Which Social Media Platform Is Best for Your Business?
Unpopular opinion: you don't need to be on every social media platform.
Instagram. Facebook. TikTok. LinkedIn. YouTube. Threads. Pinterest. Trying to do all of them usually means doing none of them well. After 8 years of running social media for small businesses, our advice is always the same: pick the two where your customers already are, and do them properly.
Here's how to choose.
The quick guide
Facebook: best for local businesses and trades
Still one of the strongest platforms for reaching local customers, especially through community groups and recommendations. Brilliant for trades, cafés, salons and local services.
Instagram: best for visual businesses
Perfect if your work looks good: beauty, food, interiors, fashion, events and trades with great before-and-afters. Reels help you reach new people, while Stories keep existing followers engaged.
LinkedIn: best for B2B and professional services
If you sell to other businesses, LinkedIn is where the decision-makers are. Post from your personal profile for the best reach. Read more on why LinkedIn matters for your business.
TikTok: best for reaching new audiences
Great for getting discovered, especially if you're comfortable on camera and your customers are there. Short, useful or entertaining videos work best.
YouTube Shorts: best for search and reusing video
People search YouTube like a search engine. The best part? The same short video you made for Reels or TikTok can go on YouTube Shorts too.
Google Business Profile: best for every local business
Not technically social media, but for local businesses it's non-negotiable. It's often the first thing people see when they search for you.
What the ads data says
If you're thinking about paid ads, Metricool's Social Ads Report 2026 (628,969 campaigns from 44,355 advertisers) found that:
91% of accounts running paid social advertised on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) alone.
TikTok was cheaper on average for reach, website clicks and leads.
Meta got more engagement for every dollar spent.
In other words, Meta is still the default, but TikTok is worth testing if you want to reach new people for less.
How to choose your two platforms
Where are your customers? Ask them. Look at where your enquiries already come from.
What's your content? Visual work suits Instagram. Expertise suits LinkedIn. Video suits TikTok and YouTube.
What can you keep up? Three good posts a week on two platforms beats one post a month on five.
Tartan Social tip: start with one main platform and one supporting platform. Once you've got a routine, you can reuse the same content on more platforms without extra work.
Not sure how often to post once you've chosen? Here's our guide on how often a small business should post on social media.
Frequently asked questions
Which social media is best for a small business?
For most local businesses, Facebook and Instagram are the best starting point. B2B businesses should prioritise LinkedIn.
Do I need to be on TikTok?
Only if your customers are there and you can create short videos consistently. It's brilliant for reach, but it isn't essential for every business.
Can I post the same content on every platform?
Yes, with small tweaks. Adjust the caption and format for each platform and you'll save hours.
Not sure which platforms are right for you?
We'll look at your business and tell you, free. And if you'd rather hand it over completely, our done-for-you social media packages start from £399.
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