Black Friday and Cyber Monday kick off the biggest shopping season of the year. Your customers are primed to buy, but they're also being bombarded with offers from every brand going. The businesses that cut through are the ones that plan early, build a bit of hype and make their offers easy to understand.
Here are 30+ Black Friday and Cyber Monday social media post ideas for small businesses, from the build-up to the weekend itself, plus ideas if you'd rather not discount at all, ready-made captions and the mistakes to avoid.
When are Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
In 2026, Black Friday is on Friday 27 November and Cyber Monday is on Monday 30 November. In 2027, they fall on Friday 26 November and Monday 29 November. Small Business Saturday follows on the first Saturday in December.
- 30+ post ideas
- Ready-made captions
- Ideas if you don't discount
Your Black Friday plan at a glance
Black Friday isn't one day any more. Spread your posts across the build-up, the weekend and Cyber Monday so you're not cramming everything into a single Friday.
Tell people you're taking part and start teasing what's coming.
Countdowns, sneak peeks and early access for your followers.
Go live early, post often and keep people updated on stock.
Remind people there's still time and share what's selling.
Online-only offers, last chances and a final push.
Black Friday post ideas to build the hype
Start posting about a fortnight before. The aim is to get people ready to buy from you before the big brands flood their feeds.
Announce you're taking part
A simple "We've got something big coming for Black Friday" post gets it on people's radar.
Run a countdown
Post a countdown graphic or use an Instagram countdown sticker so followers get a reminder when it starts.
Tease with a sneak peek
Share a blurred product, a cropped photo or a "guess the deal" post to build curiosity.
Offer early access
Give email subscribers or followers first dibs. It rewards loyalty and grows your list.
Ask what they want on sale
"Comment the product you'd love to see discounted" gets engagement and tells you what will sell.
Pin a "what to expect" post
Dates, times, how the offer works and delivery cut-offs, all pinned to the top of your profile.
Post ideas for Black Friday itself
"It's live" first thing
Short, bright and clear. Say what the offer is, how long it lasts and where to buy.
A deal of the hour
Drop a new offer every few hours to give people a reason to keep checking back.
Use Stories and link stickers
Stories are perfect for quick updates, with a link sticker straight to the offer.
Share stock updates
"Only 10 left" and "sold out" posts create genuine urgency, as long as they're true.
Show the orders rolling in
A behind the scenes video of the team packing orders shows demand and personality.
Back your deals with reviews
Pair a sale product with a five-star review so people feel confident buying.
Build a gift guide from your deals
Lots of people use Black Friday for Christmas shopping, so make it easy for them.
Post ideas for the Black Friday weekend
"Still time" reminders
Plenty of people miss Friday, so remind them the offers are still running.
Bundle deals
Group products together at a better price. Bundles feel generous and raise your average order.
Share your bestsellers so far
"Here's what everyone's buying" is social proof and a nudge in one post.
Repost customer content
Share unboxings and tags from happy customers, with their permission.
Cyber Monday post ideas
An online-only offer
Give Cyber Monday its own identity with a code that only works online.
Bring back a sell-out
"Back by popular demand" is a great way to restart interest after the weekend.
Last chance countdown
Count down the final hours in Stories. Urgency peaks at the end.
Free delivery
For plenty of shoppers, free delivery is as tempting as a discount.
Ideas if you don't want to discount
You don't have to join in. Plenty of small businesses skip Black Friday, and done well, that can be just as good for your brand.
Explain why you're opting out
Fair pricing all year round, protecting your margins or keeping quality high. People respect honesty.
Go green instead
Donate a share of sales, plant trees or promote repairs and reuse. "Green Friday" is a growing alternative.
Add value, not discounts
Free gift wrapping, a free sample or a gift with purchase keeps your prices intact.
Point people to Small Business Saturday
Shift the focus to shopping small the following weekend. Here are our Small Business Saturday post ideas.
Black Friday ideas for service businesses
Salons, trades, coaches and agencies can all get involved.
Discounted gift vouchers
Sell vouchers at a Black Friday price. Perfect for Christmas presents.
Book now, pay Black Friday prices
Let people lock in January appointments or projects at this week's price.
Packages and prepaid sessions
Bundle sessions or services into a package with a saving, like 5 sessions for the price of 4.
Post ideas for after Black Friday
Say thank you
Thank everyone who bought, shared or stopped by. A quick team video works brilliantly.
Missed out? Tell them what's next
Point people to restocks, your Christmas range or your next offer.
Switch to Christmas content
Black Friday is just the start. Our Christmas post ideas have a whole advent calendar of posts for December.
Black Friday captions you can use
Swap in your own offer and dates and they're ready to go.
Something big is coming this Black Friday 👀
We're not saying what yet, but you'll want to be first in the queue.
Turn on post notifications so you don't miss it.
Friday 27 November. Diary. Now.
Our Black Friday sale is LIVE 🛍️
Get [offer] across [products], today only.
Once it's gone, it's gone, so don't hang about.
Shop now at the link in our bio.
Missed Black Friday? We've got you ⏰
Use code [CODE] for [offer] online, Cyber Monday only.
The deal ends at midnight tonight.
Grab yours at the link in our bio.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday hashtags
Use two or three of the big ones, then add hashtags for your products and location.
- #BlackFriday
- #BlackFridayDeals
- #BlackFridaySale
- #CyberMonday
- #CyberMondayDeals
- #ShopSmall
- #ShopLocal
- #ChristmasShopping
- #GreenFriday
- #SmallBusinessSaturday
Black Friday social media dos and don'ts
Do
- Decide your offer early and schedule your posts in advance
- Use the same message on social media, your website and emails
- Be clear about start and end times, terms and delivery cut-offs
- Reply to comments and messages quickly, as questions turn into sales. Our community management service can help
- Put a small paid ads budget behind your best offer
Don't
- Raise prices beforehand to make a discount look bigger. It's misleading and can break UK consumer law
- Post nothing but sales for a month, or people will tune out
- Use the same black and red "SALE" graphic as everyone else
- Forget to check your website and stock levels can cope
- Leave expired offers live on your profile once the weekend's over
Black Friday social media FAQs
When is Black Friday 2026?
Black Friday 2026 is on Friday 27 November, and Cyber Monday is on Monday 30 November. In 2027, they fall on 26 and 29 November.
When should I start posting about Black Friday?
Start teasing about two weeks before, then post more often in the final week. Many brands now run offers all week, so getting in early helps.
What's the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Black Friday started as an in-store shopping day and Cyber Monday as an online one. Today both are mostly online, so treat Cyber Monday as your final push with its own offer.
Should small businesses take part in Black Friday?
Only if it works for your margins and your brand. If it doesn't, posts explaining why you're opting out, or adding value instead of discounting, can work just as well.
Can 99social create my Black Friday content?
Yes. We plan, design, write and schedule content for UK small businesses from £99+VAT a month, with key dates like Black Friday built in. See our social media management for small businesses.
