Most florists I know, are using Instagram to sell but there are many ways to promote flowers on social media. It really depends on your business model to be honest. If you're a freelance florist, Instagram or TikTok will be your best friends. On the other hand if you're a flower shop owner then you can still consider Facebook to promote your flower business.
Because it's impossible for me to determine your exact situation, I'm going to give you all my tips for the most popular platforms out there. But before starting let me introduce myself.
My name is Francia and I'm an online marketer specialising in the floral industry. I'm helping florists like you increase their online presence and maximise their sales. You can hire me for custom Web Design projects if you desire to launch your site soon and I'm also selling Flower Website Templates.
Back to promoting your flowers on social media.
Table of contents
1/Selling flowers on Instagram
Obviously the first step is to create a Professional page on Instagram. I don't recommend using your personal page where you're connecting with your friends and family unless you're doing it as a hobby. I'll release an article next week on how to get started on Instagram as a florist. Stay tuned for that.
Optimise your profile
Optimise your profile with the right picture, use a photo of you or your logo.
Write a compelling bio with a call to action of what you want your client to do. It could be:
Visit my website for more information
DM to order your bouquet
Fill out the form below for all enquiries
Click the link to sign up for your flower subscriptions
etc.
Use Story Highlights because people are always curious, they want to know more about you and you services. I'd suggest having at least 2 or 3 of these highlights:
Recent works/weddings/portfolio/gallery
Testimonial/client love/reviews
Behind the scenes/sneak peek
Blog/recent articles
News/updates
How to…./Terms & Conditions
etc.
You choose if you wanna use custom covers or not. It's a matter of personal preference.
Instagram for small businesses
You don't need thousands followers to sell on Instagram. You don't need to be extremely poised and stoic to look professional. You don't need to have hundreds and thousands of likes to sell your custom arrangements. You don't need to reach out to hundred of brides-to-be to be booked. Not all your followers will watch your story and it's perfectly fine that way.
Here's what truly matters:
Grow an audience filled with people who care about what you do. You can use Ads if you want to but make sure that your followers are not bots or fake accounts. The people who follow you may not buy straight away but they can convert months or years from now. Some of your followers will buy and some won't. Focus on showing up everyday.
Instagram is no longer about the perfect pictures or aesthetic feed. We want to see the real and authentic version of you. Use your own words in your captions, Don't copy anyone else. Be yourself when you're recording a reel or a video on your story. The right folks will love you just the way you are.
Engagement and the number of likes and comments is what we call vanity metrics, as Marketers. In other words, you can have 750 likes on your post but that number is pointless if only 3 people enquire. What you need to check instead is:
the number of saves and shares
the external link taps (how many people visited your site after seeing your post)
There's no specific secret on how to be booked on Instagram. You either create the right piece of content and people find you or you run ads. It's also possible to reach out to newly engaged couples if you have the time and energy for it. I can't tell you which method you should be prioritizing but those are the best options if you're just getting started as a wedding florist.
Don't be frustrated when people aren't buying from the go. Welcome to the marketing world, flower friend. Some followers will only order for Valentine's day and will never buy again whereas others will become repeated customers. You have to accept this fact and have a strategy in place to get regular orders and sales. You need a marketing and sales strategy but that's a topic for another day.
How to promote flowers on Instagram
Be active and sell on your story everyday, find a routine and stick to it.
Run ads to grow awareness around your products. Read this article on how to advertise your flower business for more guidance.
Run giveaways, make it easy for people to participate and share with their friends.
Determine your ideal customer and engage with them on Instagram. Leave a like and comment on their posts so that they can notice you.
Use the right hashtags to be found by the right users.
Have you ever wondered if selling flowers was even worth it to begin with? It’s okay to have these doubts. That’s why I released a post on how to make money selling flowers online. Read it to calm your anxiety and stress about running your business. I’m not just here to give you marketing advices, I also love encouraging you in your entrepreneurial journey. We need to lift each other up and stick together to succeed.
And if you’re in the early stages of your journey, then I’m inviting you to read this post about the best website builder for a florist before launching your own website. It’s better to know what’s available in the market and be prepared before paying the yearly subscription fee.
Anyway, back to promoting flowers on social media!
How to use TikTok to promote your flower business
TikTok is no longer for the gen Z's dances and humor. That was the case in their early days until small business owners, online creators, influencers and entrepreneurs started using that app.
TikTok is perfect for geo targeted marketing. You need to use it if you're a local florist trying to reach customers in your area.
Create your profile for conversion
Create a business account to get access to all the features for small businesses.
What I love the most about TikTok is the possibility to display your email address, your phone number and even your full postal address on your profile. It’s so visible, it’s almost impossible to miss them. Those informations are crucial for a customer needing an urgent delivery. Do yourself a favor, don’t leave money on the table and do the homework: add all your contact details.
My best recommendations for selling flowers on TikTok:
Pin the right videos, preferably those who performed well. You can pin 3 videos.
Don’t try being fancy by adding a quote or a list of emojis. Be wise when it comes to your bio. Add your opening hours if you own a flower shop for example.
People love authenticity and integrity. Show the real behind the scenes. Staged content definitely works but videos like “a day in my life” or “build a bouquet with me” will do wonders for your organic reach. Humans are curious by nature. Show the real you.
Make sure you diversify your content. Highlight your latest wedding reception florals, the aisle decor, the bridesmaid bouquets, etc. Teach people about floristry. Share your best tips. Be creative. Don’t shoot the same type of content with the same angle every single time. It’s boring.
Use a link tree when it’s necessary.
Use the right hashtags like #floristoftiktok. That version also exists on Instagram #floristofinstagram.
Create playlists when you reach 10k followers and make it cohesive. TikTok playlists will keep customers on your page for longer.
In my opinion, TikTok is the best platform to sell flowers if you don’t mind showing your face. If you’re shy or, if you value your privacy then stick with Instagram. But keep in mind that certain people are currently browsing TikTok for wedding inspiration, which leads me to the next channel: Pinterest.
Use Pinterest to promote your flower business
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably know that I love Pinterest. Contrary to popular belief, Pinterest is considered a search engine and not a social media channel.
Why? Well, because that’s how its algorithm works. Pinterest is a visual search engine.
You need to start by creating a business account and get verified as soon as you start. You can watch Anastasia Blogger’s videos to learn about Pinterest SEO before creating your pins and boards. This is not an affiliate link, I’m recommending her because her videos helped me a lot.
Link your Instagram if you have one. Some folks love stalking, satisfy their needs and give them what they want. There’s no bad intention behind it: they want to trust you, they want to know who they’re buying from.
If you’re a wedding florist then you HAVE to use Pinterest. Thousands of newly engaged women are spending hours daily to find the right wedding palette on Pinterest. Even single women are doing it. You can’t miss this opportunity. Showcase all your past works on Pinterest and optimise your page for local SEO. Add your city in your boards, your pin titles and don’t forget the keywords in your descriptions.
Create multiple boards related to your industry and feel free to share other creators’ pins.
How to promote flowers on Facebook
I’m really not advocating Facebook as your main marketing channel but here are my best advices on how to promote your flower business on that platform.
Start by correcting these issues
One thing I’ve noticed on Facebook is that many small florists use a blurry photo for their cover picture. You’ll be judged by the quality of your profile and cover pictures. Please make sure you use a landscape type of photo representing your business and your products.
Another mistake I see way too often is neglecting all the contact details. Fill out all the information required so that people know that you’re a legit business:
full postal address
phone number
website
opening hours
email
You can also link all your other social media accounts: Instagram, TikTok, X, etc.
The thing with Meta is that nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to grow your Facebook page without paying ads. As I’ve already mentioned in my latest article, it’s wiser to consult a social media specialist to guide you before launching your campaigns. You don’t need to hire them to run your ads but their insights and knowledge will surely help you craft and optimise your marketing strategy.
And then apply these tips
My favorite feature on Facebook is probably the Reviews section. You don’t have this option on Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. Therefore, whenever you’ve served a happy customer, ask them for a review. Facebook reviews will build your authority overtime. Who doesn’t like a good 5 stars reviews on their page?
Use all features If you really want to build a community on Facebook.
Share videos. Photos are great but videos are more engaging.
Go live and talk about your life as a florist. Don’t be shy.
Create events. Share your passion and let people join your virtual workshop for example.
Structure your content in a certain way to help your customers find what they need.
e.g. If you’re selling graduate arrangements, create an album dedicated to that. Same thing with anniversary bouquets, seasonal arrangements, prom seasons, etc. If you’re a wedding florist, create an album for each couple.
And last but not least: Be active. Post on a regular basis. You have to keep in touch with your audience to be remembered. Marketing is an ongoing process, it never truly ends.
Special tips to differentiate yourself from other florists
Share a photo of you and/or your team and pin it so that people know who they’re talking to. I’ve only seen 1 florist do this.
When you’re selling a specific arrangement or when you’re looking for your next bride, add a clear call to action in your captions. Don’t play the “I like being mysterious” card or “nobody’s going to read all of this” excuse, when it comes to selling online. Tell people how to contact you.
Dm or message ….
Text, call ……
Email ….
Visit our website
Describe the product: size, availability, colors, price. Clearly state your availability if you’re a wedding florist.
And finally, don’t forget to set up a Facebook shop if you’re a flower shop owner.
For more practical actionable steps, read my article on how to advertise your flower business. I made it really easy for you to grow your floral business. You need to be willing to give it enough time. But I don’t want to expand on that in this post, so read that article next.
To conclude, you don’t have to use all these platforms. Choose your favourite one and stick to it till you see great results. And don’t worry, there’s no perfect social media channel to promote your business.
Your personality, your goals and your business model will influence your choice. Give it time. Pick your channel and learn as much as you can about it for at least 6 months to a year. There’s no right or wrong way to grow your floral business on social media. Your journey will be different from someone else’s.
I’m available for further guidance if you need help to promote flowers on social media. Message me on Instagram and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Stay tuned for my next article by subscribing to my mailing list.
Take care and see you later x
Comments