What is TBT?

Also called Throwback Thursday, #TBT, Flashback Friday, FBF.

TBT stands for Throwback Thursday: a weekly habit of posting an older photo, video or memory on a Thursday, usually tagged #TBT. Its Friday version is FBF, short for Flashback Friday.

Why it matters

Throwbacks give a business an easy post idea once a week and a chance to tell its story: how it started, how it has grown and the people behind it. Old photos also tend to feel more personal than polished promotion. And because the idea repeats every week, followers learn to expect it, which makes planning easier for you.

Example

A family-run Italian restaurant posts a faded photo of its opening night in 2009 every year on the Thursday closest to its anniversary, with the caption "#TBT to our very first service. Same lasagne recipe, slightly bigger kitchen."

Throwback ideas for small businesses

Look through old phone albums, local newspapers and boxes in the back room. Good throwbacks include:

  • Your first day open, first product, first sale or first logo.
  • Before-and-after photos of a shop fit-out, a renovation or a client project.
  • A team member's first week, shared with their permission.
  • A product you used to sell, asking followers if they remember it.
  • A milestone such as an anniversary, an award or moving to new premises.
  • Your street or town as it looked decades ago, if you have the right to share the photo.

Tips, and when to skip it

Add one line explaining why the memory matters, then link it to today: a new menu, a new branch, or the same care you still take. Only post old photos you own or have permission to use, and ask before sharing pictures of former staff or customers.

You don't have to post a throwback every Thursday. A monthly or yearly one feels more special than a weekly habit you struggle to keep up. Avoid #TBT on new photos; people expect something from the past.

TBT caption examples

Keep the caption short and end with today, so the throwback leads somewhere:

  • "#TBT to our first market stall in 2016. One table, two cake stands, and a lot of hope. Find us at the high street shop today."
  • "Throwback to the day we got the keys. Ten years later the floor still creaks, but the coffee's better."
  • "#TBT: our original logo. Who remembers the green cups?"

Common questions

Can you post a TBT on a day other than Thursday?

You can, but then it isn't really Throwback Thursday. On Fridays, people use FBF (Flashback Friday) instead, and on other days a simple "throwback" caption works.

How old does a photo need to be for TBT?

There is no rule. Anything clearly from the past works, from a few months to several decades, as long as the caption makes the throwback obvious.

What does FBF mean?

FBF stands for Flashback Friday. It works exactly like Throwback Thursday, just a day later, and is handy if your Thursday posts are already planned. Use one or the other in a post, not both.

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