Which social media should I use for my business?
Social media is an absolute minefield. Which one do you use? Facebook? Twitter? Linkedin? All of them? There seems to be a new one announced every week, so it can feel a bit overwhelming. However, social platforms have really opened the door for brand visibility and awareness. If you want to be taken seriously as a business, you need to have an online presence. So where do you start? Which social media should you use for your business? Let’s check them out and help you narrow it down.
Which social media?
Social media is a great way for you and your customers to connect. There are alot to choose from, and the platforms are always competing with each other. But they all have different demographics, styles and audiences. Choosing which one should depend on your own target audience. Let’s dive in.
The largest of the bunch, launched in 2004, Facebook has 3 billion monthly active users. The demographic is quite broad, with most users between 25-34 but with a spread from 18-44, giving you a much wider audience to work with. Whilst you can upload text on its own, adding images and videos really is the name of the game. Facebook algorithms much prefer it, particularly video as it retains users much better.
Generally speaking, many customers will go to Facebook first to see if your brand is legitimate. If you have an active Facebook page that has consistent – and recent – posts, they feel your brand is more trustworthy. That’s really the point of having a presence online – to build trust.
Facebook also owns Instagram, which you can read more about below, Messenger and Whatsapp. Yep. The four biggies! They’re primarily used for connecting with friends and family, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid them for promoting your business. You can link all four up to make posting and connecting easier and ensure your brand is consistent across the board. This is particularly useful if you want to make use of Facebook advertising. It’s a relatively cheap way of creating targeted adverts for your products, which you can then simultaneously post on Instagram.
Twitter/X
Yes, we know it’s called X…though we’re still unsure as to why. Twitter has been around since 2006 and currently has 611 million active users. It’s had quite a decline in the last couple of years since a certain someone took ownership, but it’s still a busy platform and particularly popular with 25-34 year olds, primarily males.
Because it’s based around short-form content, featuring tweets with limited characters, it always used to be a useful site for B2B connections rather than B2C. You can upload images and videos but it’s not such an essential part of being successful on the platform.
Hashtags, however, have always been important to use on Twitter. There would often be set days for certain hashtags which would help you connect with other businesses or users, for example, #weddingwednesday or #smallbusinesssaturday. How popular these are now, we don’t know, but we certainly feel there’s been a decline in brands using the platform recently. It’s become quite a controversial and outspoken place which isn’t useful to most businesses. That being said, its longevity still makes it a platform to consider.
This is probably one of the most popular platforms at the moment for businesses. Whilst currently third overall, it has 2 billion active monthly users, with an average daily use of half an hour. The average age of users is 18-34 worldwide. If you don’t understand Instagram, it’s essentially somewhere to upload photos and videos, all displayed in a grid format. You can write captions alongside them, and you should. Your copy is where you can get those keywords in! (Yes, we know, the dreaded SEO).
Humans are inherently visual consumers. If they can get information from an image without having to spend time reading, they absolutely will. That’s why video platforms work so well. Instagram is a mixture of both. Whilst images were at their core, they introduced reels in 2020. Originally, they were only allowed to be 15 seconds long, but once TikTok really took off, they felt the need to compete and expanded video lengths up to 60 seconds. These can be added to your profile wall or as stories.
They also have an Instagram Shop, however, it’s not as obvious on the platform where to find it. In 2023, they removed the shop tab from the navigation bar as it was getting overcrowded. They wanted to make it easier for users to share and connect with their friends and interests. Whilst having an Instagram shop gives you a base for your products and allows you to sell directly on the platform, it works just as well having a normal business profile.
With an Instagram account, you just have to remember not to hard sell on every single post. The 80:20 split is often mentioned – only 20% selling and 80% other content. If you push it too much, the algorithms don’t like it and begin to squash your content.
TikTok
A fair latecomer to the scene, TikTok launched in 2016 and has been on everyone’s lips ever since. It’s primarily a video platform where you can add filters, sound effects, music or your own audio (although you can now upload a selection of images to create a video instead). TikTok has trending sounds and filters which are great to jump on if you can relate them to your business in some way.
It’s no secret that the general demographic is younger, most popular with 18-34 years, but this video platform is a fantastic way of getting in front of an audience with short snappy videos. Slightly smaller than Instagram with 1.925 billion global users, the average use is around 58 minutes a day. And why? The scroll hole!
It’s so easy to scroll quickly through videos on TikTok that you need to be able to capture the audience’s attention in the first 3 seconds. Shorter videos tend to perform better on TikTok. You can also overlay your videos with text which can help immensely with retention rates. For example, a simple heading or title at the beginning of your video can get the point of your video across straight away.
TikTok also has a shop. This is a great place for impulse buying. If you can offer deals on your products that users ‘can’t get anywhere else’, that’s even more tempting for them. Joining the shop puts you in good stead with the algorithms as of course TikTok promotes businesses who actively use their platform rather than sending users to external sites. One thing to bear in mind; TikTok currently takes 9% of sales and not every business owner has a great time with them in terms of customer service. Make sure you research and way up all options before selling directly on the platform.
YouTube
A long-form video platform, YouTube launched in 2005, with most users between 25-34. Over 90% of people say they discover new brands and products on YouTube, so it’s definitely a platform to consider.
Whilst YouTube does offer ‘Shorts’ as an option for videos, users know that it’s where they can find longer content to invest in. They’re not just visiting the site for a quick scroll through. If you can create longer videos that provide users with something new, it’s worth it.
You can also create adverts, which play before and during other videos. This can be a viable option if you have a product to sell, but your 5, 10, 15 or 30-second advert better catch the user’s attention in the first 3 seconds because most people will be clicking that ‘skip ad’ button as quickly as possible. They’ve chosen a video to watch and don’t really want to be interrupted. Creating long videos with SEO-filled titles and descriptions is better for retention.
LinkedIn is the best source for networking. It’s the oldest platform, launched in 2003, with over 1 billion users. Primarily a B2B platform, 20% of its users are between 18 and 24, and 18% aged 35-54. It’s a great platform for posting more informative copy, with longer content, articles, and links to your external website, building your brand visibility in a professional setting. You can also include images and videos, which we know are more likely to catch a user’s attention and stop them scrolling.
There are over 67 million companies on LinkedIn. It gives you a chance to build a more informative profile and create meaningful connections. You can also use Linkedin Ads, which 82% of businesses say provide the best results. If you’re a B2B business, Linkedin may be the social media platform for you.
Other Platforms
Of course, there are other platforms you could look into. Pinterest may be something to consider if you have a B2C business. It’s entirely image-based and is used by people to find inspiration and create mood boards. It’s a very niche platform so not the first port of call for a business, but perhaps something to consider in the long term.
There are always new ones popping up – Threads, Twitch, Discord and Bluesky to name a few. A lot came up when Twitter became X (that says it all), but none of them have really taken off to become a serious consideration for business use quite yet. Watch this space though!
So which social media should you use?
The answer is entirely up to you. But our recommendation is to pick one or two and do them well rather than trying to take on them all. Using social media effectively takes time and effort. By giving yourself just a couple to concentrate on, you’ll be able to build your brand visibility productively. You’ll be able to remain consistent with your posting and interactions, which is more useful than sporadic posts across six different platforms.
You should also remember that the social media algorithms are unpredictable. Something you do one week that reaches thousands of people may only reach a hundred the next week. Don’t get hung up on the numbers. It’s interesting to see the insights, but consistency, honesty and meaningful interactions are more important.
Using social media also opens the door for taking advantage of influencer marketing. Read more about its benefits here.
If you’re looking for the best place to start with your social media, particularly as a beginner, take a look at our blog sharing 10 ways to make the most out of social media marketing. And if you need any more guidance, get in touch with the team.
