Are people shopping in person again? The answer is yes, and here is why small businesses should take notice.

Foot traffic is on the rise
Communities of all sizes are seeing customers return to stores, markets, and local vendors. After years of online shopping, people are craving real-life experiences and feel more confident when they shop in person.

Shoppers want experiences, not just products
Retailers offering pop-ups, demos, samples, or holiday-themed events are seeing higher engagement. Experiential shopping is a major draw. People want to browse, touch, try on, taste, and talk to staff.

Local shopping is growing
Consumers are actively choosing local businesses over big box stores. Personalized service, unique offerings, and community connection give small businesses a huge advantage.

Online frustrations are driving people in-store
Long shipping times, returns, sizing issues, and impersonal interactions push customers back to physical stores. Especially around the holidays, shoppers want to see and take home items immediately.

In-person builds trust
Face-to-face interactions create credibility and make customers more likely to buy. Personalized recommendations often lead to larger purchases.

Social media drives in-store visits
Trending products, Reels, and TikToks inspire people to visit local businesses. Online discovery and offline buying are working hand in hand.

Small businesses can take advantage

• Highlight in-store exclusives

• Share behind-the-scenes Reels

• Promote extended hours or holiday events

• Use Google Business Profile posts to show up in “near me” searches

• Post customer testimonials from in-store experiences

Let’s be real. Most of us post on social media to get more people in our store, make sales, or grow our reach. That is normal. Selling is part of running a business.

But posting just to sell is not what keeps people coming back. It is not what makes someone hit follow.

So what does? Giving value.

At SBS, we see the best way to grow your audience is by sharing tips, advice, or ideas that your followers actually care about. Give them a reason to come back and they will.

For example, if you run a boutique, think about posts like:

• Quick styling tips for holiday outfits

• How to keep your favorite fabrics looking fresh

• Fun ways to mix and match accessories

These posts do not just sell products. They give your audience something they can use. You become the boutique they trust and want to follow, not just another store trying to make a sale. That trust makes them more likely to shop with you too.

If you want to learn how to create posts that are fun, valuable, and still help grow your business, we can help.

Here is to creating content your followers actually love

December is one of the most important months of the year for small businesses. Between holiday shopping, end of year planning, and customers looking for quick solutions, your audience is paying closer attention than usual.

It’s a key moment to show up consistently, share helpful information, and stay top of mind as people make their final purchases and start thinking ahead to the new year. The right content can boost visibility, build trust, and set the tone for a strong start in January.

To make things easier, here are quick and effective content ideas you can use all month long.

1. Holiday Hours + Reminders

Share updated holiday hours (SUPER important), closures, shipping deadlines, or last-call reminders for services.

2. Gift Guide Posts

Quick lists of staff picks, best-sellers, and gifts under set price points.

3. Behind-the-Scenes

Show your holiday prep! Decorating, packaging, team traditions, or end of year tasks.

4. Customer Appreciation

Thank your customers, celebrate milestones, or highlight a client success story.

5. New Year Teasers

Share what's coming in January: new services, pricing updates, or sneak peeks. A fun idea could be sharing your New Years Resolution and having customers engage in the comments!

6. Helpful Tips

Short, value packed posts like year end checklists, productivity tips, or industry insights.

7. Seasonal Engagement Prompts

Easy posts that boost interaction: holiday drink polls, shopping progress, traditions, etc. Connection is everything!

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has confirmed that hashtags no longer drive distribution. Today, they are mainly used for sorting content, not for boosting visibility.

This shift means the algorithm now prioritizes behavior and interests. The system pushes content that people actually engage with. Engagement now outweighs keywords. Saves, shares, and watch time speak louder than hashtags.

Do hashtags still matter?
Yes, but their role has changed. Hashtags are most useful for:
✨ Niche discovery — connecting your content to smaller, interest-driven audiences who are actively searching.
✨ Content organization — creating categories or series so your posts are easier to find.
✨ Trend context — showing that you are part of a cultural conversation, without expecting a major reach boost.

What drives reach now?
Real growth comes from how your audience interacts with your posts. Focus your energy on:
✨ Saves and shares — these signal to the algorithm that your content is worth spreading.
✨ Search-friendly captions and keywords — write for how people search, not just how they scroll.
✨ Native Instagram tools — Reels, polls, carousels, and interactive stickers help your content perform better.
✨ Consistency — posting regularly builds recognition, trust, and long-term momentum.

Hashtags still have a purpose, but the key to growth in 2025 is meaningful engagement and providing value to your audience..

Today we celebrate the dreamers and doers, the people who turn ideas into businesses, take risks, and keep pushing forward even when it is hard.

At Silva Business Support, we love seeing our clients succeed. Every strategy session, every post, and every campaign is designed to help you reach the people who need you most. 💻✨

To mark the day, we treated our clients to coffee from Circle Coffee, a small way to say thank you for letting us be part of your journey. ☕️

We know entrepreneurship is not easy. Behind every win are lessons, late nights, and leaps of faith. Today, and every day, we are cheering for you. Keep showing up, keep chasing those goals, and know your hard work makes a difference.

Here is to all the entrepreneurs who inspire us every day! 🙌

We want to take a moment to thank all of our long-time clients and the new clients who put their trust in Silva Business Support this year.

We’ve welcomed over 15 new clients to the SBS family in 2025, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to support your business growth. 🫶

If you missed the chance to become a client this year, don’t worry! We will be taking new clients in 2026.

When 2026 booking opens, priority will be given to those who expressed interest first.

Thank you again for an amazing year. We can’t wait to see what 2026 brings!

If you’re staring at your content calendar wondering what to post this month, don’t worry. I’ve got a few ideas for you.

November is such a great month to connect with your audience. Between fall vibes, gratitude, and holiday prep, there’s plenty to talk about:

Want to learn more about how SBS can help your business thrive? Get our client packet with sample packages, pricing, a portfolio of our work, and an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the SBS family! Simply visit our website, fill out the contact form, and we’ll send it your way. 📩

SEO (how your website gets found on Google) is changing fast. Here are 5 simple ways to stay ahead in 2025:

1. AI Summaries

Search engines may show short AI answers right on the results page.

• Offer free guides or resources to capture leads

• Make buttons and forms clear so visitors know what to do

• Use AI tools to plan content and see what competitors are doing

2. Chat Interfaces

People are searching with AI chat instead of traditional searches.

• Make your site easy to navigate

• Keep content clear and helpful

• Help visitors find answers quickly

3. Pop-Ups & Engagement

Fewer clicks from search engines means keeping attention on your site is key.

• Use pop-ups or banners to collect emails or show offers

• Focus on keeping visitors on your pages longer

• Keep pop-ups helpful, not annoying

4. User-Generated Content

Search engines love real content from real people.

• Ask customers for reviews, photos, or videos

• Feature this content on your website or social media

• Boost trust and freshness of your site

5. Show Your Expertise

Search engines favor content from experts.

• Highlight credentials, experience, or awards

• Show work examples or case studies

• Share helpful tips, articles, or videos

Following these tips will help your website get found more often, build trust, and drive results in 2025.

Want to learn more about how SBS can help your business thrive? Get our client packet with sample packages, pricing, a portfolio of our work, and an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the SBS family! Simply visit our website, fill out the contact form, and we’ll send it your way. 📩

It’s been such an amazing year at Silva Business Support, and we are so grateful for all of our clients. Thanks to you, our books are filling up quickly, and we may not be taking any new clients for the rest of 2025.

At Silva Business Support, we help local businesses thrive online by providing:

• Social media management that keeps you visible and consistent

• On-site content creation that feels authentic and professional

• Targeted digital ads that attract the right customers

If you’ve been curious about working together, now’s the perfect time to get a quote and see if we’re a good fit.

We’d love to help you finish the year strong, so don’t wait too long.

Want to learn more about how SBS can help your business thrive? Get our client packet with sample packages, pricing, a portfolio of our work, and an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the SBS family! Simply visit our website, fill out the contact form, and we’ll send it your way. 📩

Not sure what to post this month? I put together some trending ideas, national holidays, and easy content prompts to help you plan out October without overthinking it.

📈 Trends to Try

• Spooky Season → Halloween vibes are everywhere right now. Try a before and after reel that flips from normal to spooky.

• I know ball → Use the song Plug Walk by Rich The Kid to show off your expertise in a fun way.

• “a little treat” → You can find this sound on TikTok by Courtney Halverson. It’s perfect if you own a boutique, ice cream shop or anything where someone would want to swing by and get a treat!

📅 October Holidays

• Oct 4: National Taco Day 🌮 Run a poll asking “soft shell or crunchy?”

• Oct 10: World Mental Health Day 💚 Post a reminder about self-care.

• Oct 16: National Boss’s Day 👩💼 Show some love to your owner or manager.

• Oct 31: Halloween 🎃 Costumes, decorations, or spooky specials always win.

💡 Post Ideas for October

1. This or That: Pumpkin spice vs. caramel apple. Post it as a poll.

2. Behind the Scenes: Show how your team is getting into the fall spirit.

3. Customer Spotlight: Feature a customer with their favorite fall pick.

4. Seasonal Tip: Share something useful that ties back to your business.

5. Engagement Post: Ask “October isn’t complete without ____.”

Save this guide so you have it handy when you’re scheduling posts. And if you want help turning these ideas into actual content, reach out! We would love to work with you.

Want to learn more about how SBS can help your business thrive? Get our client packet with sample packages, pricing, a portfolio of our work, and an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the SBS family! Simply visit our website, fill out the contact form, and we’ll send it your way. 📩

Let’s talk about something that often gets overlooked: your social media bio.

Your bio is prime real estate. It’s basically your business’s billboard sitting at the top of your profile, and every person who visits sees it before they see anything else. In other words, it’s free ad space and it should be working just as hard as you are.

Think about it:
✨ Your bio tells people who you are in seconds.
✨ Your link directs them to what matters most, whether that’s your shop, newsletter, booking page, or your latest drop.
✨ Your call-to-action is the thing that moves a casual scroller into an actual customer, client, or fan.

The goal? When your dream audience lands on your profile, they should read your bio and think, “Oh, that’s me. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

Too many brands treat their bio like an afterthought, but the truth is, those few lines are powerful. They can grow your list, drive sales, and create instant connection if you use them right.

And here’s the good news: when you work with Silva Business Support, a full social media audit, including a deep dive into your bio, is included in every social media package. That way, you’re not guessing if your bio is working, you know it is.

Your bio may be small, but it’s mighty. Give it the attention it deserves and watch how it changes the way your audience interacts with your business.

At Silva Business Support, we’ve been spending a lot of time with Google Search Ads lately and honestly, we’re kind of obsessed. Here’s why they’ve been such a game-changer for our clients:

• Reach people who are ready to buy – Search ads put you in front of people actively looking for what you offer. This isn’t just a random scroll through social media, it’s real people ready to click and buy.

• Track everything – Every click, impression, and conversion is measurable, so you always know what’s working and what needs tweaking.

• Flexible budgets – Whether you’re just starting out or ready to scale, Google Ads can work with almost any budget. You’re in control of how much you spend and where it goes.

• Instant visibility – Organic marketing takes time, but search ads get your business seen right away, which is perfect if you have something new to promote.

We’ve been loving the results so far and it’s so fun to see our clients show up exactly where their customers are looking.

Want to see if Google Search Ads could work for your business? Let’s chat!

If you have ever thought, “social media would be nice but it is not really necessary for my business,” it is time to shift that mindset. In 2025, social media is no longer just about fun posts or pretty graphics. It is one of the strongest ways to get in front of new customers, build trust with your audience, and keep your business relevant.

If you are not showing up consistently online, you are leaving opportunities (and sales) on the table. Here is why social media is a must-have, not a nice-to-have.

1. Social boosts your SEO
People are searching for businesses on Instagram and TikTok just as often as they are on Google. When your content shows up, you are easier to find and easier to trust.

2. Real-time updates keep people in the loop
Websites are important, but they are not always updated daily. Social media lets you show what is happening right now, whether it is a new launch, an event, or just a behind-the-scenes peek at your day.

3. Organic marketing that works
You do not need a big ad budget to grow. Social media gives you a cost-effective way to market your business every single day. Consistency adds up and keeps you visible even when you are not running ads.

4. Builds trust and connection
People want to do business with brands they feel connected to. Social media gives your business a voice and helps potential customers get to know you before they buy. That trust can make all the difference when they are choosing who to work with.

5. Impressions matter more than ever
Your online presence is often someone’s first impression of your business. A strong social media presence makes you look professional, approachable, and memorable from the start.

Why this matters for you:

Keeping up with all of this is a lot, especially when you are already busy running your business. That is where we come in. We make sure your content is fresh, engaging, and original so your business can stand out online without you burning out.

✨ Ready to treat social like the growth tool it really is? Let’s talk.

Facebook just announced new penalties for unoriginal or AI-generated content. That means if you’re reposting trends without adding your own take, or leaning too heavily on AI, your reach could take a hit.

Here’s what Facebook wants to see:

Original thoughts and perspective

Content that teaches, entertains, or adds value

Fresh spins on trends instead of copy-paste versions

Why this matters

It’s easy to fall into the trap of letting AI create everything or recycling what’s already out there. But the platforms are making it clear. Authentic, original content is what gets rewarded.

That’s where SBS comes in. We create content that’s original, engaging, and on-brand so you don’t have to worry about the algorithm or waste time on strategies that don’t work.

The bottom line

Originality wins. If you want to stay ahead of these changes without adding more to your plate, we’ll handle it for you.

Want to learn more about how SBS can help your business thrive? Get our client packet with sample packages, pricing, a portfolio of our work, and an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the SBS family! Simply visit our website, fill out the contact form, and we’ll send it your way. 📩

Labor Day is all about taking a break from the grind, but if you’re a small business owner, you know it’s hard to actually step away. That’s where Silva Business Support comes in. When you work with us, you can finally take those days off (yes, even Labor Day!) knowing your content and marketing are handled.

But until then, here are some fun trends and September content ideas to help you work a little less and still show up online this month. ✨

Trends We’re Loving Right Now

Photo Dumps – Share behind-the-scenes snapshots or highlights. Effortless and engaging.

Interactive Stories – Polls, quizzes, and “this or that” stickers boost engagement with minimal effort.

“I Got a Text” Trend – From Love Island, this dramatic TikTok moment works for announcing exciting updates: “Your [Business] order is on the way!” or “You’ve unlocked a discount!”

Sabrina Carpenter “Oh Boy” – A fun, simple trend perfect for a Reel or TikTok. Add text on your screen that relates to your business, then lip-sync the “oh boy” part. How to use it: Make it relatable or playful. Example for a t-shirt company: “When someone says they can just DIY it.” Small business owners can adapt it to any scenario that resonates with their audience—complaints, funny moments, or surprises.

Fun (Soma Remix) – This one’s playful and easy to recreate. The setup is pretending to cry or look upset, and then on the snap part of the beat, you switch your expression to a smile, wink, or silly face to reveal the good news. How to use it: Use the sad-to-happy switch to build excitement for your business. Example: A clothing boutique could have text saying “Summer is almost over” during the sad part, then switch to “Fall clothing drop coming soon” on the snap. A great way to announce new launches, sales, or events!

September Holidays & Content Ideas

• Sept. 1 – Labor Day → Share a “we’re working less today” post, a staff appreciation highlight, or encourage followers to unplug.

• Sept. 5 – Cheese Pizza Day → Own a pizza place? Have a special discount on your cheese pizzas!

• Sept. 8 – Grandparents Day → Perfect for family-focused or nostalgic content. Share a story, quote, or photo.

• Sept. 11 – Patriot Day → A moment of remembrance. A simple graphic or statement works best.

• Sept. 22 – First Day of Fall → Seasonal launch? New fall menu? Cozy vibes? This one is big for engagement.

• Sept. 29 - National Coffee Day → Always a crowd favorite—tie it into your brand, even if just with a “cheers!” post.

Need some more ideas? Check out NATIONALTODAY.COM to see some other fun holidays happening. It’s a super simple way to make a quick post.