Unfortunately, there are fewer independent grocery stores than there used to be. Rising prices are making it harder to compete with bigger corporate chains. Yet, every day, thousands of small businesses are still beating the odds to survive and thrive.
So, what makes small grocery stores stand out and build a loyal customer base? The answer is simple: personality. Customers are more likely to shop at small businesses that feel like a friendly and essential part of the community, not just another store.
An online presence is essential for building a local brand. Social media is an invaluable tool for grocery stores to share their unique story, connect with more customers, and build a long-lasting brand.
When you hear about connected and digital experiences, you might think they only apply to software companies, apps, and other online businesses.
That’s simply not true. The vast majority (over 95%) of customers find local businesses by searching online, and just under half of all Google searches are for local information.
While optimizing your website for search engines and updating your Google Business Profile is great for showing up in local searches, those methods alone aren’t enough to spark curiosity in your store or build brand loyalty. That’s where social media comes in.
With millions of active users, social media is an excellent way for small businesses to connect directly with new customers. Regularly posting on social media for grocery stores has many benefits:
- Showcases your values and tells your story
- Puts faces and names to your business so customers feel invested
- Highlights your local connections and unique products
- Gives you a chance to engage directly with your customers
- Lets you publicize events and promotions
- Builds trust with your community
Think of it this way: To compete with a big chain grocery store, you can’t play the game using their rules. Corporations have huge marketing departments and resources you simply don’t have. Instead, social media allows you to be honest and personable in ways they can’t.
Not sure where to start when it comes to social media for grocery stores? Start simple. Ask your staff for ideas or use the data on your point of sale (POS) system to see what your most popular products are — these can lay the foundation for your first posts.
For more specific recommendations, read on!
1. Choose the Right Platform
There are many social media platforms out there, and some will be a better fit for your grocery store than others.
- Instagram: Instagram’s active users are younger, but it’s popular with many people. It lets you post images and video content, making it a great fit for most grocery stores.
- Facebook: Facebook is losing steam among younger users, but still has the most active users of any platform and is popular for local groups and stores.
- TikTok: TikTok focuses on short video content, and its audience is younger (the majority are under 40).
- YouTube: the biggest platform for watching long and short video content is YouTube. Businesses often use it in conjunction with other social platforms.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a platform business professionals use to network and promote. Generally speaking, LinkedIn isn’t the best fit for grocery stores looking to find an audience.
Instagram and Facebook are good starting points for most grocery stores looking to wade into social media.
2. Create a Business Profile
Once you decide where to post, it’s time to create a profile for your business. Don’t post from your personal account!
Not only is mixing business and personal accounts generally a bad idea, but algorithms will also treat them differently. When you create your business profile, remember to:
- Include your contact information and location
- Feature your logo or storefront as your profile picture
- Link to your website and/or newsletter
- Write a succinct bulleted description or a sentence of who you are
Additionally, as your social media presence grows, you can use the business-specific tools on social media for ads and other paid grocery store promotions.
3. Get Inspired by Other Businesses
Most of us have browsed social media or posted occasionally, but posting as a business is a different ballgame. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, look around for inspiration.
Look at other local businesses and small groceries with large numbers of followers. Look at companies in your area and around the country. Look at their posts to see what topics they post about and how often they post.
Also, similar to what we mentioned above, see where grocery stores are posting. What platforms are they using and do they post more on one than the other?
4. Post Regularly (& Schedule Posts in Advance)
How often should a grocery store post on social media? That depends, but generally speaking, aim to post 2-3 times per week minimum.
Regularly posting helps you show up higher in search results or pop up in people’s algorithms more often.
However, finding the time to post when you’re busy running your grocery store is hard. Instead, schedule your posts in advance. Free services like Buffer or Hootsuite let you schedule dozens of posts for multiple accounts.
That way, you can spend an hour or two a week instead of letting it disrupt your day. With a mix of scheduled content and spontaneous posts, you’ll be posting regularly in no time.
5. Don’t Only Post Products
Just because you’re posting for your business doesn’t mean your account should be all business. That isn’t to say highlighting new products or promotions is a bad thing — but to really set yourself apart, use social media to put a human (or animal) face to your business.
In addition to more traditional grocery store marketing content, post things like:
- Staff birthdays and appreciation posts
- Recipes and cooking ideas
- Cute pics of your employees’ dogs or cats
- Local issues you care about
- Your story and values
Remember, marketing isn’t just there to drum up business; it’s there to build trust with customers and tell your story. So, don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun with your posts.
6. …But Make Sure To Spotlight Unique Items and Deals
It might seem like we’re contradicting the point we just made, but we want to emphasize how important it is to balance fun and business in your social media marketing.
Use social media to give your store a personality and share new products and special promotions that customers can’t find anywhere else. That said, you should still write posts about products and promotions with the same gusto and personality as you would any other post.
Social media is a great way to show off what’s unique about your offerings, including:
- New product arrivals
- Short-term sales
- Fresh produce and meat
- Upcoming store events or promotions
- Weekly discounts
- Customer loyalty benefits
A few mouth-watering photos might just be enough to entice an old customer back or bring in a new customer for the first time.
7. Highlight Your Local Connections
Many people who shop at a small grocery store aren’t doing it because it’s more convenient than bigger competitors but because they’re choosing to support local businesses.
Also, local grocery stores often have unique relationships with other local food suppliers and businesses. Use your social media to put those connections front and center. Post your favorite local products, selfies with other local business owners, and other posts that show your commitment to the local business community.
Related Read: Opening a Grocery Store in a Small Town: Is It Profitable?
8. Plug Into Community Events and Holidays
The best grocery stores know when the big college and high school games are, when the international holidays are celebrated in the area, when school is out, and everything else.
In other words, a local grocery store is a member of the community, and your posts should reflect this. Celebrate local events along with your neighborhood while highlighting any special products you have to be part of the celebration.
If you own an international grocery or market, share your unique cultural traditions in fun educational posts.
Holidays are another chance to let your social media presence shine. Share unique holiday traditions while promoting upcoming sales or in-store events.
9. Respond to Customers and Solicit Feedback
One of the reasons social media is such an effective marketing tool is because it’s interactive. Unlike a print ad, a social media post has the potential to start a conversation.
Not only that, but many customers prefer using social media to ask questions or bring up customer service issues. So don’t just make posts and forget them.
Regularly check in with social media posts to see what people say and respond. If a happy customer features you in a post, share it on your feed. If customers leave comments or ask questions, take time to respond. It’s a great (and free) way to get opinions about what people like (and don’t like) about your store.
Or, like the post below, you can use social media to solicit customer feedback directly. Host polls or ask questions about products people want to see more of.
Spend Less Time on Manual Tasks and More Time on Customers With IT Retail
Creating social media for grocery stores is an excellent way to build brand identity, build trust with customers, and drive sales. However, many store owners read these recommendations and immediately think, “Where will I find the time to actually do all of this?”
Unfortunately, many small grocery stores still rely on manual processes for ringing up customers, receiving invoices, and tracking inventory, leaving little time for developing a marketing strategy or connecting with customers.
That’s why industry-specific tools like IT Retail are so important for independent grocers. IT Retail simplifies grocery store operations with built-in tools for automated invoicing, employee management, inventory tracking, and more.
With the right tools, you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more time on what really matters: your customers.
Schedule a custom demo today to see how IT Retail can free up time at your grocery store.
