Six ways to make your business stand out on social media

You’ve put the time and effort into creating your social media accounts and encouraging people to follow you. What can you do now to build that following and show potential customers why they should hire you?

Here are our top tips to help your business stand out from your competitors on social media.

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1. Post before-and-after pictures of your work

Ever heard of the ‘show, don’t tell’ technique? It’s more effective to show people evidence of your skills, rather than just telling them you’re talented.

Posting before-and-after pictures of your work is an easy way to show customers what you can do.

You don’t need to be David Bailey – just take a few snaps on your mobile phone. Make sure that:

• the shots are in focus
• the lighting is good (natural light is best, if possible)
• you avoid being caught in the reflection from any glass or mirrors.

2. Use a personal touch

As long as you remain professional, it’s a good idea to show your human side to your customers, as it’s more engaging and can increase trust.

You can do this by:

• sharing pictures of you or your team at work
• using words such as ‘I’ and ‘we’ when talking about your business
• posting about events that aren’t directly related to work, such as celebrating a team member’s birthday or introducing a company mascot.

3. Interact with your customers

Social media shouldn’t just be a one-way conversation. Take the time to respond to any comments or questions from potential or past customers.

If it’s a complex question, you can set up a time for the customer to call you to discuss it properly.

Don’t be tempted to just ignore negative comments or respond angrily. Read our guidance on how to deal with negative feedback on social media to help you handle the situation.

4. Run competitions

Holding a giveaway can help you to connect with your customers. All you have to do is offer a prize; ask people to like, comment on or share your post to enter; then pick a winner.

Make sure you also follow the rules set down by the networks you’re using (read Twitter’s competition rules, Facebook’s rules and Instagram’s rules).

5. Grab attention with a question

Starting your post with a question can help to catch your customers’ attention. You can use this technique to directly advertise your services, for example: ‘When was the last time you had your boiler serviced?’

Or you can use it more subtly, for example by posting pictures of different projects you’ve worked on and asking customers which is their favourite.

Just make sure you use this technique in moderation. If you start every single post with a question, it will soon get tired.

6. Use the Trusted Traders logo on your social media

Using our logo on your social media account can help you to stand out from your competitors. Some traders have added it to their banner images. Others like to share images of the logo on their work vans or their workwear.

You can also get involved in the Trusted Traders social media community by using the hashtag #WhichTOTM, commenting on our posts and sending photos for us to share.

Visit our X and Facebook accounts to see how traders are getting involved in our community and the creative ways they’re using the logo in their businesses.

Want the right to use our logo on your social media accounts, company vehicles, uniforms and more? Find out how you can join Which? Trusted Traders.