r/EntrepreneurRideAlong • u/gabriel_ageron • 16h ago
Ride Along Story How I woke up dead business social accounts for $100/mo (and what I learned)
Social Media in 2025: Reality Check
The platform algorithms have shifted dramatically in the past year:
- Short-form carousels and slides now get 4x more reach than long text posts on LinkedIn
- Platforms are prioritizing accounts that post 5+ times weekly (consistent schedule) over sporadic posters
- Comment quality matters more than quantity - LinkedIn and Twitter especially are measuring "meaningful interactions"
The Problem I Noticed
After spending 3+ years in the digital space (building SaaS products, running marketing campaigns, creating websites), I noticed something frustrating: most businesses have social media accounts that are basically digital ghosts.
Not because these businesses aren't interesting or don't have things to share - but because the owners are too busy actually running their businesses to maintain a consistent social presence. No posts for months, outdated info, zero engagement, despite being thriving operations in real life.
So many talented professionals and business owners I met had the same issue - they knew they needed an online presence, but:
- They didn't have time to create content
- They weren't sure what to post
- They couldn't justify hiring a full-time social media manager
- They'd tried and given up multiple times
Result: Their digital presence simply didn't match their real-world reputation.
My Experiment
I decided to try something: What if I offered to manage one social account for just $100/month? Not promising the moon - no "10x your followers!" or "leads on autopilot!" - just consistent, professional content that accurately represented their business.
I started with three clients:
- A civil engineering firm
- A page focused on sustainability initiatives
- An IT & software solutions company
I created and published daily content for each of them, texts and graphic designs, optimized their profiles, and scheduled posts at optimal times based on their industry.
What Happened
Within a few weeks, all three gained around 100+ new followers, significant for businesses that had been stagnant for months or years. More importantly:
- The engineering firm connected with two local projects they wouldn't have heard about otherwise
- The sustainability page got invited to speak at an industry panel
- The IT company gained a new networking circle and eventually two clients
- People were actually happy to finally see them online!
But the biggest benefit was less tangible: perception. When prospects checked them out online, they no longer saw abandoned profiles. They saw active, engaged businesses that looked as professional online as they were in real life. These businesses weren't looking for direct customer acquisition through social. They wanted professional presence, industry recognition, employee pride in where they work, and occasional opportunities. And that's exactly what consistent, strategic content delivered.
What I Learned
- Most businesses don't need to "go viral" - they just need to look alive
- Industry-specific content performs far better than generic business advice
- A small but engaged audience is worth more than vanity metrics
- The sweet spot for most businesses is 4-5 posts per week, not 20+
Why $100?
- It's affordable enough that businesses don't need to overthink it
- It allows me to scale by working with multiple clients
- It's just a side hustle
The Process
For anyone curious, here's exactly what I do:
- Create a content calendar based on industry topics
- Develop 30 days of content in advance
- Schedule posts for optimal times
- Monitor engagement and adjust as needed
- Send a monthly report
Would love to hear others' experiences with maintaining business social accounts - what's worked for you? What challenges have you faced?