It’s tempting to think your business needs to be active on every social media platform to stay relevant and connected. But more isn’t always better, and that’s especially true in this case. Trying to appear everywhere could lead to failing to make an impact anywhere. Spreading yourself too thin across too many channels likely translates to inconsistent messaging, infrequent posting and overall low engagement. In other words, it’s wasteful.
Your time and resources are much better spent by intentionally showing up on platforms where your audience is. Social media channels are not uniform. People use different platforms for all kinds of reasons: entertainment, professional insights, product recommendations or local updates, to name a few. These expectations shape how users interact with content and, ultimately, how your business should show up. By understanding how people use each platform and what kind of content performs well, you can build a social media presence that feels authentic, drives results, and supports your larger business goals.
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Best for: Local businesses, service providers and B2C brands focused on community-building
While more popular nowadays with adults over 30, Facebook is still one of the most widely used social media platforms. It’s a go-to for users who want to stay connected with friends and family, keep up with local businesses, and discover local events or services nearby. This makes the platform especially valuable for brands that serve a particular geographic area or rely on local referrals.
Creating organic content about company updates, event promotions, customer reviews or community spotlights is a great way to connect with your audience. Facebook Groups are another powerful tool for building stronger customer relationships; think customer support groups, hobby-based communities or hyper-local interest groups related to your business.
Facebook’s ad platform allows you to run anything from awareness campaigns to lead gen ads by targeting audiences based on location, interests, behaviors and demographics. You can even retarget people who have visited your website before.
Best for: Visual-first brands in industries like retail, beauty, fashion, fitness, food and travel
Instagram is all about visuals, so it’s popular with teens and young adults. Images and short-form video content drive views on the platform, so you need to have something to show users or risk getting scrolled past. This could include photographs of styled products, snapshots from aspirational destinations or behind the scenes video. If your brand’s story can be told visually, Instagram gives you the tools to share it in a way that inspires, informs, or entertains.
Whether you decide to post organic or paid content, high-quality, eye-catching visuals are a must. Static posts on your grid showcase your unique brand aesthetic, while Stories are great for quick updates, polls, links and other engaging content. Reels, Instagram’s short-form video feature, also encourages users to interact with your brand, especially when you tap into trending audio or themes.
Instagram gives you the same advertising targeting options available on Facebook. (Both platforms are owned by Meta.) Carousel ads, story ads with swipe-up links and product-focused ads can direct interested users directly to your website.
Best for: B2B companies, professional service providers, consultants, recruiters and employers
LinkedIn is the go-to social platform for professionals. It’s where people go to build their networks, share industry perspectives, follow thought leaders and search for new career opportunities. For businesses in the B2B space or companies that provide high-consideration services, LinkedIn can help you connect with decision-makers and build trust through credible content.
Organic LinkedIn content should focus on providing valuable professional insights. More specifically, this could include thought leadership posts from upper management, industry commentary from team members, behind-the-scenes company culture moments or employee spotlights. Sharing company wins, project highlights and relevant industry articles all help cement your expertise and brand authority. Encouraging your own team to engage with or share your company posts is a simple way to expand your reach.
Similar to other social media platforms, LinkedIn offers paid ad campaigns to target users. For example, you can direct your ads toward specific locations, industries, job experience, demographics, education, interests and more. Sponsored content, InMail message ads and lead gen forms are commonly used formats.
Best for: Niche products, tech brands, startups, finance, gaming, education, travel and SaaS companies
Reddit has become the place people go to on the internet for human answers and experienced perspectives. This community-driven platform is made up of thousands of individual forums, called subreddits, each focused on a specific topic, interest or industry. Reddit grew by nearly 24 million users in just the last year—a 32% increase. The platform is now a valuable space for brands that can show audiences they’re there to share honest opinions, solve problems and have real discussions, rather than broadcast promotional messages.
Unlike other platforms, Redditors are quick to downvote or dismiss anything that feels like blatant advertising. Before you focus on promoting your business, it’s a good idea to spend time listening, commenting and contributing to relevant subreddits. Hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session is a great way to form connections with users authentically.
Paid options include promoted posts and subreddit-specific targeting, which allow you to reach users based on the topics they care about most. These ads can perform well when they match the tone of the subreddit and add value to the conversation. You can also target users by other key metrics.
TikTok
Best for: Youth-oriented brands, e-commerce, entertainment, education and travel
TikTok has exploded as one of the most popular and influential social media platforms today, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha users. Its short-form videos have a grip on audiences, who in return heavily engage with and share content they connect with. If you are willing to commit to producing polished yet authentic video content, TikTok can be a powerful way to build awareness and meet audiences where they are.
You don’t have to make super complex videos for visibility on TikTok, but your videos do need to be intentional, authentic and well-executed. Factors like clear audio, natural lighting and a concise message go a long way. Brands that do well on TikTok also tend to lean into trending sounds or formats, highlight real employees or customers and offer value through tutorials, product tips, day-in-the-life clips or entertaining takes on their industry.
Paid opportunities on TikTok include in-feed video ads, Spark ads (which boost organic content you’ve posted) and TopView ads that appear when users open the app. With clever ideas and a polished look, these ad formats can blend into other content on the platform.
