September 8, 2026
The Daily Social: How to Keep Customers Informed on Social Media During Hurricane Season
By Curtis Carpenter, Founder, Vero Beach Social Media
September is the peak of hurricane season on the Treasure Coast, and every Vero Beach business owner knows the drill: watching the cone, deciding when to close, and wondering how to let customers know what is going on. Your social media accounts are the fastest way to answer the one question everyone is asking, which is whether you are open. When a storm is in the forecast, people check Instagram, Facebook, and Google before they call or drive over. A simple plan written down now means you will not be scrambling to post from a parking lot with ten percent battery. Here is how to set it up.
1. Write Your Storm Posts Before You Need Them
The worst time to write a closure announcement is while you are boarding up windows. Sit down on a calm day and draft four short posts: we are watching the storm and open as usual, we are closing early on a specific date, we are closed until further notice, and we are back open. Save them in your Notes app or as drafts in Meta Business Suite. Leave blanks for dates and times so you can fill them in and post within a minute when the moment comes.
2. Update Your Hours Everywhere Customers Look
A post disappears from feeds fast, but your hours live on your profile. When you close, update your Google Business Profile with a temporary closure or special hours, change your Facebook Page hours, and add a line to your Instagram bio. When you reopen, reverse all three the same day. Customers who search your business name during a storm will see your hours before they see anything else, so this step matters more than any single post.
3. Pin the Latest Update to the Top of Your Profile
Every time your status changes, pin the newest post on Instagram and Facebook so it is the first thing a visitor sees. Add it to your Stories as well, since many followers check Stories before scrolling the feed. Keep the wording plain and include the date and time you posted it. 'Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, will update Thursday morning' tells people exactly what to expect and when to check back.
4. Keep Posting Short Check-Ins During the Storm
If you have power and signal, a quick Story every twelve to twenty four hours goes a long way. It does not need to be polished. A photo of your storefront, a note that your team is safe, or a reminder of when you plan to reassess is enough. If you lose power, schedule one post ahead of time that says updates may be delayed and you will post as soon as you can. Silence makes people assume the worst, so even a small update keeps trust intact.
5. Share Useful Local Information, Not Just Your Own News
Storms are a moment when your account can serve the whole community. Share Indian River County emergency updates, sandbag locations, shelter openings, and reliable sources like the National Hurricane Center. Reshare posts from neighboring businesses about their status too. Being a helpful, calm voice in a stressful week is remembered long after the storm passes, and it often earns new local followers who stick around.
6. Post a Clear Reopening Announcement and Thank People
When you are back, make it obvious. Post a bright photo of your open door or your team, state your hours for the week, and mention anything that changed like limited menu items or delayed shipments. Thank the customers who checked in and the crews who cleaned up. If you can, offer a small welcome back special to get foot traffic moving again. Reopening posts consistently earn some of the highest engagement of the year because everyone is ready for good news.
A storm plan for your social media takes about an hour to build and can save you days of confusion and lost sales. If you would like help writing your storm templates, setting up your Google Business Profile hours, and keeping your accounts updated when things get hectic, reach out to Vero Beach Social Media at curtis@verobeachsocialmedia.com and we will get it ready before the next system forms.
