What Social Media Accounts Should Your Small Business Have?
Building an online presence is more important than ever. It's how people can find what you do and see how well you are at it. Between how you present yourself online and what others are saying about your business, your online presence can make a big difference in whether someone decides to choose you over someone else.
With how many social media platforms there are out there, which ones should you really get first, and what ones should you use?
Starting Point
I really think your starting point should be Facebook. There are a lot of reasons, but the main ones are groups and local communities.
It's easy to share a post to a local group or even targeted groups. I have to be in at least eight local Sandusky, Ohio groups, not including the surrounding town groups I'm in. Each group, of course, has its own rules. Some you can promote in; some you can't. I'm in one where you can only promote on Mondays if you don't live in or have your business in that city.
So what you should be doing is commenting on people's posts with your Facebook page when it's appropriate. It gets your business name out there, and people will tend to get curious. You don't always have to make a post advertising your business. Sometimes simply being helpful and having your business name attached to the comment can get someone to click on your page and see what you do.
Facebook is also a fast and easy way to have your friends and family support your business. They can like and comment on your posts and even invite people from their own friend lists to follow your page.
The page itself is great for information. You can not only keep everyone updated with posts, but on your profile you can have your business hours, other social media accounts, your website, contact information, services, and other important information.
It's also great for people who don't have a website yet. Your Facebook page gives potential customers somewhere to go to learn about your business and contact you.
Next
Even if you don't use it much, you can create and connect an Instagram account to your Facebook page. Anything photo-wise can automatically be shared to it, just making another place where your content is going.
Another attachment to Instagram is Threads. If you're already using Meta's platforms, it's another account you can claim without necessarily having to put a ton of extra work into it.
Meta Business Suite is pretty easy to use, and it even has a separate app you can download so you don't have to constantly switch back and forth between profiles. It can make managing Facebook and Instagram a lot easier, especially once you start posting regularly.
I don't think Instagram has to be your main platform. If your business is very visual, though, such as photography, crafts, clothing, food, beauty, art, or other products, Instagram can become much more important.
Huge Step
While Facebook should be your starting point, creating your Google Business Profile should be a very close step two.
Anyone searching on Google will be able to see your listing when your business is eligible for a Business Profile. So if I'm searching for lawn care on Google and you're a lawn care business that isn't showing up, I would never know you are a thing unless I saw you somewhere else.
Even if I found you on Facebook or another social media site, I might still Google your business for more information and end up finding nothing.
Google is one of the, if not the, biggest search engines out there. People use it to find businesses, restaurants, services, products, reviews, hours, phone numbers, directions, and websites.
This is especially important for local businesses. If someone searches for something like "lawn care near me," "3D printing near me," or "local cleaning service," you want there to be information available about your business.
And don't just make the profile and forget about it. Make sure your business information is correct, your hours are updated, your phone number works, your website is listed, and you add photos when appropriate. Reviews are also extremely important for building trust, so encourage happy customers to leave honest reviews.
Website
You might be thinking, "But Jellie, I can't code!!!"
Lucky for you, a lot of these things build themselves now, literally.
Sites like GoDaddy, Wix, WordPress, and many others have AI or some kind of box-and-drag, drag-and-drop system where even a new person can build their own website.
You don't need to know how to code to have a website anymore.
You just need a home page, an about page, a products/services page, and contact information. With that, you would be good to go and ready to get it out there.
Obviously, as your business grows, you can add more pages. You might want an FAQ, a blog, a portfolio, an online store, customer reviews, booking information, or anything else that makes sense for your business.
You could always reach out to someone to build it for you, too. There are many people on Fiverr who freelance and are looking to pick up a job or two. If building a website isn't something you want to learn, paying someone else to do it can save you a lot of time.
The important thing is that you have somewhere that you control. Social media platforms can change, accounts can get locked, and algorithms can change. Your website is your own little piece of the internet.
Claim Your Name, EVERYWHERE
Even if you don't plan to use every social media platform, I really urge you to just make the account.
Branding is huge.
You don't want to be beautybug on Facebook but then buglover on X (Twitter). It would be harder for people to associate those two profiles together.
Of course, with how old the internet is, a lot of names are taken, so some variations might have to be used, like beautybug on Facebook and thebeautybug on X (Twitter).
Try to keep your name as consistent as possible across platforms.
If you can get YourBusinessName everywhere, great. If you can't, don't panic. Just try to pick something that is still obviously connected to your business.
Having the same profile picture, colors, logo, and general branding across your accounts can also help people recognize you.
Here Is a Must-Have List of Socials You Should Start Off With
Facebook
Instagram
X (Twitter)
TikTok
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Like I said, you don't have to use every social media platform, but having that placeholder and having it set up like, "Hey, check out my Facebook," or "Hey, check out my website. I'm not too active on here," is a good start and a great idea.
You don't want someone else grabbing your business name later and pretending to be you.
That doesn't mean you need to spend hours every day posting on seven different platforms. In fact, I wouldn't recommend that for a new business owner. You have enough to do already.
Claim the accounts first. Then figure out which ones are actually worth your time.
Video Platforms
Is the service you do or the goods you make something satisfying to watch?
Video that and plop that thing on YouTube and TikTok.
It's a kind of promotion that isn't only great content to watch, but it's also a great way to spread your name.
People want to see what you do, how you do it, and how well you do it.
If you're a baker, show yourself decorating a cake.
If you're a 3D printer, show the printer making something.
If you're a landscaper, show the before and after.
If you make handmade products, show the process.
If you're a mechanic, show the repair.
Video can take away some of the stress and doubts people might have when choosing you over someone else. They can actually see your work instead of just reading that you do it.
And no, you don't need an expensive camera and a professional studio. A phone can make perfectly good videos to get started.
Go make a LinkedIn business page.
It's easy, can tie into your account, and you can start networking with other professionals. It might even be a great way to find employees by putting up a job listing.
Or it's just another social site to post content to.
LinkedIn is especially useful for businesses that work with other businesses, professional services, consultants, freelancers, recruiters, and other industries where networking is important.
It might not be the most useful platform for every small business, but there's really no reason not to claim your business name and have a basic page.
Don't Treat Every Platform the Same
I tend to treat each platform differently.
Facebook I see as a catch-all. Post it all.
X (Twitter) is more informational and conversation-based.
TikTok and YouTube are fun and things people want to just doomscroll and watch.
Pinterest is for promotion and discovery.
LinkedIn is professional and networking-focused.
I'm not a fan of posting the exact same content to all platforms.
You can absolutely reuse the same idea, photo, video, or information, but I think it should be changed to fit the platform you're posting it on.
A 30-second TikTok doesn't necessarily need to become the exact same thing you post on LinkedIn. A long informational Facebook post might not work on X. A pretty product photo might do great on Instagram and Pinterest.
You know your business better than anyone, so pay attention to where your customers actually are.
So, Where Should You Start?
If you're completely starting from zero, I would focus on getting these things set up first:
1. Facebook Business Page
Get your business information, contact information, hours, website, and branding set up.
2. Google Business Profile
Make sure people can actually find your business when they search for it.
3. Website
It doesn't have to be fancy. It just needs to give people a place to learn more about you and what you offer.
4. Instagram
Connect it to Facebook and use it if it makes sense for your business.
5. Claim Your Name
Set up accounts on the other major platforms so nobody else takes your business name.
6. Pick the Platforms That Actually Fit Your Business
You don't have to be everywhere. You just need to be where your customers are.
Starting a business can feel like you're supposed to do a million things at once. You don't.
Get your basic online presence established, make sure people can find you, and then build from there.
You can always add more later.
And remember, having a social media account isn't the same thing as having an active social media strategy. It's better to do a few platforms well than try to maintain everything and burn yourself out.
Your online presence is something you build over time. You don't have to have everything perfect on day one.
