Local Business? Here’s How to Use Social Media to Dominate Your Area
If you’re a local business owner in New Zealand - whether you’re running a boutique in Ponsonby, a café in Christchurch, or a tradie service in Tauranga - social media can be your strongest ally for attracting nearby customers and building real, lasting community connections!
Here’s how to make the most of social media to dominate locally, boost visibility, and turn followers into loyal, local customers.
Why Local NZ Businesses Need Social Media
Kiwis are online—a lot. In fact, over 4.6 million New Zealanders are active social media users (that’s over 90% of the population). And when people are looking for a nearby business - be it a yoga studio, bakery, or mechanic—they turn to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Google before making a decision.
Social media gives you:
Visibility in your region
Direct engagement with your community
Free and paid tools to reach people by suburb, city, or postcode
1. Optimise Your Profiles for Local Discovery
Before anything else, make sure your business profiles clearly show:
Your location (city, town, suburb)
What you do (e.g., “Dunedin-based florist specialising in weddings”)
Contact details (phone, email, hours)
A link to your website or booking platform
Two bonus tips: Add your region or suburb into your Instagram bio or Facebook page info. Use a consistent handle and name across platforms to be easily searchable.
2. Share Content That Speaks to Your Local Audience
You don’t need to go viral nationwide… just be relevant locally.
Try:
Behind-the-scenes from your store or workspace
Highlighting NZ-made products or local suppliers
Featuring local landmarks, events, or weather (yes, even the Auckland rain!)
Spotlighting your regular customers or local partnerships
People love supporting businesses that feel close to home.
3. Use Local Hashtags and Geotags
Hashtags and location tags help locals find you—even if they’re just scrolling.
NZ Hashtag Ideas:
#shoplocalnz
#supportlocalnz
#aucklandfoodie, #wellingtoneats, #christchurchbusiness
#[YourSuburb]Business (e.g., #MountMaunganuiCafe)
Tag your posts with your suburb, city, and region - especially on Instagram and TikTok.
4. Engage With Other Local Accounts
Community over competition. Build relationships with:
Other local businesses
Local influencers or micro-creators
NZ-based event pages, community groups, or councils
Like, comment on, and share their content - chances are, they’ll return the favour. It’s great for cross-promotion and expanding your reach locally.
5. Use Facebook & Instagram Ads to Target Nearby
Even with a small budget, you can run ads targeted by postcode or radius.
Try:
Promoting a special deal to people within 5km of your store
Boosting a post announcing a new menu item or service
Running a giveaway to build awareness in your region
🛠️ Meta Ads Manager lets you zero in on users by city, age, interests, and more. It’s ideal for NZ service-based businesses like tradies, real estate agents, or fitness studios.
6. Encourage Local User-Generated Content
Ask your customers to:
Tag your business when they visit
Leave reviews on Facebook or Google
Share photos and stories (offer a small incentive if needed!)
Nothing builds trust faster than a local saying, “This place is a must-try.”
7. Track What’s Working (…And Do More of It!)
Use platform insights to see:
Which posts get the most engagement
Where your audience is located
What times they’re most active (NZT)
Then adjust your content plan to focus on what resonates most with your community.
Final Thought: You Don't Need to Be Everywhere. Just Be Local, Loud, and Consistent.
You don’t need to go viral or have 100k followers. If your ideal customer is just down the road, social media can help them find you, trust you, and support you.
Whether you're in Queenstown or Whangārei, the businesses that show up, connect, and give value online are the ones that thrive offline.
Need Help?
If you’re a local Kiwi business and you’re ready to step up your social media game - I’d love to help! We have clients ranging from small businesses to larger brands - and we tailor our services depending on the need of each client.
Let’s build a local content plan that works for you and your customers.
Olivia
Social & Co Studio
www.socialandco.co.nz
