Choosing the Best Social Media Platforms to Utilise for Your Business in 2026
- Apr 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 16
Jason Flood is a digital marketing specialist and the founder of Jason Flood Digital Marketing. He helps businesses grow through high-converting websites, social media marketing, and lead generation strategies, working with clients across Ireland and internationally.
Hello and welcome to my very first article for Brainz Magazine. My name is Jason Flood, and I operate the fully five-star-rated Jason Flood Digital Marketing. I offer digital marketing services such as website development, social media marketing, content creation, and consultancy. I hold a Master’s degree from Dublin Business School, and I’m also an international speaker, having been selected to speak at the upcoming Alicante Nomad Summit.
I’ve been in business for three years, with over seven years of experience in media prior to this, working in content creation, podcasting, script writing, and graphic design. I even tried poetry at one stage, but we’ll forget about that.
What I don’t want you to forget, however, is the power of social media and how it can transform your business, just as it did mine, and as I’ve helped it do for many other business owners.
The challenge today is that there’s almost too much information available. Between Google and AI, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and many business owners don’t fully understand the basics. That’s where I come in.
In this series of articles for Brainz Magazine, I’m going to walk you through the fundamentals. Think of this as your crash course in social media from someone who has been in the exact same position as you are now. This first article focuses on one key question: Which social media platform should you start with?
Step 1: Identify your target audience
Before choosing any platform, you need to clearly understand who your business is targeting. We typically break this into two categories:
1. B2B. Business-to-business
This is where your customers are, other businesses. For example, as a digital marketing specialist, I target business owners directly. Consumers generally aren’t looking to purchase my services, businesses are. It’s also worth noting that these services are often considered a tax write-off, which makes them even more appealing when tax season comes around.
2. B2C. Business to consumer
This is exactly what it says on the tin, you’re selling directly to the general public. A local grocery shop is a perfect example. You’re selling everyday essentials like milk, bread, and meat. And yes, before anyone says it, this applies to vegans and vegetarians too. The key point is that a general consumer isn’t going to purchase digital marketing services from me, but they will shop in your local store.
Step 2: Choose the right platforms
Now that you understand your audience, you can start selecting the platforms that best suit your business model.
Let’s break them down:
1. Facebook (B2C and B2B)
Facebook is a must-have platform. It appeals to both business models and has a wide age range, from younger users right up to older demographics.
From my experience, it’s also one of the best platforms for paid advertising. I often run ads across both Facebook and Instagram simultaneously, as they’re both owned by Meta.
2. Instagram (B2C and B2B)
Instagram is another essential platform. It works well for both B2C and B2B businesses.
I’ll admit I’m slightly biased as I love it. Reels in particular perform extremely well when done correctly. Pro tip: always ensure your reels are vertical, so they match Instagram’s dimensions.
3. TikTok (Mostly B2C)
In my opinion, TikTok is primarily a B2C platform, especially given its younger audience.
That said, I’m not saying service-based businesses can’t generate work from it, just that the chances may be lower compared to other platforms.
If you run an online business and can deliver nationwide or globally, it’s definitely worth testing. Personally, I still prefer the targeting capabilities of Facebook and Instagram.
4. LinkedIn (B2B)
LinkedIn is a fantastic platform for networking and connecting with other business owners. This is firmly in the B2B category.
One key piece of advice here is not to be overly salesy. It’s a platform built on relationships. Share updates, post about events, take photos at conferences, and tag people you meet. You’ll see far better engagement.
5. X (B2B and B2C)
X, sorry Elon, but we still call it Twitter, is a mix of both B2B and B2C, although I’d lean slightly more towards B2B.
To be honest, it’s not a platform many of my clients actively request. In most cases, we’ve used it more as a PR channel to share updates, announcements, and news. I also use it personally to keep up with global reactions to current events.
Final thoughts
So there you have it, step one in choosing the best social media platforms for your business.
Start by identifying your business model and who you’re targeting. Then choose platforms that align with that audience.
As a general rule:
Facebook and Instagram should always be your foundation
From there, test and experiment with the other platforms
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via this email. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next article.
Read more from Jason Flood
Jason Flood, Freelance Digital Marketing Specialist/Web Developer
Jason Flood is a leader in digital marketing, web design, and lead generation. Holding a Master’s from Dublin Business School, he has built a results-driven agency which is international, fully five-star rated, and award-nominated.
