Social media for your business can feel like a moving target — just when things start to make sense, a new platform pops up. One day it’s Facebook, then everyone’s jumping to Instagram. Suddenly, all the kids are on TikTok, and then Threads enters the scene out of nowhere. Now it’s Reddit and LinkedIn making a comeback. It’s exhausting to keep up — especially when running a business is already a full-time job.
The truth is: not every platform is right for every business. Below is a simple guide to help figure out which ones are worth focusing on and why.
How Do You Know Which Social Media Is Right For Your Business?
With so many social media platforms out there—and new ones showing up all the time—it’s easy to feel confused. Facebook? TikTok? Threads? Lemon8? Where do you even start as a business? Don’t worry, we’ll help you sort through the maze. Think of this as a straightforward, agency-backed breakdown of the biggest platforms in 2025 and how they actually stack up when it comes to engagement (yep, we’ve got the data from our friends over at Buffer to back it up). If you don’t know: Engagement rate is a key metric that shows how much people are interacting with your content compared to how many are seeing it.
Facebook: A Solid Social Media Platform For Your Local Business
Facebook has been around the longest, and it’s still a great option for many small businesses. People check Facebook for business hours, reviews, photos, and updates — especially when they’re looking for local services like a salon, plumber, contractor, or wellness clinic. Facebook’s median engagement rate has remained stable at around 5.45% over the past year.
Best for: Local service businesses and family-focused audiences.
Instagram: Where Your Visual Content Shines
Instagram is a great fit for businesses that can show what they do — think photos, short videos, and behind-the-scenes content. More content is being consumed than ever on Instagram, with reels and stories dominating mobile devices. Users watch more but interact differently, engagement is becoming more private. Saves, DMs, and shares are increasing, but don’t show up in engagement metrics. Restaurants, real estate agents, boutiques, home renovators, and photographers tend to do well here.
Best for: Businesses with great photos or “before and after” results to share.
LinkedIn: The Best Professional Services and B2B Focused Social Media Platform For Your Business
LinkedIn is a powerhouse for businesses that sell to other businesses (B2B), or for professionals like lawyers, consultants, mortgage brokers, and financial advisors. It’s also a great place for hiring or sharing business milestones. LinkedIn remains the strongest platform for organic reach, with an average engagement rate of 6.50%.
Best for: B2B companies, professional services, and building a trustworthy business profile.
TikTok: Fast-Paced and Trendy Social Media
TikTok is video-heavy and popular with younger audiences, but older age groups are catching on, too. At a faster rate than any other platform, in case you were curious. TikTok has strong engagement, but the type of engagement that matters is shifting. The focus on metrics should be on how long people are watching and how many shares your videos get, not just likes and comments. Businesses that are fun, creative, or hands-on (like bakeries, pet groomers, clothing retailers, and personal trainers) can really shine here.
Best for: Businesses comfortable with video who want to show personality and target younger consumers.
YouTube: Long Term Video, The Right Social Media Content For Your Business?
YouTube isn’t just for viral videos or how-to tutorials anymore. For businesses, it’s a powerful platform to build trust, demonstrate expertise, and reach audiences through both long-form and short-form content. In 2025, YouTube boasts an average engagement rate of 4.41%, which means that viewers are not only watching but also liking, commenting, and sharing content at impressive rates.
Best for: Businesses who want to invest in video content to showcase products, share knowledge, or tell their brand story.
Threads: A Social Media Newborn With Growth Potential For Business
Threads is a newer app from Meta (the company behind Facebook and Instagram). It’s meant to be a friendlier, more casual version of Twitter/X. Right now, it’s still growing, and the engagement is a healthy 3.60%, but most small businesses don’t need to be there just yet.
Best for: Brands that already have a strong voice and like to be part of trending conversations.
Pinterest: Social Media For Your Business If It Or Its Products Needs To Be Seen To Be Sold
Pinterest operates differently from other social platforms. It’s more of a search engine for inspiration, where users actively seek ideas, products, and solutions. The engagement rate has grown to a strong 5.26% in January 2025, and content on Pinterest can drive engagement long after it’s posted. For businesses with visually appealing offerings—like home decor, fashion, food, or DIY projects—Pinterest can drive significant traffic.
Best for: Brands with strong visual content aiming to reach users during their discovery and planning phases.
X (Formerly Twitter): Losing Steam In The Social Marketplace
X has seen a lot of changes lately, and most small businesses no longer get much benefit from being there. Unless a brand shares news, updates, or likes to post regularly with a strong opinion, this platform may not be worth the time. Engagement rates have declined, and the algorithm isn’t helping.
Best for: News-focused brands or those already active in trending conversations.
Reddit: Community-Based, But Tricky And Time-Consuming
Reddit is made up of thousands of communities (called “subreddits”) where people talk about specific interests. It can be a good place to share knowledge or answer questions, but it’s not the place for traditional ads or salesy content. Reddit is a digital forum where real conversations drive consumer decisions, where subject experts actively engage, listen, and build credibility within these subreddits. Ideal for tech companies, mortgage brokers, lawyers, and other subject matter experts.
Best for: Businesses that want to build trust and influence purchases by sharing knowledge in specific topics or communities.
So, Where Should You Focus on Social Media for Your Business?
Not all engagement is created equal, and every platform plays a different role. What works best really depends on the goals for your business. Choosing the right platform (or platforms) should be influenced by the nature of your business, the target audience, and the type of content that you (or your agency) can consistently and easily produce.
Looking for strong engagement on each post? LinkedIn, Facebook, and Pinterest are solid picks. LinkedIn and Facebook are great for building community and sparking conversation, while Pinterest keeps working long after a post goes live.
Trying to reach as many people as possible? Instagram and TikTok are where the biggest audiences hang out. Even though Instagram might not get the highest engagement rate, the potential to reach a wide crowd is huge. TikTok’s algorithm is also built to help smaller accounts go viral.
Want to focus on video content? TikTok and YouTube Shorts are top choices. Short videos get some of the best engagement out there, and reusing the same video across a few platforms can stretch the content further without extra effort.
Aiming for real-time interaction and conversation? Threads, Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) are designed for fast-moving discussions. Threads is becoming a go-to for casual engagement, while X is still a good spot for news updates and trending topics.
Not Sure Where to Go Next With Social Media For Your Business? Let the Experts at 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions Make It Easy For You
Trying to be everywhere at once on social media usually leads to burnout and watered-down results. A smarter strategy is to focus efforts on the platforms that truly fit your business and its audience. Whether that’s creating visually stunning content for Instagram and TikTok, building professional connections on LinkedIn, or educating your audience on Facebook, the key is to show up authentically.
Not sure where to start or which platforms actually make sense? That’s where the social team at 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions comes in. With literally years of hands-on experience managing social media for all kinds of businesses, our team can help build a strategy that fits your goals, and we even have a full studio for you (or our team on your behalf) to create content in.
Let’s make your social media work smarter. Call 647-250-1494 or book a free consultation to start planning the best social media for your business.
