Which Social Media Platform Is Best for Your Business?

Don't go to TikTok if you want to reach baby boomers.

Few things in our modern world have the ability to elicit strong opinions like social media does. I just received a return of more than 79 million Google results when I searched "has social media destroyed society," and I'm not at all surprised by that. I'd classify it as slightly hyperbolic, but that's neither here nor there.

As of January 2023, there were 4.76 billion social media users on planet Earth, representing 59.4% of the global population. That's a lot of people, and while not all of them will be interested in what your small business is offering, it's a good bet that some will. That's why it pays to use social media platforms to advertise your business. You can find new customers and easily engage with your current ones. Plus, it's free (unless you want to buy ad space or use sponsored posts).

Let's look at some of the bigger social media platforms and break down which is best for whatever products or services you're offering.

Instagram

Do you offer a product or service that photographs well? Build up your Instagram following to reach people who will be dazzled by your artwork, crave your baked goods, or covet your hand-dyed wool yarns. Travel, beauty, and fashion also all do particularly well on Instagram.

Facebook

Facebook is skewing older these days; remember, it started in the mid-2000s, and for some geriatric millennials, it was our first social media platform. Back then, you needed a .edu email address to join, but now anyone can. If you want to reach a variety of customers of all ages and demographics, you'll find them on Facebook. You can also create a private group for your most loyal customers and give them access to deals and special promotions before anyone else.

Twitter

Twitter users are plugged into the news, and news is often made on Twitter these days. So if you're a content creator or writer, it's a good idea to join and follow users in your line of work, as there are great opportunities for networking and promoting your expertise. Just be aware that customers can tweet at you directly, and how you respond to inquiries can impact your business' reputation, so tread lightly. You don't want to go viral for the wrong reason.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a particularly great platform if you want to market to other businesses. But perhaps the best reason to have a presence on LinkedIn is for recruiting to grow your staff. LinkedIn users can build a sort of "living resume," and you can message users directly if they're seeking work and look like a good fit for you.

Reddit

Is there an existing community that aligns with the products and services you offer? Chances are, there's a subreddit for that. These are smaller groups of Reddit users that you may be able to target. Many subreddits don't allow advertising, but you'll likely be allowed to show off your work. For example, if you're an artist who takes commissions and you post about work you've created, you may have interested potential customers reach out to you.

TikTok

Statista data shows that as of January 2023, 71.3% of TikTok's users are age 34 and under. If your business offerings skew younger, you should have a TikTok account. TikTok's bread and butter is short-form videos (ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes), so if you're selling a product or service that can be explained quickly and simply, it'll be easier to do some of your marketing there.

As you can see, there's at least one or two social media platforms that will give you access to a wider audience who may just clamor to hire you or purchase your products. Just remember to optimize your engagement with them and post regularly for best results.