Meta has launched a new Small Business Studios project, which will provide both online and in-person training elements to help small businesses make the most of their marketing efforts across both Facebook and Instagram.

As explained by Meta:

“Recently, Meta hosted the Good Ideas Exchange, where executives from Meta and partners, including Adobe and Vimeo, came together with small businesses to pinpoint the top obstacles small businesses are facing. That’s where we discovered that content creation and creative strategy are among the top pain points for entrepreneurs when growing their businesses. Knowing this, Meta Boost Small Business Studios was born to help small businesses build creative digital marketing skills.”

The initial program consists of three key elements:

• Build Your Brand workshop: An online workshop providing creative inspiration and branding guidance to small businesses using Facebook and Instagram. This workshop champions a customer mindset and dives in on business branding, how to build copy and creative when creating a post and then deciding what to post.
• Reels School: A course designed for small businesses to simplify Reels creation while expanding their audience reach and helping achieve business goals.
• Photography virtual workshop: Since building great creative can feel daunting, this training pairs small businesses with an expert to teach owners how to make great, low-cost and low-lift images that are made for mobile.

In addition to this, you can also sign-up to get a one-on-one business support session with someone from Meta’s Small Business Team, which could provide some valuable insight into how to maximize your Facebook and Instagram presences.

It’s also one of the only ways that you might be able to speak to a real person within Meta, which could see it flooded with non-brand-building queries. Either way, you can register for the initiative here.

The program will also offer IRL events in certain areas, beginning with a five-stop US tour, which will include training, networking and direct support elements.

Again, access to Meta’s internal team is scarce, and these IRL events could be a valuable connective tool, providing direct connection to Meta’s expert team.

Upcoming dates for the Small Business Studio roadshow are:

• Columbus (August 3–4): Vue Columbus; register for the event here
• Kansas City, MO (September 21–22):The Abbott; registration opens on August 21
• Austin (September 28–29):Distribution Hall; registration opens on September 2
• San Diego (October 12–13):Bldg 177; registration opens on September 16

It seems like a good initiative, which could help many more SMBs get a better handle on Meta’s various business development tools and options, with Reels, in particular, getting key focus.

And with Reels being the fastest growing content format, that will no doubt make it a popular addition.

You can learn more about Meta’s Small Business Studio programs and content here.