Facebook.
Do you need both platforms
You don’t need both. It is much better to do one well than two badly. If you do add the second, you can often share the same photo or video, but give each caption a quick tweak so it reads naturally.
This guide is about the platforms, not the tools for managing them. Whatever you use, the same rule applies. Keep it simple enough that you will still be doing it in six months.
Three questions to decide in five minutes
- Where are your customers? Ask three or four of them where they look for a business like yours.
- How much time do you have? Two or three posts a week is a good target for one platform.
- What can you show? Good photos and short videos point to Instagram. Reviews, hours and local recommendations point to Facebook.
If your answers still point both ways, start with Facebook for local trust or Instagram for visual work, and add the second later. For YouTube, LinkedIn and Google, my guide to the best social media platforms for small businesses goes through who each one suits. Whichever you choose, your Google listing matters too, so read my guide to Google Business Profile for local enquiries. If you pick Instagram, my Reels ideas for local businesses will give you something to film this week.
What to do this week
Here are three things you can do today. Look up three businesses like yours and see which platform they are most active on. Check that your hours, address and phone number are right on the platform you pick. Then plan three posts for next week from photos you already have.
If that sounds like too much, I can look after it for you. I plan, write and publish your posts, and you approve everything before it goes live. See how my social media management works.
Questions about Facebook and Instagram for a small business
Is Facebook still worth it for a small business?
Yes, for local reach and practical information. It is where many customers check your hours, read your reviews and ask neighbours who to use.
Is Instagram better than Facebook?
It depends on the business. Instagram suits businesses with something good to look at. Facebook suits businesses that rely on local groups, recommendations and practical details.
Can I post the same thing on both?
Often yes, but let each post read naturally on its platform. A quick tweak to the caption is worth it.
How much time will it take?
Two or three good posts a week is realistic for one platform. My guide to how often to post goes through it.
Will either one bring me customers?
I can’t promise that. Facebook helps people who already know your name to check you out. Instagram can put you in front of people who have never heard of you.
What does it cost to have someone do it for me?
My packages start from £250 a month. You can see what each one includes on my pricing page.
Do I still approve what is posted if I hand it over?
Yes. You approve everything before it goes live.
Is there a long contract if I hire help?
Not with me. It runs month to month, with 30 days notice to stop.
Want help choosing
Tell me about your business and where your customers are, and I will tell you which platform I would start with. There is no pressure and no sales pitch.
