16 Best Social Media Platforms to Market and Scale Your Business in 2025

Bad news, folks— there is no universal “best” social media platform. The good news? There is a best social media platform(s) for you and your business, you just have to find it! We consider the best social media platform for businesses one that aligns with your business objectives and connects your with your target audience.

I know, I know. It’s a lot easier said than done, especially when there are so many different platforms to choose from. Fear not, because today we’re exploring some of the best social media sites for businesses in 2025, from microblogging sites and lively discussion forums to the classics like Facebook and Instagram.

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17 best social media platforms in 2025

Take a look at the best social media platforms for businesses, and keep reading to get a closer look at each:

1. Facebook

• MAU: 3 billion
• Platform type: General-purpose social network 
• Content formats: Text posts, images, videos, stories, carousels, polls, live streams, Facebook Groups, and product listings 
• Ideal for: eCommerce stores, retail brands, non-profits, B2C companies, educators, and local service businesses 

Facebook offers something for everyone, including diverse advertising opportunities for the 89% of global marketers who already use the platform. It’s the largest social media platform globally and among the biggest local business directories, which makes it a crucial part of any successful social media marketing campaign. 

Businesses can leverage Facebook as their all-in-one marketing, advertising, and communications platform. How? You can use Facebook to build brand awareness, run highly targeted ads, manage customer interactions, and sell products and services.

So what makes Facebook the best social media platform for small businesses?

• It supports a wide variety of content formats.
• It facilitates deep community building and customer engagement through features like Facebook Messenger and Facebook Groups.
• It has a wide demographic range that connects you with younger and older consumers.
• It includes many business-friendly features, including messenger automation, appointment scheduling, and access to detailed analytics.
• It allows selling products and services right on the app through catalog ads, product tagging, and Facebook shops.

Unfortunately, Facebook algorithms limit your organic reach. However, you can bypass this hurdle with paid ads through Meta Ads Manager, which helps you drive paid traffic immediately. 

2. YouTube

• MAU: 2.5 billion
• Platform type: Video sharing platform
• Content formats: Long form and short form videos, livestreams, shorts, community polls, images, and text
• Ideal for: B2C, B2B, e-commerce, tech companies, educators, influencers, SaaS brands

YouTube is the quintessential video marketing platform with a huge audience and rapidly growing content formats. It’s the best platform for your business if you’re looking to educate your audience through product reviews, instructional videos, case studies, and other behind-the-scenes content for your brand.

YouTube has the potential to bolster your business growth as it can be viewed as a search engine, content hub, and reliable marketing channel. There are many reasons to choose YouTube as one of your preferred marketing channels. Here are some:

• YouTube videos appear in Google search results, improving your search visibility. 
• Combine that with YouTube ads and Shorts, and you’ve got plenty of room for potential with a YouTube marketing campaign.
• YouTube videos have a long shelf life and continue driving traffic and leads years after publishing.
• YouTube Studio offers rich analytics that comprise views, watch time, engagement rates, and demographics.

On the flip side, YouTube may not be your ideal marketing platform if you’re looking for a platform that drives instant results, it takes time to drive revenue. Additionally, B2B brands with a niche audience may not gain traction from the platform unless they invest heavily in the quality of your videos.

3. Instagram

• MAU: 2 billion
• Platform type: Visual-first social network
• Content formats: Single and carousel photos, reels, stories, live videos, notes, product tags
• Ideal for: B2C businesses in a wide variety of industries, including fashion, beauty, lifestyle, food, travel, fitness, wellness, ecommerce, and local brands

Instagram is a great platform for businesses and marketers just starting out with social media marketing because it’s home to a variety of users, from teens and Gen Zs to millennials. With plenty of content formats available, it’s easy to get started and get noticed with Instagram for business.

With Instagram marketing, businesses like yours can appeal to users with creative storytelling and unforgettable aesthetics. Instagram is also a great platform if you’re looking to build community, enhance brand awareness and drive business sales through engaging visual content.

What’s so special about Instagram for business?

• As part of the Meta Platforms family, Instagram integrates with Facebook, Threads, WhatsApp, and more to facilitate a seamless social media marketing strategy.
• It provides a visual-first platform for showcasing your brand personality, values, offerings, and experiences.
• Instagram drives the highest organic engagement rates across all social media platforms.
• It supports a built-in shopping experience through product tagging, Instagram shops, and in-app checkout. 
• It’s popular for influencer marketing, which enables you to grow your reach across a wider audience.
• It has strong community features that foster authentic relationships with followers, like stories, polls, DMs, and livestreams.

While you may be fortunate to increase your organic reach fast via Instagram, it’s inconsistent due to its dependence on the algorithm and the platform’s ranking system. It also limits link sharing on individual posts and not ideal for brands whose marketing efforts are heavily dependent on text.

4. WhatsApp

• MAU: 2 billion
• Platform type: Social messaging app
• Content formats: Text messages, voice messages, images, videos, documents, story-style updates, business catalogs, product listings, broadcast list, group chats, click-to-click chats
• Ideal for: Local businesses, e-commerce businesses, and service-based businesses, like healthcare facilities, logistic companies, and travel agencies

WhatsApp is considered one of the best social media platforms for small businesses because it allows you to streamline communication between you and your customers. It’s an organized app, with a user-friendly interface, that you can rely on to improve customer service by enabling real-time customer support.

With continuous innovations, WhatsApp is becoming increasingly reliable for personalizing business marketing, managing community updates, and showcasing products. Other use cases of WhatsApp for businesses include broadcasting limited-time offers and updating customer orders.

Here are some reasons why it’s worth having WhatsApp as part of your social media marketing strategy:

• It provides faster and more direct access to customers compared to other outreach methods like email marketing.
• It facilitates automated messaging with bots and pre-written templates for messages, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and confirmations.
• The end-to-end encryption feature helps to build trust with customers.
• It connects directly to Facebook and Instagram ads for instant messaging.

WhatsApp limits your reach because it’s not a discovery platform and limits customer reach without consent by enabling them to block and report your page. It’s also ideal for mobile, and may limit businesses that rely heavily on desktop workflows. 

5. TikTok

• MAU: 1.5 billion
• Platform type: Short-form video entertainment and discovery
• Content formats: Vertical short-form videos, stories, livestreams, duets, stitches, polls, stickers, and interactive filters
• Ideal for: B2C brands, including lifestyle, fashion, food, fitness, wellness, entertainment, tech gadgets, eCommerce, and lifestyle businesses 

TikTok is home to audiences of all interests, making it a great place to connect with people if video content is your thing. It’s the ideal platform for entertaining and engaging your audience with creative, relatable, funny, and inspiring videos. 

TikTok has the potential to help you connect with new audiences organically or through ad placements to nurture leads, increase brand awareness, and even sell products! If your target audience consists mainly of trend-aware and visual-first Gen Zs and millennials, then you’re missing out on lots of traffic if you’re not utilizing TikTok.

You can unlock many new marketing opportunities with TikTok in the following ways:

• The TikTok algorithm prioritizes discovery over follower count, giving brands of all sizes an equal opportunity to grow organically or go viral.
• TikTok users spend an average of 90 minutes daily on the app, promising high engagement rates.
• You can repurpose TikTok content for use on other platforms, like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
• Product tags and TikTok shops allow you to sell your products and services directly on the app.
• It offers many opportunities for visibility and discoverability, including challenges, viral hashtags, meme formats, and trending audio.

If you can’t keep up with the high content output, TikTok may not be for your business. Additionally, TikTok doesn’t work well for B2B companies because the content is more creative and targeted at consumers.

6. Reddit

• • MAU: 1.3 billion
  • Platform type: Forum-based discussion platform 
  • Content formats: Text posts, images, videos, and polls
  • Ideal for: Niche communities, brands looking to build credibility, startups, tech, gaming and SaaS brands

Reddit is an online community platform built up of over 100,000 subreddits or forums, dedicated to topics ranging from plant care to discussing the latest episodes of popular TV shows. It’s a valuable business communication platform due to its community-driven nature that fosters user trust and engagement. 

The platform allows businesses access to niche audiences segmented by different interests and demographics, allowing you to reach users genuinely interested in specific products and services. You can also leverage Reddit to collect feedback because users on the platform confidently share their authentic experiences, insights, and opinions. 

Here are some top reasons why Reddit is the best social media for business marketing:

• There’s a Subreddit for almost anything, so you’re likely to find various segments of your audience hanging around one forum or another. 
• Reddit posts and discussions can show up in Google search results, so it could add another layer of visibility to your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
• It offers an opportunity for content discovery as you monitor questions, discussions, and trending topics relating to your offerings and industry. 
• Reddit Ads allows you to run ultra-targeted marketing campaigns segmented by Subreddits, location, and interests. 

Reddit may not be the right platform if you operate a business in any of the following highly-regulated industries: finance, legal, or health. It’s also not for you if your brand is overly promotional because Reddit users like to downvote blatant marketing. 

7. WeChat

• MAU: 1.3 billion 
• Platform type: All-in-one super app
• Content formats: Text and voice messages, videos, images, mini-programs, and livestreams 
• Ideal for: Brands targeting the Asian or Chinese market, eCommerce companies, retailers, and luxury product brands

WeChat is the most popular social media app in China and other parts of Asia. WeChat started out as a simple messaging platform and has since evolved into an all-in-one app that allows for messaging, calls, shopping, reservations, bookings for taxis, and more!

Because popular social media platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube are banned in China, advertising on WeChat is a great alternative for brands looking to expand their reach in China and tap into Asia’s diverse audience.

Businesses can use WeChat, which provides an integrated business ecosystem that supports the creation of brand pages, publishing content, engaging users, and processing payments. Some of the most appealing features of WeChat include:

• Get consistent brand presence with WeChat Official Accounts that double as mini websites and email newsletters
• Seamless eCommerce integration with WeChat Stores and WeChat Pay
• Custom in-apps provide access to books, games, and access to many services 
• WeChat Ads unlocks highly targeted advertising and reach to precise demographics 

If you have no intention of targeting audiences in China or Asia, WeChat will not drive results for you. 

8. LinkedIn 

• MAU: 1 billion
• Platform type: Professional networking and content platform 
• Content formats: Articles, text posts, images, infographics, shot and long form videos, live streams, newsletters, document uploads, newsletters, polls, and surveys 
• Ideal for: B2B companies, consultants, professional service providers, recruiters, tech firms, and SaaS businesses 

If you’re a business-to-business (B2B) company, LinkedIn is the ultimate social media platform. With over 67 million companies and organizations, it’s no wonder that 64% of global marketers use LinkedIn as part of their social media strategy.

Linked allows you to combine organic content and paid ad opportunities to create targeted marketing campaigns that effectively reach your most valuable audiences. B2B businesses should leverage LinkedIn to connect with your niche audiences, push thought leadership content, and practice employee advocacy. 

Other unique features of LinkedIn that would make it a good fit for your business include:

• The LinkedIn algorithm rewards consistency and meaningful engagement, which boosts your reach in the short and long term.
• LinkedIn, being a professional networking platform, can help you build trust, credibility, and authority. 
• You can leverage LinkedIn ads and lead generation forms to drive qualified prospects for B2B campaigns. 
• It provides direct access to company decision-makers and C-suite executives.

LinkedIn is not reliable for B2C companies, as it may not effectively reach consumers. It also restricts you to using a formal tone, which doesn’t suit creative and edgy brands and has slower engagement rates compared to other platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

9. Telegram 

• MAU: 950 million
• Platform type: Messaging app with automation, broadcasting, and community management features
• Content formats: Text messages, images, videos, audio, chatbots, voice, and video calls
• Ideal for: Tech-savvy, edtech, crypto, finance, gaming, and SaaS businesses

Telegram is a free messaging app that doesn’t limit media sizes and is available for mobile devices and desktop computers. It’s an ideal platform for businesses looking to enable fast, secure, and large-scale communication.

You can also depend on Telegram to build powerful communities, nurture leads, and deliver content at scale. End-to-end encryption and cloud storage of files and messages allows, niche brands use the app to provide one-on-one customer support.

Businesses can leverage Telegram for a number of uses, including:

• Deploying chatbots: Telegram allows businesses to easily set up chatbots with interactive interfaces and multilingual support to automate marketing or streamline customer interactions. 
• Building interactive groups: On Telegram, you can create groups of up to 200,000 members, which you can use for community-building, engaging in discussions, and hosting interactive Q&A sessions. 
• Offering paid content: Professional service businesses like course creators and financial advisors can leverage Telegram to sell exclusive content, build memberships, and gate-keep content. 
• Messaging automation: Telegram’s Bot APIs allow sending targeted messages, personalized responses, greetings, and quick replies 
• Multi-device support: Employees can access their chats on multiple devices simultaneously to facilitate real-time collaboration from different locations.

The major limitation of Telegram is that you must drive traffic to your channel from other channels, like your website or email list, because it lacks a native search or explore function. It also lacks a built-in ad platform.

10. Snapchat

• MAU: 850 million
• Platform type: Spontaneous messaging and short-form multimedia sharing
• Content formats: Snaps, stories, spotlights, ads
• Ideal for: Beauty, fashion, tech, music, entertainment, lifestyle, and local businesses targeting younger audiences aged between 13 and 34 

Launched in 2011, Snapchat laid the foundation for the rise of short-form, vertical video content that lasts 24 hours. Known as “snaps,” content on the platform is shared between friends through private chats and public stories. Users can also explore content from other creators through 

Snapchat is the right platform for businesses marketing to teen audiences through informal, authentic, and visually appealing content. Snapchat media expire in 24 hours for one-on-one chats and after seven days for group chats.

The following Snapchat features make the platform ideal for business communication and collaboration: 

• Ephemeral (temporary) content that ensures conversations stay light, fast, and fleeting. 
• Direct-to-consumer connections via DMs, stories, and behind-the-scenes content. 
• Mobile-only audience provides access to an ever-expanding mobile-first customer base.
• Snapchat ads and influencer collaborations extend your brand’s reach.
• AR filters, geofilters, and lenses enable the creation of interactive content.

Sadly, the limited content lifespan on Snapchat reduces the long-term value. Additionally, it limits your reach to audiences under 25 years, who make up 48% of Snapchat’s active users. 

11.  X (formerly Twitter)

• MAU: 586 million
• Platform type: Microblogging platform and digital town square
• Content formats: Character-limited text posts, threads, images, videos, live audio, polls, community posts, newsletters
• Ideal for: B2B brands, media outlets, multinational corporations, non-profit organizations, government, and service-based organizations

X is a popular microblogging platform that thrives on real-time and time-sensitive interactions, short-form updates, and trending topics. Brands can use X to update their audiences on new products and services, or include it as part of their customer service efforts. 

Many social media users leverage X to offer feedback, especially when they need to escalate an issue or can’t seem to conveniently reach your business. So, you should keep an eye out for mentions and feedback on X and offer empathetic and professional responses to prevent reputational damage. 

There are numerous features of X that make it a unique marketing or advertising platform for businesses, like:

• Its text-first emphasis makes it ideal for thought leadership and hot takes
• It emphasizes the sharing of time-sensitive content, like company-wide updates, breaking news, and live commentary.
• It’s a powerful customer service hub that allows engagement through comments, reposts, and quite tweets.
• It provides access to an engaged audience already discussing trending topics they’re passionate about

While you can market your business for free on X, you can expect a fast decline in organic traffic due to constant algorithm changes and noise. Your posts also have short visibility windows, often a few minutes or hours, and you risk reputational damage from one viral post offering negative feedback.

12. Pinterest 

• MAU: 537 million
• Platform type: Visual discovery and bookmarking platform
• Content formats: Infographics, images, carousels, idea pins, and short videos
• Ideal for: eCommerce, lifestyle, food, fashion, home decor, travel, beauty, and DIY brands

Pinterest is a visual-first platform that Internet users with high purchase intent run to for inspiration, practical solutions, and ideas for food, travel, and fashion. The Pinterest feeds have a longer shelf life, meaning their relevance does not fade months after posting.

Pinterest is a search engine and social media platform that drives long-term website traffic and boosts sales. You can use it to showcase products and ideas, using striking visuals to create a highly engaged audience. 

The following are some benefits of using Pinterest for Businesses:

• Great for showcasing and selling products with product collections and shoppable pins
• Maximizes reach with opportunities to repurpose content, like blog posts, Instagram posts, or blog posts
• Optimized Pinterest content offers an SEO boost that helps your content rank on Google, too
• Enable brand discovery with the ability to link directly to your website and product pages

It’s not the platform for B2B businesses or brands in highly technical industries with low visual appeal. You should also avoid Pinterest if you’re hoping to go viral because it’s more supportive of long-term discovery. 

13. Threads

• MAU: 275 million
• Platform type: Text-first microblogging platform
• Content formats: Text posts, images, videos, and GIFs
• Ideal for: Marketing and social media agencies, SaaS companies, news outlets, beauty, and fashion brands

As Instagram’s answer to X (Twitter), Threads offers another online space for people to connect via conversation. It offers a clean and integrated microblogging experience for businesses already using Facebook and Instagram for marketing purposes.

You can use Threads to connect with your audience, foster trust, and build tight-knit communities. Threads can help you humanize your brand and establish a more authentic and unfiltered voice. Your business will enjoy using Threads because:

• It integrates with Meta platforms to facilitate cross-promotion.
• It offers more organic visibility for early adopters because it’s still in the growth phase 
• It favors authentic content, interactions, and engagement to help expand your reach 
• It complements other social media efforts to help build deeper connections 

Threads will limit your access to deep analytics because it leads to robust ad tools. Additionally, the platform lacks advertising options, which limits your reach to an organic audience only. 

14. Discord

• MAU: 154 million
• Platform type: Online community-building platform
• Content formats: Texts, voice and video chats, screen sharing, file sharing, and integrations
• Ideal for: Tech-savvy audiences, brands in need of tight-knit communities, creator-driven businesses, gaming, SaaS, and NFT brands

Discord was originally designed as an online community platform for gamers. Today, it’s being adopted by businesses in a wide variety of industries, including educational institutions, fintech companies, and startups.

On Discord, users can communicate with other people in real time via voice and text chats, create servers, and join different communities. It’s an easy-to-use, customizable platform meant to connect business owners with people all around the Internet who share interests, products, and services. 

Here are a few reasons why your business will stand out when you use Discord:

• Create private, branded communities or servers around your offerings, niche interests, projects, and departments 
• Allows the use of real-time voice and video messaging 
• Basic features are free, making it a cost-effective communication tool 
• Ideal platforms for hosting online events like product reveals, Q&A sessions, workshops, and webinars
• Get access to detailed analytics and insights to track key metrics, like message frequency and user engagement

If your business services an older audience that’s not tech-savvy, who may find the interface challenging to navigate.

15. Nextdoor

• MAU: 88+ million
• Platform type: Hyper-localized social networking platform
• Content formats: Text, images, sponsored ads 
• Ideal for: Local, service-based, and community-oriented businesses

Are you running a hyper-localized or community-focused business targeting one specific neighborhood? Then, Nextdoor will help you connect with your audience and stay up-to-date on relevant neighborhood updates. 

To make use of Nextdoor, you need to claim your business page, then use it to connect with potential customers in your immediate vicinity. Being active on Nextdoor could help you create rapport with your local community, driving organic recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing.

Nextdoor has a few unique features that stand out and make it the best social media platform for businesses of all sizes:

• Free business pages that you can use them to showcase your services and gather recommendations and reviews
• Allows targeted advertisements to specific neighborhoods and audience demographics
• Offers numerous community engagement opportunities, including a chance to participate in neighborhood discussions and access to customer reviews 

Unfortunately, Nextdoor’s reach is limited beyond your local area, and engagement rates are solely dependent on the neighborhood. 

16. Twitch 

• MAU: 7.2 million 
• Platform type: Live streaming platform 
• Content formats: Live streams, video-on-demand (VOD), subscriber-only content, clips, live chats
• Ideal for: Tech, eCommerce, lifestyle, entertainment, media, and gaming brands

Twitch is a game-streaming platform that lets users tune into live streams and have real-time conversations with other viewers and streamers. It provides you with access to niche audiences and an opportunity to build a sense of camaraderie around your channel.

Twitch is the perfect social media platform for businesses with strong personalities and a community-driven branding strategy. The platform offers unique opportunities for real-time engagement, influencer marketing, and brand awareness. 

You can use Twitch to host live product launches or reviews, live entertainment sessions, behind-the-scenes streams, and interactive tutorials or classes. The platform has numerous perks that you can leverage for lead generation:

• Advertising ops: Twitch unlocks diverse advertising opportunities with features, like display ads, pre-roll ads, and sponsored streams. 
• Niche targeting: Businesses targeting Gen Z and millennial markets gain access to engaged audiences interested in gaming, tech, and lifestyle products and services.
• Ripe for influencer marketing: Partner with relevant Twitch streamers to showcase your products or services live, allowing you to reach a dedicated fan base. 
• Discoverability: A huge selling point for Twitch is that the platform has discoverability features, such as recommended streams and categories, which help you reach new audiences.

On the flip side, with Twitch, you cannot target older and non-tech-savvy audiences who may be unaware of the platform and unfamiliar with the user interface. It’s also not the platform if you’re targeting B2B corporate buyers because it’s too informal and more suitable for consumer-focused brands.

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Use the best social media platform (and agency) for your business

The social media space is characterized by constant evolution. There’s a new platform every other day, and you can never tell when your favorites will experience drastic algorithm changes. Keeping up with these changes can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have the experience and expertise to. 

But you don’t have to do it alone! Outsource to WebFX, a leading social media management agency, we’ll handle all your social media needs to ensure you’re visible where it matters most to you. When you work with us, we help you choose the best social media platform for you based on your business needs and target audience.

We have a dedicated team of 45 social media marketing strategists who’ve helped thousands of businesses grow their visibility, engagement, and revenue by utilizing the right social media platforms for them. Call us today at 888-601-5359 to talk to one of our expert strategists or request a social media management quote for free. 

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