Best Social Media Platforms for Growing Businesses (2025)

Starting a small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) today is like setting sail on a journey, where social media serves as the wind in your sails. According to Salesforce, 48% of customers prefer using social media to learn about small businesses.

Social media looks enticing to everyone. But then the reality of social media reels in and it’s not as easy as it seems. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) steps in to help. AI allow small business owners, just like you, to focus on what they do best — running their business. In fact, 75% of marketers are already experimenting with AI or are fully implementing it.

What we’ll cover:

Social media marketing has given huge scope to SMBs in building a meaningful relationship with audiences of all different types. Out of 5.52 billion internet users, 63.8% of the world’s population are social media users. This is why social media marketing is important for growing your small business.

• It’s cost-effective: Social media marketing is cost-effective as compared to traditional marketing. It allows businesses to engage with their target audience without breaking the bank. Most social media platforms are free, and allow options to upgrade or boost posts.  
• It drives revenue growth: Social media extends beyond mere engagement — it’s a powerful tool for growth. More than 80% of marketers see a positive impact of marketing’s impact on revenue and pipeline. This impact helps them secure the budget and support they need to succeed. 
• It gets you brand visibility: Social media also improves brand visibility by bringing new customers. You can showcase products, create personal brand messaging, and share your news on feeds all around the world. 
• It boosts engagement: Social media provides a platform for real-time interaction with your customers. You can respond to inquiries, gather feedback, and address problems quickly by being where your customers live — online. 
• It helps you reach the right audience: Targeted advertising on social media platforms can help you reach specific demographics efficiently. You can tailor your marketing efforts to attract those who are most likely to convert into paying customers.

Choosing the right platforms for your business

Choosing the right social media platform can be as tough as choosing mountains or beaches for a road trip. Choosing the right platform is crucial to bring in more engagement and market your SMBs. Here are a few factors that can help you select the right platform.

Target audience

Your target audience is the group of people you want to show your content to. To target them well, you need to identify where your potential customers spend their time online. You can do it by considering their demographics, interests, psychographics, and purchasing behaviors. For example, your audience is younger adults. In this case, platforms like Instagram or YouTube can be more effective than Facebook, which tends to attract an older demographic.

Business goals

Before going online, define what you want to achieve through social media. Your goals can be increasing brand awareness, getting leads, or more customer engagement. Each platform serves different purposes. For example, LinkedIn is ideal for B2B connections, while Instagram excels in visual storytelling for consumer brands.

Content type

The type of content you want to share should align with the platform’s strengths. If you are planning to post visual-heavy content, you might thrive on Instagram or Pinterest. While those focusing on professional services might find LinkedIn more helpful.

Resource availability

Consider the resources you have for content creation and management. If your team is small, it’s better to start with one or two platforms instead of spreading yourself too thin across many.

Pro tip: AI can help you choose the right social platform by giving insights into audience behavior and preferences. AI can analyze data from various sources to identify where your target audience is most active and what content they engage with most often. By assessing your business goals against platform capabilities, AI can suggest the most suitable channels for your marketing strategy.

These are the most popular social media platforms to begin your social journey as a growing business. Pick or choose which one speaks to your and your audience most.

Facebook

Facebook, with its 2.9 billion monthly active users, stands as the titan of social media platforms. Marketers can reach a total potential audience of 2.249 billion users through Facebook. For small businesses and startups, this platform can drive brand awareness, customer engagement, and sales.

Benefits of Facebook for small businesses:

• Facebook’s large user base allows small businesses to reach a different audience. 71% of U.S. adults use Facebook regularly, providing an unparalleled opportunity for exposure.
• Unlike traditional advertising methods, Facebook offers affordable options for businesses of all sizes. You can set your own budget for ads and only pay when users engage with them.
• Facebook enables direct interaction with customers through comments, messages, and posts. This helps build community and loyalty.
• The platform provides analytics tools that help you track performance and understand customer behavior, allowing for more informed marketing decisions.

Features of Facebook to leverage:

Pages: Creating a business page on Facebook is the first step for any small business. This page acts as a hub for your brand where you can share updates, engage with customers, and promote products or services.

Groups: Facebook Groups offer a way to build community around your business. By creating or joining groups related to your industry, you can engage with potential customers personally.

Events: Events feature helps promote upcoming activities such as workshops and product launches directly on the platform. You can also use this feature to announce events, activities, offers, discounts, drive sign-ups through targeted ads and organic reach.

Ads: 89%of marketing specialists use Facebook Ads due to their effectiveness in reaching specific audiences. Facebook Ads are particularly powerful due to their micro-targeting capabilities. You can tailor your ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.

How AI can enhance Facebook management:

• With AI-driven tools, you can schedule posts at optimal times. This ensures consistent engagement even when you’re busy running your business.
• AI can analyze customer interactions on your posts to measure positive or negative sentiment, allowing you to adjust your strategies accordingly. For example, if feedback on a product launch is overwhelmingly positive, you might decide to invest more in similar offerings.
• Salesforce’s AI capabilities can analyze user data to recommend the best target audiences for your ads based on past performance metrics. This means better return on investment (ROI) on ad spend as you reach more relevant consumers.

Instagram

Instagram is no longer just a visually-driven platform about sharing pretty pictures. It has over 143.2 million users in the U.S. alone. It’s become a huge marketing platform for small businesses. 

Benefits of Instagram for small businesses:

• Instagram has one of the highest engagement rates among social media platforms, with posts receiving significantly more interactions than those on Facebook or Twitter. This makes it an ideal space for brands to build relationships with their audience.
• With 72% of users‌ agreeing to make purchases after seeing products on Instagram, the platform serves as an effective channel for driving sales and increasing visibility.
• For small businesses with limited budgets, Instagram enables organic growth through engaging content without emptying pockets on expensive advertising campaigns. A simple smartphone camera can be enough to create good visuals.
• The platform attracts a wide range of demographics, making it easier for you to reach your target audience effectively.

Features of Instagram to leverage:

Stories: Instagram Stories are a fantastic way for businesses to share real-time updates and engage with followers. In fact, 50% of Instagram users have purchased a product or service after seeing it in Stories. 

Reels: Reels allow you to create short, engaging videos that can potentially go viral. You can use Reels to share quick tips or showcase products, attracting your potential customers.

Instagram Ads: Instagram Ads shows your ads to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. You can create photo, video, carousel, and collection ads to promote your products or services.

Instagram Live: Live features give you the opportunity to connect live with your audience in real-time. You can host Q&A sessions, product demonstrations, or live events to build a community around your brand. Not just this, you can invite influencers or other businesses to collab and join your live sessions to reach a wider audience.

How AI can enhance Instagram performance:

• AI can help analyze images posted by your brand and suggest similar visuals that resonate with your audience.
• AI can recommend relevant hashtags based on trending topics and user interests, ensuring your posts gain maximum visibility.
• AI can also analyze past post performance to predict which types of content will generate the most engagement in the future.

Twitter (now X)

Twitter/X, with its 50.5 million monthly users in U.S. alone, as of 2024, is a platform for SMBs seeking to engage with their audience in real-time. It’s known for its fast-paced environment. Twitter/X allows businesses to participate in conversations, share updates, and respond to customer inquiries instantly. 

Benefits of Twitter/X for small businesses:

• Twitter/X excels at facilitating real-time conversations. 48% of U.S. Twitter/X users use it for news updates, which means businesses can join trending discussions and respond to customer inquiries as they happen.
• Many customers turn to Twitter/X for support. You can use the platform to address problems quickly, improving customer satisfaction. 
• By tweeting regularly and engaging with followers, you can boost your visibility, simply by joining the Tweets. 
• By sharing links to your websites or blog posts, you can drive traffic directly from Twitter/X. Tweeting links can significantly increase website visits and lead generation.

Features of Twitter/X to leverage:

Tweets: The core feature of Twitter/X is the Tweet itself. These are short messages that can include text, images, videos, or links. You can focus on creating engaging and informative tweets that resonate with your audience.

Threads: Threads allow businesses to share longer narratives by connecting multiple Tweets together. This feature is excellent for storytelling or providing detailed information about products or services.

Polls: Polls are a fun and interactive way to engage followers while gathering valuable feedback. You can use polls to ask followers about their questions, preferences, and choices.

Moments: Twitter/X Moments is to curate Tweets around specific events or themes. You can create a moment highlighting its participation in a festival or event, showcasing your community involvement, and driving interest.

How AI can streamline Twitter/X operations:

• AI can help generate engaging tweets based on trending topics or user interests, ensuring your content remains relevant.
• AI-driven analytics can identify trending topics within your industry, allowing you to craft timely content that resonates with your audience.
• Implementing AI chatbots on Twitter/X can streamline customer service efforts by providing instant responses to common inquiries.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the premier social media platform for professionals, boasting over 1 billion users globally. It’s the best platform for SMBs and startups looking to engage in B2B marketing and professional networking. It’s designed specifically for business interactions, making it an ideal environment for companies aiming to connect with potential clients, partners, and industry experts.

Benefits of LinkedIn for small businesses:

• LinkedIn users are mostly professionals seeking business opportunities, making it easier for you to target your ideal audience. 
• By sharing valuable content and engaging in discussions, you can establish yourselves as thought leaders in your industry. For example, a tech startup might share insights on emerging technologies, positioning itself as an authority and attracting potential clients.
• LinkedIn facilitates connections with industry peers and potential customers.You can utilize your network to find leads through mutual connections.
• With tools like LinkedIn Ads and Sponsored InMail, businesses can directly reach decision makers in their target market. In fact, 89% of marketers use LinkedIn for lead generation.

Features of LinkedIn to leverage:

Company page: Creating a Company Page is essential for establishing an online presence on LinkedIn. This page serves as a hub for sharing updates, job postings, and company news.

Articles: Publishing articles on LinkedIn allows you to share in-depth insights and establish authority in their field. It also gives you additional reach to your LinkedIn account.

Groups: LinkedIn Groups gives a platform for professionals with similar interests to engage in discussions. You can join or create groups relevant to their industry, facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities.

Jobs: The Jobs feature enables you to post job openings and attract new talent. By showcasing company culture and values through job postings, you can appeal to candidates who align with your mission.

LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning offers a variety of courses that can help you ‌develop new skills. It can be a great tool for continuous professional development to remain competitive and knowledgeable about industry trends.

LinkedIn Events: LinkedIn Events allows you to create and promote events, similar to Facebook’s events system. You can host webinars, workshops, or meetups, to engage with your audience or learn within the industry.

How AI can boost LinkedIn presence:

• AI can analyze engagement metrics to suggest the best types of content to share on your ’About Us’ page. 
• AI can evaluate your existing network and suggest potential connections based on shared interests or industries. 
• AI can analyze job postings to ensure they’re optimized for visibility and relevance. By suggesting SEO keywords or phrases that attract the right candidates, you can simplify your hiring processes.

Pinterest

Pinterest has become more than just a platform for sharing recipes and DIY projects now. With 522 million active monthly users, this platform allows you to showcase your products and services in visually appealing ways, driving traffic and sales. With its unique focus on discovery and inspiration, Pinterest is an ideal marketing tool for startups and SMBs looking to connect with potential customers.

Benefits of Pinterest for small businesses:

• Pinterest users often browse with a purpose, seeking inspiration for their next purchase. According to research, 87% of Pinners have purchased a product because of Pinterest.
• Unlike posts on other social media platforms that quickly fade from visibility, Pinterest pins can continue to drive traffic for months or even years after being posted.
• Pinterest offers affordable advertising options, including Promoted Pins, which allow businesses to reach targeted audiences without breaking the bank.
• With a wide variety of users interested in different niches, from home decor to fashion, you can find your target audience easily. 

Features of Pinterest to leverage:

Boards: Creating themed boards allows businesses to categorize their products or services effectively.

Pins: Each pin is an opportunity to showcase products with eye-catching visuals and links back to the business’ website.

Promoted Pins: Promoted Pins are a great way for you to increase visibility among targeted audiences.

How AI can improve Pinterest strategy:

• AI can analyze past pin performance data to predict which types of content are likely to resonate with your audience.
• By analyzing user behavior and emerging trends on Pinterest, AI can help businesses stay ahead of the curve by suggesting timely content ideas.
• AI can automate the scheduling of pins at optimal times based on user engagement patterns.

YouTube

YouTube is the second-most-visited website globally, with 2.5 billion monthly active users. This vast audience presents a unique opportunity for businesses to engage with potential customers through compelling video content.

Benefits of YouTube for businesses with video content:

• YouTube videos can improve search engine optimization (SEO), as Google prioritizes video content in search results. By optimizing video titles and descriptions with relevant keywords, you can increase your chances of appearing in searches, driving organic traffic to your websites.
• Video content tends to generate higher engagement compared to static content. This makes it an effective tool for nurturing leads and converting them into customers.
• YouTube allows you to showcase your products through tutorials, testimonials, and behind-the-scenes content. This transparency helps build trust with potential customers.
• Creating a YouTube channel is free, and you can produce videos with minimal equipment. Even SMBs with limited budgets can create engaging content that resonates with their target audience.

Features of YouTube to leverage:

Channels: Creating a dedicated YouTube channel allows you to showcase your brand identity and curate all video content in one place.

Playlists: Playlists help organize video content into categories, making it easier for viewers to find related videos.

Live Streaming: YouTube Live enables businesses to interact with their audience in real-time through Q&A sessions, product launches, or virtual events.

Ads: YouTube Ads offer targeted advertising options that allow you to reach specific demographics based on interests and behaviors. You can use skippable ads or bumper ads to promote products or services effectively without overspending.

Monetization: YouTube’s Partner Program encourages its users to monetize their content by earning money from advertisements on their videos. To qualify, channels must reach specific thresholds (4,000 watch hours and 1,000 subscribers) within a year.

YouTube Shorts: Shorts are like reels. You can create short-form videos (under 60 seconds) that engage viewers quickly. With short content’s rising popularity, YouTube Shorts can attract a younger audience and drive traffic to your longer videos.

How AI can enhance YouTube management:

• AI can analyze which thumbnails attract the most clicks based on viewer behavior patterns. By optimizing thumbnails for visual appeal and importance, businesses can increase click-through rates on their videos.
• AI-driven analytics can suggest content ideas based on trending topics and viewer preferences.
• AI can automate the tagging process by analyzing video content and suggesting relevant tags.

Social media management is effective when planned and executed perfectly. Here are a few best practices you can try out to market your SMB.

Consistency in posting and engagement

Having a consistent posting schedule is important to stay on top of your audience’s mind, build brand recognition, and keep your audience engaged. You can create a content calendar that outlines when and what to post across different platforms. This ensures that your messaging remains cohesive and timely, aligning with key events or trends relevant to your audience.

AI for social posting and scheduling

AI tools can enhance scheduling by analyzing engagement patterns to find out the best time for posting. Tools like Agentforce can automate the scheduling process. It can autonomously analyze data and trigger actions based on predefined rules or real-time signals. This makes it easy for you to find social media posting times and manage content calendars.

High-quality content creation

Creating high-quality content captures attention and sparks conversations. Good content includes well-designed graphics, informative videos, and compelling written posts that resonate with your audience. It reflects your brand’s professionalism but also compels people to share and interact.

AI for content ideation and optimization

Whenever you are out of ideas, just use AI prompts to give you content ideas based on trending topics and audience preferences. Additionally, you can use AI-driven analytics to get suggestions on how to improve your content performance based on engagement metrics.

Utilizing analytics for informed decisions

Analytics can give you a peek into audience behavior, engagement rates, and overall campaign performance. Regularly reviewing these metrics allows you to adjust their strategies based on what works best.

AI for predictive analytics and trend spotting

AI offers predictive analytics that help anticipate future trends and stay ahead of the competition. By analyzing past data, AI can identify patterns that can help in decision-making and adjusting social media strategy. With Advanced tools like Marketing Cloud Growth Edition, predictive AI can understand which customers are ready to buy and which customers need additional nurturing.

Responding to customer feedback and inquiries

Timely responses to customer feedback builds trust and loyalty. Engaging with customers shows that you value their opinions and are committed to improve their experience.

AI for automated responses and sentiment analysis

AI chatbots can handle routine inquiries efficiently, providing instant responses to common questions, and are available 24/7. Sentiment analysis tools can measure customer feelings about your brand based on social media interactions, allowing you to address your customers’ problems actively.

Staying updated with platform changes and trends

The social media landscape is full of updates and new trends. Regularly reviewing industry news will help you plan strategies that are relevant and trendy.

AI for real-time trend alerts

AI tools can help you monitor social media channels for real-time trend alerts, notifying you of shifts in audience interests or trend topics. This will help you to tweak content strategies quickly, ensuring they’re aligned with current conversations.

Your foundation matters the most while starting a business. If your foundations are strong, you can build anything on it. With Salesforce for small business, we make sure you have everything you need to make the most impact where it matters most. Try it out today and make your marketing efforts reach new levels.

Start your journey with a free trial of Starter today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations today to try out Agentforce.

AI supported the writers and editors who created this article.