Which social media platforms should my business be on?
Be on fewer platforms than you think. For most local businesses, that means Google Business Profile first, then Facebook, then one more chosen for where your buyers actually spend time — Instagram if your work is visual, LinkedIn if you sell to other businesses. Two well-kept profiles beat five neglected ones, because a dead page does more harm than a missing one.
Google Business Profile comes before any social network
Google Business Profile is the highest-leverage profile a local business has, and it is the one most owners underuse. It shows up in maps and local search at the exact moment someone is looking to buy. It holds your hours, your photos, your reviews, and a call button.
Treat it as a social channel, not a directory listing. Keep photos current, answer questions, and respond to reviews. If you fix nothing else, fix this one — it sits closer to the purchase decision than any feed does.
Facebook is still the default for most local businesses
Facebook remains where local customers go to check whether you exist. It carries your page, your reviews and recommendations, local group activity, and a messaging channel your customers already know how to use. For home services, trades, clinics, restaurants, and retail, it is usually the first social profile a prospect looks at.
It also doubles as the surface where local word of mouth plays out. When a neighbor asks a Facebook group for a plumber recommendation, you want a page that exists, looks current, and can be tagged.
Pick your third platform based on your buyer, not on trends
Choose the third platform by asking one question: where do the people who pay me actually spend time? Instagram makes sense if your result is visible — interiors, landscaping, aesthetics, food, fitness, salons, remodels. LinkedIn makes sense if you sell to businesses and your buyer is an owner, operator, or executive. TikTok makes sense if you have a personality willing to be on camera regularly and a younger customer base. YouTube makes sense if your buyers research before they buy and long-form explanation helps you sell.
There is no obligation to be everywhere. Every platform you add is a page someone can find stale. Say no to the ones you cannot maintain.
Wire the profiles into the rest of your system
A profile is only useful if it leads somewhere. Every platform should point to a website page that converts, and every inbound message should land somewhere a human will see it. Social DMs and comments belong in the same CRM or unified inbox as your calls and forms, so a question asked on Instagram becomes a tracked lead with a response time instead of a notification that scrolls away.
That is also how social starts feeding your other layers. The person who followed you today is someone you can invite to review you, add to your email and SMS list, or retarget with paid media later. Lasagna's Social Media Management is scoped around a small number of profiles kept genuinely current, not a wide spread of neglected ones. Book a call at /discovery/ and we will work out which platforms are worth your time.
Key takeaways
- Google Business Profile is the highest-leverage local profile — set it up before any social feed.
- Facebook is the default trust check for most local customers.
- Add Instagram if your work is visual, LinkedIn if you sell to businesses.
- Every platform you cannot maintain becomes a liability, not an asset.
- Point every profile at a converting page and route messages into your CRM.
Frequently Asked
Do I need to be on TikTok?
Only if you have someone willing to appear on camera consistently and your customers are there. TikTok rewards volume and personality, and a half-hearted account is wasted effort. If neither condition holds, put that time into your reviews, your website, or paid media instead.
Is LinkedIn worth it for a local business?
It depends on who buys from you. If your customers are homeowners or walk-in consumers, LinkedIn is usually a poor use of time. If you sell to other businesses — commercial services, B2B suppliers, professional services — it is often the strongest platform you have, because your buyer is already there in a work mindset.
What should I do with a platform I want to abandon?
Do not just walk away. Either delete the profile or leave it with accurate contact information, current hours, and a clear link to where you are active. An abandoned page with a two-year-old post and no reply to messages is worse than no page at all, because it makes a live business look closed.
Social Media Management
Consistent, on-brand posting that keeps you visible, feeds your search presence, and gives prospects a reason to trust you.