Which Social Media Sites Fit Your Business Plan?

Posted by Somedia on in Guides & How-Tos

Social media app icons on the screen of a smartphone lying on a wooden table
Social media app icons on the screen of a smartphone lying on a wooden table. Photo: mikemacmarketing, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Are you in charge of social media for your business? Then you have probably compared notes with other business owners and heard a dozen different answers about which networks matter. To cut through the noise, treat each new platform the way a cat treats a cardboard box: stop, circle, examine it, and if it fits, sit.

These guidelines will help you decide where your business should sit.

Your business should be on Google Business Profile if...

...you have a physical location or serve a local area. Strictly speaking it is not a social network, but your profile, photos, posts and reviews appear in Google Search and Maps, and for local businesses that is often the most valuable listing of all.

LinkedIn, if...

  • you sell to other businesses;
  • you publish articles that show expertise;
  • you want to recruit.

Facebook, if...

  • you sell to consumers;
  • you want the broadest possible audience, including older age groups;
  • you can answer questions and messages promptly.

Instagram, if...

  • your product is visual or can be filmed creatively;
  • your customers are under about 45;
  • you can commit to regular, good-looking photos and short videos.

TikTok, if...

  • you can make short, entertaining videos often;
  • you are comfortable showing people and personality rather than polished ads.

X and Threads, if...

  • you have news, live events or opinions to share in real time;
  • your executives or staff are recognised experts in your field.

Pinterest, if...

  • you sell products people plan around: weddings, home, food, fashion, travel.

YouTube, if...

  • you can produce useful videos, such as how-tos, reviews or tours, and keep doing so.

A note for regulated industries: alcohol, finance and gaming brands should check each platform's advertising and age-restriction rules before choosing it. Some networks are excellent for organic community building but strict about paid promotion, which changes the plan entirely.

Start with two or three networks you can run well. A neglected profile does more harm than no profile at all.