To help small businesses navigate the ever-changing social media landscape, we asked founders, CEOs, and marketing experts to share their most effective platforms and content strategies. From Messenger to Reddit, discover the top 12 social media platforms and content types that have proven successful for these industry professionals.


DEEPER DIVE: Forecasting 2023 PR and marketing trends


  • Messenger
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest
  • Yelp
  • Twitter
  • TikTok
  • LinkedIn
  • Snapchat
  • Facebook
  • Instagram 
  • WeChat
  • Reddit

Messenger 

Facebook Messenger was converted into its own program, Messenger, a few years ago. However, the app is still linked to Facebook. It may be used by all types of businesses to send newsletters, chatbot communications, and advertisements. It’s a lightning-fast method of providing customer service. This is the perspective that I hold.

Jeff Romero, Founder, Octiv Digital

YouTube

If I had to choose one platform that has positively affected my small business, that would be YouTube. SirLinksalot has a YouTube channel where we share knowledge on doing SEO and improving organic traffic to websites. The YouTube show has helped our brand build trust because we genuinely want to educate and help our targeted audience.

Nicholas Altimore, CEO and Co-founder, SirLinksalot

Pinterest

I’ve found Pinterest to be an incredibly effective social media platform for our company. It provides a unique platform for us to share insightful content in an appealing, visual manner. 

For instance, we often create and share infographics detailing various first-aid procedures. These have proven to be highly engaging for our audience and work brilliantly on Pinterest because they offer valuable information in a digestible and visually appealing format.

A notable moment was when one of our infographics, “Steps for CPR,” went viral and increased our website traffic tenfold within a week.

Haya Subhan, General Manager, First Aid at Work Course

Yelp 

Yelp has been incredibly effective for our small business in the digital marketing landscape. We found that reviews and responses resonated most with our audience on this platform. 

To illustrate, there was a situation where a client left a mixed review about our services. Instead of getting defensive, we responded constructively by thanking them for their feedback and outlining steps to improve. This response not only reassured the concerned client but also projected our commitment to customer satisfaction to potential clients. 

It’s this transparent, interactive content that has allowed us to build trust and foster a stronger community around our business on Yelp.

Joe Troyer, CEO and Growth Advisor, Digital Triggers

Twitter

Twitter is by far the most effective social media platform in building my network and reach. Its algorithm does a good job of bringing like-minded people together. With millions of active users, I was able to tap into a large and diverse audience, which helped me expand my brand visibility and reach.

I join a lot of communities and conversations on Twitter. It helps that the platform’s fast-paced nature allows for instant communication, enabling businesses to share timely updates, announcements, and promotions. These contribute to making interactions with other users more engaging.

Khris Steven, Owner and Marketer, KhrisDigital

TikTok

TikTok is a really great platform for most businesses, but especially those that focus on e-commerce. You have the ability to market your product in a unique way, while also being able to increase engagement across the platform. 

TikTok helps us to showcase our product in a real and authentic way, and you can have fun with it too. This allows you to always work on fresh and new ideas while also taking advantage of trends that can help to increase your brand awareness.

Short videos (under three minutes) are the best type of content to post on TikTok. Quicker videos gather a lot of attention and the chances of someone watching the entire video increase. We like to showcase our product as well as our customers who have used it to show other consumers its quality.

Daniel Climans, Senior Manager, Digital Marketing and Partnerships, StickerYou

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn has been an invaluable social media platform for my business. With its focus on professional networking and business-oriented content, LinkedIn has provided a powerful platform for connecting with industry professionals, establishing thought leadership, and generating leads.

In terms of content, informative and industry-specific posts have performed exceptionally well. Sharing insightful articles, thought-provoking opinions, and practical tips relevant to our niche has been a successful approach.

Also, actively participating in industry-related discussions, joining relevant groups, and commenting on other professionals’ posts have helped to expand our network and visibility. We also leverage LinkedIn’s advertising options to reach a targeted audience, promote our business, and drive traffic to our website.

By leveraging LinkedIn’s unique features, we have successfully connected with industry peers, established credibility, and generated valuable business opportunities.

Shane McEvoy, MD, Flycast Media

Snapchat

Snapchat has been an effective platform for our business, particularly for reaching a younger demographic. The platform thrives on ephemeral, authentic content, so behind-the-scenes snaps, quick product teasers, and promotional offers perform best. 

This strategy has allowed us to create a more intimate connection with our audience, promote our products in a fun and informal way, and increase brand engagement.

Aysu Erkan, Social Media Manager, Character Calculator

Facebook

Despite there being many more new and exciting social media platforms, the one social media platform that has been the most effective for our business is Facebook. 

For both organic and paid, Facebook has proved to be the most successful for us interacting with our customers one-on-one. For us, the best-performing content has been UGC or influencer-style content. This can be in both video or static imagery; however, any content with a human element has proved to be the most effective for us.

Taleisha Barker, Marketing and Communications Manager, Flowers Across Brisbane

Instagram

Since I am in the music industry, I found that Instagram is the most suitable and effective platform for my business. It has many features to showcase what I really do and how I do it, especially with the Reels option.

Putting together an Instagram Reel is a fun and effective method to exercise your creative muscles. Since music plays such an important role in every Reel, it’s a great place for me to share demos of new songs, spread the word about a new album, and share alternate takes on existing tracks.

Alan Senejani, Co-founder | Digital Marketing Director, LVL Music Academy

WeChat

WeChat began as a messaging app and has evolved into a full-fledged platform. It allows your consumers to book you or make reservations. They can also shop online, thus businesses that offer things can also benefit from this program. You can run advertising or interact with WeChat-based influencers to elevate your brand in China. This is the perspective that I hold.

Rasa Bernotiene, SEO Specialist, No Win No Fee

Reddit

As a small business owner, I’ve found Reddit to be a very effective social media platform. What works best on Reddit for my business is engaging in informative discussions within the relevant communities, hosting Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions, posting educational content, and actively participating in subreddits related to my industry. 

Authenticity and transparency are vital when interacting on Reddit. It’s about genuinely contributing to the community rather than overtly promoting my business.

Will Gill, Event Entertainer, DJ Will Gill