What is the best social platform for a small business?

Every small shop gets told to be everywhere at once. In practice you pick one or two, so which ones pay back the hours?

1

TikTok

The platform where a one-person business can reach strangers without buying ads or building a following first.

2

Instagram

The shop window most small businesses build first, with a grid, stories and direct messages in one place.

3

Facebook

The platform still holding local groups, event listings and the Marketplace many small sellers live on.

4

YouTube

The platform where a how-to video keeps bringing in customers years after it is posted.

5

Pinterest

The platform where pins keep sending traffic long after posting, especially for craft, food and interiors.

6

LinkedIn

The platform that works when the customer is another business rather than a shopper.

7

X

The platform for fast replies, customer service in public and staying in the news cycle.

8

WhatsApp Business

The messaging app that handles orders, catalogues and customer chats in markets where email is dead.

9

Nextdoor

The neighbourhood app where a recommendation travels between people who live streets apart.

10

Reddit

The platform of niche communities, where an honest answer in the right subreddit outperforms an ad.

11

Threads

The text platform Meta launched in 2023, tied to an Instagram account a business already has.

12

Snapchat

The platform with a young audience, local ad targeting and branded lenses that cost little to run.