Program on the Environment

Social media is a valuable marketing tool for small businesses that has the potential to amplify their reach, foster community connections, and ultimately drive growth and sales. However, barriers such as limited resources, time constraints, and lack of knowledge often prevent companies from effectively harnessing its power. This study addresses the challenges faced by small businesses in establishing a successful social media presence by identifying key barriers and proposing a practical blueprint for overcoming them. I conducted a literature review to explore the most common barriers to social media integration as well as the strategies used to overcome them. Using this information, I developed and implemented a new social media strategy for Whidbey Island Grown, a local food cooperative. I began by analyzing our follower demographics to create a target audience profile. Backed by data-driven insights, I shifted our content strategy from primarily promotional material to engaging, story-driven content. This included food-related posts like recipe videos, freshly harvested produce, and behind-the-scenes footage from our packing facilities. Finally, to increase our flow of content, I implemented a user-generated content (UGC) schedule. This encourages producers and consumers to contribute content showcasing their stories and products. After the strategy shift, our analytics showed that engagement had increased across all categories including follower growth, likes, comments, shares, and profile clicks. This blueprint serves as a roadmap for other small businesses, especially sustainable ones, that want to encourage people to support and adopt eco-friendly practices.