What should your business post? 15 useful local update ideas

The hardest part of business social media is often not writing the post. It is deciding what is worth saying. The answer is usually closer than it seems: share information that helps a customer choose, prepare, participate or feel connected.

Find What's On lets a business publish local updates and attach a relevant event. The strongest updates are specific, timely and useful even before someone clicks.

Use this simple post formula

A reliable business update has three parts:

1. What changed or matters now?
2. Why is that useful to this audience?
3. What is the next sensible action?

For example: "Extra places have opened in Saturday's beginner pottery class. All materials are included, so it suits first-timers. View the session details and reserve a place."

15 updates your business can publish

1. Announce a new event. Lead with the experience, intended audience and confirmed date.
2. Answer one common question. Explain parking, accessibility, inclusions, age suitability, wait times or what to bring.
3. Share an availability update. Say when bookings close, when a session fills or when an extra date is added. Keep urgency factual.
4. Introduce the person behind the experience. Feature a host, maker, performer, instructor or volunteer and explain their role.
5. Show preparation. A thoughtful behind-the-scenes detail can make the quality and effort visible.
6. Explain what is included. Customers should know what a ticket, booking, package or visit covers.
7. Give a weather update. Confirm that the event is proceeding, moving indoors, changing time or activating a wet-weather plan.
8. Recommend a good time to visit. Help families, shift workers, quiet-hour visitors or groups choose well.
9. Share a new opening or seasonal change. Update hours, menus, tours, programmes or services and include the effective date.
10. Invite participation. Ask for a local recommendation, question or preference that will genuinely inform what you do.
11. Celebrate a partner. Introduce a local supplier, neighbouring venue or community group and describe the connection.
12. Correct a misconception. If people regularly assume bookings are required, children cannot attend or the venue is hard to access, clarify it.
13. Share a small practical tip. Help customers get more from the activity, area or event.
14. Thank the community. Be specific about what happened and who contributed instead of posting a generic thank-you.
15. Tell people what comes next. After an event, point to the next date, related activity or way to follow your business.

Match the post to the right destination

Attach an event when the update relates to a specific date or session. Link to your business profile when the message is about ongoing services or general information. If the full details live elsewhere, link directly to the most relevant page rather than your homepage.

Make local posts feel local

Useful location detail is better than adding a suburb name to every sentence. Mention the venue, nearby landmark, local partner, road closure, school-holiday timing or community need when it genuinely helps.

Avoid pretending a broad sales message is community news. Local audiences recognise the difference.

What not to post

• the same advertisement copied repeatedly;
• unconfirmed dates, prices or promises;
• artwork containing all the important information in tiny text;
• false scarcity or exaggerated claims;
• customer photos or testimonials without permission; or
• a teaser that withholds basic facts purely to generate comments.

A sustainable rhythm

Choose a rhythm your business can maintain. One useful update each week is more credible than seven rushed posts followed by a month of silence. Keep a short note of customer questions during the week; each real question can become a future update.

When you have a confirmed event, publish its complete listing first. You can then create several focused updates that all point back to one accurate source. Create your Find What's On business profile to start sharing what is happening.