It has now been more than two years since local news disappeared from Facebook and Instagram in Canada. Meta blocked it in August 2023, in response to the Online News Act, and has not reversed that decision. Posts from a local newspaper or a community radio station simply do not appear for Canadians on those apps.
Something has filled the gap, and in small regions it is the local Facebook groups: the "what's happening in town" groups, buy and sell, lost dogs, recommendations for a good electrician. In much of rural Quebec, that is currently where local news actually circulates, with both the advantages and drawbacks that implies.
This shift has changed what works for small businesses more than any new feature.
Why do local Facebook groups outperform large campaigns?
Because in a small region, customers are neighbours rather than an audience to target. We spent years building social media strategies, from the Raincity days to dive operators in Indonesia. Most of what we learned about reach, targeting and campaigns remains valid. It simply matters less in a place with a few thousand people.
Customers here are in the same three or four groups as the business owner. What works in those groups is being useful; advertising comes a distant second.
If your trade is repairing snowblowers, answer the person asking where to get one fixed. Post the photo of fresh bread coming out of the oven at seven, if the group allows business posts that day. Offer congratulations on a new baby. Thank people by name when they visit. These gestures are simple, and they are also what people remember.
Two cautions apply. First, read the group rules. Many local groups limit business promotion to one day a week or prohibit it entirely, and administrators remove posts that do not comply. A business that breaks the rules a few times becomes known as the one that spams the group, and that reputation lasts in a small town.
Second, groups belong to Facebook, not to the business. They are a place to meet people, not a place to keep them. This is why a website and an email list remain important, even for the smallest business.
Why is short vertical video so effective?
Because it works on every platform. This year, every major platform favours the same format: short vertical video filmed on a phone, whether Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts. YouTube raised the Shorts limit to three minutes last fall, and Instagram did the same for Reels in January. Length is not the deciding factor, however. Most of what works for local businesses runs under a minute.
For a small business, the advantage is that one video can be used everywhere. Film it once, then publish it on three or four platforms with a different caption. It is the closest remaining equivalent to free reach.
The content that performs best is rarely polished: a baker's hands shaping dough, the chef explaining the special in thirty seconds, the mechanic comparing a worn brake pad with a new one, the view from the dock on the first warm morning. People want to see the place and the person, and they immediately recognize the difference between that and an advertisement.
A few elements make a measurable difference:
- On-screen captions, since many people watch with the sound off.
- Something happening in the first two seconds, rather than a logo.
- Your face and your voice, at least some of the time. People buy from people.
- In Quebec, French first, with English captions if many of your customers are cottagers or tourists.
TikTok is a particular case in Canada. Last November, the federal government ordered TikTok to wind up its Canadian business operations, but the app itself remained available to users. For most local businesses in the Petite-Nation, it is not the main channel in any case; the local audience is on Facebook.
How often should a small business post?
Twice a week is enough. This is the point we consider most important, because the usual advice does not suit small businesses. "Post every day on every platform" leads people to burn out by the third week and disappear for six months, and an inactive page makes a worse impression than no page at all.
Two good posts a week are more effective than seven rushed ones. Here is a plan a one-person business can realistically maintain:
Monday: one useful or behind-the-scenes post
A photo or short video of the work: what is new, what is in season, what was repaired. Publish it on your page, then share it in the local group if the rules allow.
Thursday: one short vertical video
Thirty to sixty seconds, filmed on a phone, with captions added in the app, published as a Reel and a Short. Once the routine is established, it takes about ten minutes.
As opportunities arise: respond and engage
Reply to comments and messages within a day. Answer questions in the groups when you are genuinely the right person to do so. This takes a few minutes here and there and produces more results than the posts themselves.
Once a month: update your Google Business Profile
Add new photos, verify the hours, and publish a post about anything seasonal. It is not strictly social media, but it is where people check before driving over. With the fall colours over and snow approaching, this is a good week to confirm that your winter hours are correct.
That is the complete plan. With more time available, a third post can be added; without it, the plan remains sufficient. Consistency over several months matters more than volume in a single week. Meta's own free training for businesses covers the technical aspects well for those who wish to go further.
Where should social media posts lead?
To something the business owns. Social media works best as a door: a post generates interest, and people then need a place to land. That may be a website with your hours and menu, a booking system, or a simple monthly email newsletter for regular customers.
The reason is straightforward. Posts fade within a day, and platforms change their rules at their discretion; the news ban demonstrates how quickly this can affect an entire country. An email list and a website remain under the business's control.
In this region, the sale rarely happens in the post itself. It happens when someone drives over, which is why the address must be easy to find.