Congratulations, you started a business … you’ve shouted it from the rooftops… now what?
Social media provides a cost-effective way to build brand awareness, connect with customers, and drive sales. Word of mouth can take you far, but an online brand facilitates transparency, builds trust with customers, and most importantly, keeps your businesses relevant in an increasingly digital world.
By nature, social media is more affordable than traditional marketing methods like print or TV ads. In fact, social media is free to use with optional low-budget advertising. It also provides analytics tools to help businesses understand their audience’s preferences and behaviors, allowing you to make data-driven decision-making and strategy adjustments. It’s the optimal way to market your business on a budget.
But, with its limitless possibilities and each platform’s unique content formats and engagement styles, it can feel impossible to know where to begin. Add that onto running your business with limited financial and operational resources it seems easier to just set up a Facebook Business page to say you have one and then ignore it altogether.
When I would get overwhelmed growing up my mom would always ask me, “How do you eat an elephant?”
The answer: “One bite at a time!”
This article will outline six bite-sized steps you can take to build your social media presence and grow your business on a budget.
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Define Your Goals and Target Audience
Before diving into building out your social pages, it’s essential to establish clear objectives. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, boost engagement, or generate leads? Defining your goals will help shape your content strategy and measure success effectively.
Next, identify your ideal customer persona by considering factors like demographics, interests, and online behaviors. Understanding who you’re trying to reach ensures that your messaging resonates with the right audience.
Finally, choose the most relevant social media platforms based on where your target customers spend their time—Instagram and TikTok for younger audiences, LinkedIn for B2B connections, and Facebook for community-driven engagement. A strategic approach will help you maximize impact without wasting time and resources.
Before spending valuable time building out your pages, remember, each platform has its own strengths, so focus on the ones that directly align with your goals and audience rather than trying to be everywhere all at once.
2. Leverage Free Tools and Resources
As a small business owner, you are often wearing multiple hats and almost always on a tight budget. The question is, how do you stretch your thin budget far enough to cover everything you need to build a strong online presence?
Fortunately, not everything in marketing comes with a hefty price tag.
There are plenty of free and low-cost tools, platforms, and strategies that can help you create engaging content, grow your audience, and boost your brand—without spending a fortune.
Check out some of these free tools below to get started:
Social media management tools
Graphic Design Tools
Stock photo and video resources
3. Create and Curate Engaging Content
Now that the organization and strategy is complete, the fun begins. It’s time to start creating content. But like all great things, if you start this without a plan chances are you’ll lose interest.
To keep it organized, create a content calendar:
Content Calendar Basics:
Choose Content Categories – Mix educational, engagement, promotional, and behind-the-scenes posts. (See the 80/20 Rule)
Set Posting Frequency – Start with a manageable schedule (e.g., Instagram 4x/week, LinkedIn 2x/week).
Use a Simple Format – Create a spreadsheet with Date | Platform | Content Type | Media | CTA, or use free tools like Trello or Google Calendar.
Plan 1-2 Weeks Ahead – Schedule major events first, then fill in with evergreen content.
Batch Create & Schedule – Design multiple posts at once to save time; use Meta Business Suite for automation.
Track & Adjust – Use analytics to refine your content strategy based on performance.
Pro Tip
Follow the 80/20 Rule. The 80/20 rule in social media marketing suggests that 80% of your content should provide value to your audience, while only 20% should be promotional. This balance helps businesses engage followers without overwhelming them with constant sales pitches.
Why Does This Rule Matter?
Social media is about building relationships, not just selling.
People are more likely to engage with brands that educate, entertain, or inspire rather than those that only push products.
A well-balanced approach keeps your audience interested and helps foster trust.
4. Maximize Organic Reach
Congratulations! You’re up and running and building a following of past, present, and future customers and advocates. Now is your opportunity to connect with your clientele in real-time. Make sure you’re sticking to that content calendar and posting consistently to maximize the opportunity to engage your followers.
When you’re posting your content, don't forget to write attention-grabbing captions and that things like #hashtags actually matter – these are a surefire way to get your content in front of an even larger audience.
Don’t underestimate the importance of responding to DMs and comments promptly. Leaving someone with a problem or question hanging publicly is not a good look.
Finally, always prioritize quality over quantity. So the algorithms work for you, know that you do need to post consistently, but don’t sacrifice value to do that.
Suggested posting frequency depends on the platform:
Facebook – 3-5 times per week
Focus on engagement (polls, stories, and community posts).
Avoid overposting to prevent algorithm penalties.
Instagram – 4-5 times per week
Mix feed posts (2-3x), Reels (3x), and Stories (daily).
Prioritize high-quality visuals and interactive content.
X (Twitter) – 3-5 times per day
Great for real-time updates, trending topics, and conversations.
Retweet and engage with others regularly.
LinkedIn – 2-3 times per week
Post valuable industry insights, company updates, and thought leadership.
Avoid daily posting; quality over quantity matters.
TikTok – 3-5 times per week
Focus on trends, challenges, and original short-form videos.
Consistency and creativity drive success.
Pinterest – 3-10 pins per day
More frequent pinning helps visibility.
Use a mix of fresh and repinned content.
YouTube – 1-2 times per week
Quality is key—focus on in-depth, valuable content.
Supplement with YouTube Shorts (2-3x per week) for extra reach.
Pro Tip:
Batch-create content in your spare time and use one of the suggested scheduling tools above to help you post on a regular cadence.
5. Collaborate
Collaborations are also a great way to grow your following. You can consider working with other SMBs or leveraging a microinfluencer.
Collabs
Great brand collaborations can help elevate both brands involved by combining their strengths and expanding their reach. Successful collaborations typically align with both brands' values, target audiences, and offer something valuable to the consumers.
A great example of a big brand collab is Nike and Apple. Nike partnered with Apple to create the Nike Training Club app and the Nike+ running app, combining fitness with Apple’s technology. This collaboration brought the best of both worlds—Nike’s fitness expertise and Apple’s tech appeal—leading to enhanced customer experiences. Pairing a product-based brand with a technology or service-based brand can create unique solutions that appeal to both sets of consumers.
Now let’s flip the script and brainstorm a collab for a small business. Let’s say you’re a restaurant owner – you can partner with a local bakery to create a featured dessert of the month only available at your restaurant. This dessert can be advertised on the restaurant’s Specials Menu but also photographed and tagged on both the restaurant and the bakery’s social media channels. Loyal bakery customers will come to the restaurant to get access to the exclusive dessert and the restaurant’s loyal customers can try the amazing dessert and become patrons of the bakery.
In the best business deals, both sides win.
Microinfluencers
Using a microinfluencer can be a highly effective strategy for small businesses, especially when working with a limited marketing budget. While Microinfluencers are cost-effective, they often have strong relationships with their followers, so it’s important to give them the creative freedom to promote your product or service in a way that feels authentic. Encourage them to create content that resonates with their followers rather than scripting a perfect ad.
Microinfluencers specialize in the following collaborative content:
Product Reviews & Unboxings: followers trust their opinions, making them great for honest, thorough product reviews or unboxing videos. When they showcase a product and explain how it fits into their life, it feels like a personal recommendation.
Sponsored Posts: sponsored posts that align with their brand and values come across as more natural. They often integrate the product into their regular content in an organic way.
Lifestyle Content: they are often seen as relatable "everyday" people, so their followers are more likely to connect with lifestyle content where they incorporate products or services into their daily routine.
Tutorials & How-To Videos: Microinfluencers often share expertise within their niche, whether it’s beauty, fitness, or food. Tutorials and how-to videos can provide valuable information and give followers a reason to keep coming back.
Giveaways & Contests: Microinfluencers have highly engaged audiences, and providing a product for a giveaway or contest can encourage active participation for your brand. Followers are more likely to enter when the giveaway feels personal and relatable.
Influencer Takeovers: letting a microinfluencer take over your social media account for a day gives their audience a direct look into your brand and vice versa. This creates excitement and can bring new followers.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Microinfluencers are great at generating UGC, which you can repost on your own channels. This content is authentic and serves as a form of social proof for your brand.
Testimonial Videos: Most endorsements often come across as personal testimonials. Followers believe in their honesty and are more likely to trust their opinion when they share positive feedback on a product or service.
6. Low-Cost Advertising Strategies
Running low-cost ads or boosting content is a great way to grow followers or get leads and/or sales without breaking the bank.
A social media ad is a paid advertisement that appears on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), TikTok, and Pinterest. These ads are designed to reach a specific audience based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and other targeting options.
There are a few different ways to advertise via social media:
Boosted Post (Facebook/Instagram) – Paying to show a regular post to a wider audience.
Lead Generation Ad (LinkedIn/Facebook) – Collects user contact information directly from the ad.
Story Ad (Instagram/TikTok) – Full-screen, short-form ads appearing in Stories.
Carousel Ad (Facebook/Instagram) – Multiple images or videos users can swipe through.
Sponsored Content (LinkedIn) – A promoted post appearing in a professional’s newsfeed.
With just 5–$10 per day you can run A/B testing (try out different images, captions, calls-to-action) to see which performs best, gaining you valuable insights from your audience.
Then optimize your ads and feel confident your money was well-spent!
Pro Tip:
If you’re spending your hard-earned money, only use your highest quality content and pay attention to format.
Videos & Reels get more engagement than static images.
Carousel Ads work well for showcasing multiple products or services.
Finally, make sure you include Clear CTAs (Call-to-Action) to encourage users to take the next step.
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Building a social media following on a budget is entirely possible with the right strategy. By clearly defining your goals, focusing on high-quality content, engaging with your audience, and leveraging free strategies like hashtags and collaborations, you can grow your presence organically. When using paid ads, start small, test different approaches, and refine your strategy based on performance.
Consistency and authenticity are key—show up regularly, provide value, and build relationships with your audience. With patience and persistence, you’ll create a loyal following that supports your brand without overspending.
Have questions or need expert guidance?
Contact us at Entandem Marketing Solutions.
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