In a rut when it comes to knowing what to post on Facebook? Frustrated because you can't get in front of your fans?
Trust me, you aren’t alone!
Updated: April 26, 2021
This post will give you ideas that will generate lots of likes, shares and, comments, as well as increasing click throughs to your website.
Here are 17 Killer Facebook Post Ideas for Small Business Owners That are Working NOW:
1. Pose a Problem and Ask for Advice
This type of Facebook post idea is great on a number of different levels.
First, people LOVE to answer questions and to help solve problems.
Above all, if you ask a question that may also help THEM with a problem, they’ll be grateful for the help!
Some ideas include:
- What would you do if…
- One of our readers has a question. Can you help?
- I need to make a decision and am looking for your feedback…
- What advice would you offer to a person who is struggling with…
Bonus tip: Take the responses you’ve gotten and turn them into a blog post. This will give you new ideas for your content, and also give you something else to share with your Facebook audience!
Take the responses you’ve gotten and turn them into a blog post. This will give you new ideas for your content, and also give you something else to share with your Facebook audience! #KillerPostIdeasClick To Tweet2. A Contest Post
Who doesn’t love a good contest?
There are a ton of great contest apps out there that you can use to run your contest AND grab emails to add to your list as well! There’s nothing like a good twofer, right?
Currently, I use Gleam.io and have had great success when using their app to run my contests, promotions and special offers.
In addition, there are also other apps available like ShortStack, and Wishpond. You can also run Facebook contests directly on your fan page.
Some contest ideas for you:
- Comment to win – Ask your fans to answer a question in order to enter
- Submit a photo contest – Best photo wins!
- Fan of the week contest – Ask your fans to submit a photo or video and then choose one to be your FOTW
Looking for more contest ideas? Check out my post, 17 Killer Facebook Contest Ideas.
3. Relatable Posts
You may have heard of some changes that are coming to your Facebook feed…changes that will impact what businesses should be sharing on their pages. Facebook has said that posts that “spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people” will get greater exposure in the newsfeed.
There is no better way to do this than with content that your fans can actually relate to. This type of content gives your brand a human aspect and boosts the know, like and trust factor.
Some ideas for relatable Facebook posts include:
- Behind the scenes of a work from home office set-up
- How you are balancing (or not) work and all the household chores you have to do
- The true struggles of parents with toddlers at home
- Your frustrations when something does not work out.
4. Create a Poll or Host a Q&A
Polls and hosted Q&As are great not only for generating discussion but for gaining valuable insight from your audience.
Unfortunately, creating a native poll on Facebook is now a Facebook Group only feature. If you want to create a poll on your Facebook business page, you will need to use an app like Simple Poll to publish engaging polls on your Facebook Page. This short video tutorial will show you how you can get started in a few simple steps.
Alternatively, you can host a simple Q&A on your business page which can get people engaged in much the the same way a poll does.
Creating Q&As on Facebook has never been easier. Simply go to the posting box on your page and select the red question mark in the chat bubble to host a Q&A. Enter the question you want to ask people, click next and add your post copy and hit the post button. Voila! You're now hosting a Q&A on Facebook!
Some ideas for polls or questions include:
- What is your biggest challenge?
- What products would you like to see us offer?
- Which strategy has worked best for you when it comes to ________?
- What are your favorite tools or products to help with _________?
- What is the #1 issue you’re currently struggling with?
Bonus strategy: If your poll or Q&A collected data that would be interesting to your audience, share the results in a separate Facebook post. You can even use the Q&A or poll results as an opt-in freebie! Just sayin'!
5. Create and Share Events
Particularly in the case of local businesses, Facebook recommends creating events as a way to elicit engagement and get more visibility in the Newsfeed.
Often these will be live, local events like a sale, conference or store opening. However, you could also create Facebook Events for online events like:
- Webinars
- Live Q&A’s
- An online sale
- A virtual launch party
6. Live Videos
Another Facebook post idea that will get your fans talking – and therefore bump up your exposure in the Newsfeed – is sharing live videos.
In fact, according to Facebook, live videos get an average of 6x as many interactions as regular videos!
Some ideas for your Lives:
- Product demos or tutorials
- Behind the scenes footage
- A contest or giveaway
- A product launch
For more advice on using Facebook Live for your business, check out these posts:
Top 22 Ways to Use Facebook Live to Market Your Business
7. Tell Stories
Stories have a way of cutting through the noise and making an impact on people. They also have a way of getting seen in the Newsfeed!
With so many businesses flooding Facebook with boring, promotional content, stories related to your life, family or business are sure to be appreciated.
Some ideas for stories you can share include:
- How and why you got started in your business
- How a certain product helped you overcome a problem
- Personal anecdotes to increase your “know, like, trust” factor
- How someone else (a real OR fictitious person) achieved success in their life or business
 For more on the hows and whys of using stories in your business, check out my post, 5 Reasons Storytelling is a Must for Marketers.
8. Share Inspirational Images
If you follow me on Facebook, you know this is a strategy I use almost every single day!
There is so much negativity in the world (and on Facebook); however, I choose to encourage and inspire my fans by posting inspirational or motivational quotes and images instead.
This works with every client we have ever had, by the way!
Fortunately, you don’t need a designer or tons of money to create eye-catching images you can use. Some of my favorite tools for creating social media images are Canva and Easil. For more tips and tricks for creating stunning graphics, check out these posts: How to Create Amazing Graphics with Phone Apps and The Secret to Great Facebook Graphics.
9. Follow Friday
Give your fans the opportunity to share a link to their website, group or Facebook page; not only do they get the chance to showcase their business or products, but they can meet new people and make new connections.
This is also a great strategy for getting interactions on your post…which means an increase in Newsfeed visibility!
10. Fill in the Blank
I’m not exactly sure what it is about filling in the blank posts, but people just love them!
You can rephrase just about any question as a fill in the blank, and they often receive more engagement than basic questions.
Some examples I’ve seen recently include:
- “I’m so close to succeeding…if only I could just ________________”
- “The biggest thing holding me back right now is _______________”
- “Happiness is ______________”
- “If I were granted three wishes today, I would wish for ____________”
Test one of this Facebook post ideas out for yourself!
11. Blog Posts…With Context
I see many business owners simply posting links to their blog posts, without including any additional context.
When sharing a blog post, be sure to include a description or short excerpt from the post so your fans know what to expect when they click on the link.
When sharing a blog post, be sure to include a description or short excerpt from the post so your fans know what to expect when they click on the link. #KillerPostIdeasClick To TweetIn other words, you could even include a personal story (either yourself or a reader’s) about your own struggles with the issue discussed in the blog post…and how you overcame it!
12. “Comment to Receive” Posts
This is a strategy I often use when I have something I want to promote or give away for free on Facebook.
Instead of simply linking to a particular product, landing page or offer, ask your audience to comment with a particular word or phrase in order to get it.
For instance, in the post above, I asked my audience to respond with “Chatbot” if they wanted more information.
Not only does this mean more comments (and therefore more visibility in the Newsfeed), it means I can connect on a more personal level with my audience through Facebook Messenger!
13. “Quick Win” Videos
A great way to build trust and credibility is to share “quick wins” with your audience. These are simply very practical, proven tips – in this case, by video – for achieving a particular goal or overcoming a certain issue.
Some examples could be:
- 3 things you can do today to improve your relationship
- The #1 tool you can download today to increase your followers
- The one simple trick you can use to close more sales
14. Share a Picture of Your Business, Employees or Office
Sharing a photo of your workspace, your employees or even your customers (with their permission, of course) makes your business so much more relatable! Knowing there are real people behind your brand is a Facebook post idea that will go a long way to building trust and relationships.
Likewise, people also LOVE to see behind the scenes stuff – so bring your camera to your next staff meeting, lunch or event!
15. Get Personal
Another one of my Facebook post ideas is where you, as a small business owner, have an inherent advantage over big brands.
Don’t be afraid to post a personal photo or story from time to time to differentiate yourself from the big brands your fans also follow.
Some ideas to show your personal side could include:
- A photo from a recent holiday
- A funny story about your kids or pet
- A strange/embarrassing/interesting encounter you had
- Seasonal photos or videos (e.g., photos from a Christmas party)
16. LIVE Q&A’s
Live video is ideal for holding question and answer periods on Facebook – but you can also hold Q&A’s via a text-based post.
Ask your audience to hit you up with their most pressing questions, then set aside half an hour to an hour to respond.
These Q&A sessions are great for providing value, for building trust, and for getting exposure in your fans’ feeds!
17. A Challenge
A challenge can be a great way to bring your fans together, get them engaged, and help them feel less alone.
Post a simple challenge – something strategic they can do to solve a problem or overcome a hurdle.
Some ideas could be:
- 7 days to a more organized house: Post one tip a day
- 5 days to tighter abs: Post a daily video sharing your best core exercises
- Gain 100 fans: Give actionable tips for increasing your fans’ Facebook audience
- Build a business plan in a week: Post a one-page template each day to get your fans’ businesses up and running in 7 days
Want to try out a challenge but aren’t sure where to start? Check out my blog post, How to Prepare, Plan and Launch a 7 Day Challenge.
To sum up, these are some of my best tips…17 killer Facebook post ideas any business owner can use. I hope you picked up some tips that you can use for your own business!
I would love to know what types of Facebook posts you find work best for your business? Share your best ideas in the comments below!
About Author
Love that you got some value from it, Karen! Thanks for dropping in!
Always love looking at new ideas 🙂
The easiest way is to use https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Thanks for the great reminders, Kim. I’m not finding that poll page, I get a “page not found” message.
Love the SKYPE pampering idea!
http://www.facebook.com/poll
The general rule of thumb is the easier it is to participate the greater participation you will get. Keep it simple!
Try this link…https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Great tips Kim! I definitely agree with the inspirational messages and I find that short motivational podcasts also work well.
YES! Love that personal connection part too. I think this is going to give marketers a big boost with Facebook really embracing video in 2015. Keep it up :-)!
Kim, Great list and one I will be sure to pass along to all my clients and will be looking to incorporate some of them into my own use.
Glad you picked up some tips, Harold 🙂
Try a few of these and see if they work for you 🙂
Let me know how the idea works for you audience, Ben?
What type of poll are you thinking of hosting, Heather? Inquiring minds 🙂
Glad they are helpful for you, Stephanie! 🙂
Woohoo! Love that you picked up a few things that you can implement in your business, Ed 🙂
It could be as simple as Peanut butter and ________________?
Betsy, love hearing you are not giving up just digging in! I think those that dig in will win in the end 🙂
As for polls, you can actually just go to https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf Easy!
What link doesn’t work?
JoAnn, try this link https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
I love your story, Sonja! Huge jump in your reach! Love that 🙂
Hi Kim, I find as soon as I post a photo with wording on it, Facebook treats it as a meme and gives it no reach. So, that cuts out inspirational posts.
Hmmm…I do this each and every day and get tons of reach. Where are you getting the photos you are using?
Great post Kim! I have already shared this with a few of my clients who have struggled in the past curating new and fresh content!
Thank you and thank you for sharing :-)!!
You’re Kim Garst… Most of us are no names.
I was Kim Garst when I started and no one knew who I was. My best advice is to dig in and do the work.
I do, yes 🙂
Try http://www.facebook.com/polls 🙂
Kim, the link that you keep referring people to for facebook polls is no longer available.
https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Robbie, in my opinion, the reason people responded was because what happened to you was RELATABLE to them. This is the key to consistently good content that people love by the way! You have to create and/or share content that people can relate to!
Glad to hear this, Ridwan!
It’s a plugin called Comment Luv, Diana 🙂
Glad you picked up a few to run with 🙂
Thanks Kim, I had a friend forward this to me, and now I can’t wait to share it with clients who are content challenged. This should be a big help.
Glad to hear it was of help to you 🙂
My advice is based on my own experience and testing with multiple clients. Every ‘expert’ has their own experiences that they draw from to make recommendations. The key is to TEST everything yourself for your own audience.
Try this, Kathleen…
https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Try this, Deby:
https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Betsy, try https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/?fb_source=search&ref=br_tf
Awesome!
I hear ya on the cheated part, Joanna but it is what is is and we just have to find strategic ways to get around the changes.
I own a pest control company. I would like help with daily posting. Nothing heavy or serious. e.i. Did you know tidbits, bug jokes.
Great tips Kim, much appreciated. I also find that posting 3, 4 and sometimes even more times a day has a positive effect on my reach and engagement. As you say though, this needs to be tested for each individual. Some pages tend to lose fans when they post multiple times through the day. Cheers, Ian
Hi, Kim, This is very useful for me. Thanks for your sharing. Have a nice day!
Yes, if you target your audience well and with something that would be an attractive offer for them, I think they can work for anyone.
I think it depends on how you structure your contest, Gil. I absolutely believe that you could host a contest that would be of interest to another business within your niche.
Nesha, sending you a private email.
thank you!
I wouldn’t have included it if I thought it was against TOS terms 🙂
Great information Kim! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks!
Hey Kim, You shared some great ideas. The one that sticks out the most is the personal post. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Wow!! Some great ideas here! Running contests have been our number one bestseller on Facebook. For some reason, people love to win things. Ha! Very cool post!!
Not expensive at all! I use a web tool called Canva to create all my graphics. They have a free version but if you pay $12.95 a month then you can get the Canva for Work option with amazing features like a one-click magic resize and so much more. It’s an incredible tool!
WOOHOO! So happy to provide relevant value to you. 🙂 That’s one of the biggest compliments you could give so thank you!
Great to hear that you are resonating with your audience!
Thanks, Moshe. Glad you dropped in.
Hi… These are really very nice ideas. I have started working on the same too. Thanks.
thanks for some really wonderful points in this article, I am going to use some of it for my business.
Very good tips I use some of them already just want to say thank you.
Nice article.. thank you very much for spending the time to write this post.
Nice Post.
Great write-up, thanks for an insightful article Kim you have listed all the useful points to make the page engaging and successful. Getting yourself to differentiate from millions of others is the hard part.
All the information are awesome. Im happy I visited your site.