What social media strategy is working best for small local businesses in 2026?

[Arbab Mexico]

I am involved with the social media for Brisbane Metal Recyclers a local recycling enterprise in Australia and I'm interested in what other small business owners are doing to work well this year.

We have been trying out different kinds of posts, such as educational, short videos, customer stories and behind the scenes,  all are trying to see what is working and what isn't when it comes to getting some more organic reach.

So among the various platforms, which will be the most effective in terms of engagement or enquiries for those running local businesses in 2026? Do you create and upload every day, or are you using short form video, or community groups more?

I don't need any general tips on marketing, I want real experiences. What has actually been effective for your business in recent times?

[Contesthelper90]

For my local business, short-form videos and customer success stories have delivered the best results. Posting 3–4 times a week consistently works better than posting every day, and engaging with local community groups has brought in more enquiries than chasing viral content.

[Arbab Mexico]

Sounds much like what we have been seeing! We have started to test some short videos, educational posts, and a couple of behind-the-scenes images and these videos certainly appear to be performing better than the images. I think a lot of local businesses don't realize how much value the community groups can be to you, it's interesting because you've received more enquiries from the community groups. Posting daily also appears to be less consistent  again, as it does for me.