This article is in our blog post series, Social Media for Landscapers, featuring tips on how you can take advantage of social media for your business.

Now that you’ve created your social media accounts, you might be thinking, “What do I post?” One of the best ways to start is to post information that has value to your clients. Try these tips to get started:

Be yourself.

Think about what you tell your clients on a visit or over the phone, and post that. Answers to commonly-asked questions, any specials you’re offering, and your favorite designs make great content.

Post a variety of content and information.

• Services you offer, and photos of completed projects
• Articles and interesting links
• Helpful videos (from Ewing and vendors, or create your own!)
• Association news from associations you’re involved with
• Tips and advice
• Seasonal information

Keep it short and fun.

Use small nuggets of information, humor, commentary or inspiration. Keep it fairly short, so it’s easier for you to create and for your customers to read.

Encourage them to take action.

Visit your website, call for a quote, post a questions, share a post for a chance to win (a free consultation, perhaps!), etc.

Showcase your work with photos.

Make sure most (if not all) of your posts on Facebook have a photo. You don’t need a fancy camera or editing software—your smartphone will work!

Post responsibly.

Keep your messages positive, productive, and respectful toward your clients. When posting a photo of someone’s property, make sure you don’t post identifying information or addresses. It’s a good idea to get permission to use photos of the project up front in your contractor installation agreement.

Respect copyrights. Use your own words/images, or make sure you have documented permission to use something and give proper credit.

Look it over before you post.

Before you hit post, check your spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar. Facebook will allow you to edit a post after you publish it, but most other sites do not.

Keep an eye out for future tips on using social media to promote your business. Have a question? Post it in the comments!