Look, I’m gonna be straight with you.
If you’re running a local business in Melbourne (or anywhere really), and you’re not using social media videos… you’re basically invisible.
Harsh? Maybe. True? **Absolutely.**
## The Reality Check You Didn’t Ask For
Here’s what happened last week. I walked into a cafe in Ballarat. Great coffee, amazing pastries, lovely staff. Asked the owner about their Instagram. “Oh, we post photos sometimes.”
Photos. Sometimes.
Meanwhile, the mediocre cafe down the street? They’re posting daily videos of their barista making latte art. Guess which one has a line out the door every Saturday morning?
## Why Video Hits Different
People don’t read anymore. Sorry, but they don’t.
They scroll. They watch. They share.
And here’s the kicker – **video content gets 1200% more shares than text and images combined**. That’s not a typo. Twelve. Hundred. Percent.
But it’s not just about the numbers…
## What Videos Actually Do For Your Brand
### They Make You Human
Forget the corporate speak for a second. Videos let people see WHO you are. Not what you sell. Who you ARE.
– That moment when your chef tastes the soup and makes that “needs more salt” face
– Your team celebrating someone’s birthday in the break room
– The genuine smile when a customer says “this made my day”
That’s gold. Pure gold.
### They Answer Questions Before They’re Asked
You know what’s exhausting? Answering the same questions 47 times a day.
“What time do you open?”
“Do you do catering?”
“Can I bring my dog?”
One 30-second video. Posted once. Answers forever.
### They Create FOMO (The Good Kind)
When someone sees a video of your packed restaurant, your sold-out product, your booked-solid services… they want in.
It’s not manipulation. It’s documentation.
## The Secret Nobody Talks About
Here’s what drives me crazy.
Business owners think they need Hollywood-level production. They think they need perfect scripts, professional actors, expensive equipment.
Nope.
You need:
– A phone
– Good lighting (aka, stand near a window)
– Something real to show
That’s it. That’s literally it.
## But What Do You Actually Post?
Alright, let’s get practical. Here’s what works:
**Behind-the-scenes content**
Show the mess. Show the process. Show the 4am starts and the late-night cleanup. People eat this up.
**Customer testimonials**
But not the fake, scripted ones. The real ones. Where someone genuinely lights up talking about your product.
**Educational stuff**
Teach something. Anything. How to pick the right paint color. How to know if an avocado is ripe. How to tie a bow tie. Whatever relates to your business.
**Day in the life**
Follow one team member for a day. Raw. Unfiltered. Real.
## The Elephant in the Room
“But Bryce, I don’t have time for this.”
I hear you. I do.
But here’s the thing – you don’t have time NOT to do this.
Every day you’re not posting videos, your competitors are. Every day you’re invisible online, someone else is becoming the go-to business in your area.
## Start Today. Like, Actually Today.
Here’s your homework:
1. **Pick up your phone**
2. **Record a 15-second video introducing yourself**
3. **Post it**
Don’t overthink it. Don’t script it. Just do it.
“Hi, I’m Sarah from Sarah’s Flowers. Today we got these amazing sunflowers in and I just had to show you…”
Boom. Done. You’re now ahead of 80% of your competition.
## The Bottom Line
Social media videos aren’t some fancy marketing tactic anymore. They’re table stakes. They’re how people decide where to eat, where to shop, who to trust with their business.
You can keep posting the occasional photo of your storefront.
Or you can show up. Really show up. And watch your business transform.
Your choice.
But if I were betting? I’d bet on the business that’s brave enough to turn the camera on and say “here’s who we really are.”
That’s the business that wins.
Every. Single. Time.
—
*P.S. – Still scared? Good. Do it anyway. The first video is always terrible. The second one’s slightly less terrible. By the tenth, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.*
