If you’ve been in business for more than five minutes, you’ve probably been told: “You need to be on social media!”
But is it really for everyone? And if you run a small or growing business in 2025, chances are you’ve already asked yourself this question: is it worth the time, effort, and sometimes the money? and Do I really need social media for my business?”
It’s a fair question. Between running operations, keeping customers happy, and actually delivering your products or services, adding “managing social media” to your to-do list can feel overwhelming. But here’s the reality; social media is no longer just an optional extra. It’s a major player in how customers discover, interact with, and decide to trust your brand. And yet… it’s not all sunshine and viral TikToks. Social media has huge benefits but also serious challenges you need to understand before you jump in.
Let’s break it down, with research-backed facts and some real-world business insight: The real pros and cons of social media for business, drawing from industry experts like Andrew Macarthy (500 Social Media Marketing Tips) and Michelle Krasniak, Jan Zimmerman & Deborah Ng (Social Media Marketing All-in-One for Dummies), along with our own experience running campaigns here in the UK.
Why Your Business Might Need Social Media Marketing
Let’s get real: social media isn’t just a trend, it’s where your customers already are. Whether you’re in London, Manchester, or Newcastle or any other places around the world, your audience is scrolling Instagram while waiting for the bus, checking Facebook while having coffee, or watching YouTube videos in bed.
Over the past decade, social media has completely transformed the marketing game. And the stats don’t lie:
- 74% of adults use social networking sites (PewInternet, 2014)
- 91% of marketers say it increases exposure (Social Media Examiner, 2015)
- Facebook alone has 2.6 billion active monthly users (Statista, 2020)
And in 2025, social media it’s not just about scrolling. The platforms have evolved into full shopping and service hubs. From Facebook Shops to Tiktok shop live or Instagram Checkout, you can now sell directly on social platforms without customers even leaving the app.
Social media gives you the chance to:
- Build relationships with customers and industry peers
- Increase brand awareness faster than traditional word of mouth
- Drive sales directly via shoppable posts, ads, and links
The Benefits of Social Media for Small Businesses
From our own campaigns at Otinga Marketing, plus what the experts say, here are the top benefits:
- Reach a Massive Audience – social media users are massive, and this give an opporyunity for a company to use the platform to reach their target audience effectively through the right strategies and planning. You can reach thousands (or millions) of people for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.
- Cost-Effective Marketing – Even small budgets can get big results. Social media has one of the lowest cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) compared to traditional marketing , as low as £2.50 in some cases. That’s four times cheaper than most offline ads. SEO Tip: Use geotags, local hashtags, and location-based targeting to get seen by people in your city or region.
- Boost Your Branding & Name Recognition Branding isn’t just for big companies. Whether you’re a small cafe in Leeds or a marketing agency in Birmingham, being recognised is half the battle. Social media lets you:
- Put your name in front of the right people
- Join local and niche groups
- Build a consistent visual identity
- Engage in Real Conversations Unlike TV or print, social media is two-way. People can comment, ask questions, and share your content. This builds:
- Trust (you’re not just a faceless brand)
- Engagement (longer conversations = stronger relationships)
- Word-of-mouth marketing (people tag their friends, recommend you, and do your marketing for free)
- Sell Without Being Pushy Platforms like Instagram and Facebook now allow:
- Direct checkout
- Shoppable posts
- Limited-time offers
- Promo codes
And if you’re in the music, event, or product space, niche platforms like SoundCloud, Eventbrite, or Etsy integrate directly with social sales tools.
- Support Your SEO & Google Ranking Every time your brand appears on social media, that’s another signal for search engines.
Social media posts can:
- Show up in Google search results
- Generate inbound links to your website
- Drive real traffic into your funnel
- Global Reach with Local Targeting Social ads allow you to reach people in your neighbourhood, your city, or across the world, all from one dashboard.
The Downsides (and What No One Tells You)
Here’s where we keep it honest. Social media isn’t magic. And it’s definitely not free even if you never run a paid ad.
- Time Commitment Setting up a Facebook page is easy. But you can’t “set and forget” social media. It’s involve and ongoing effort, you need to always keep it updated, planning and creating new content every week and engaging with the audience such as replying to comment.
- Pay-to-Play Environment With so many businesses nowadays fighting for customer attention, you need fresh, high-quality content to stand out because content fatigue is what society facing today. And also, most platforms limit your reach unless you run ads. That means your “free” marketing might still need a budget.
- It Can Be a Distraction Without discipline, you can spend hours scrolling instead of selling and clear goals, social media can become a time drain with little measurable ROI.
- It Requires Skills From content creation to analytics, it’s not just about posting, it requires skills like video and photo editing as well as strategy.
How to Decide if social media is Right for Your Business
Not every platform will suit every business. You don’t have to be everywhere — you just need to be where your customers are. So… Should Your Business Be on Social Media?
Here’s our advice:
- YES, if your audience spends time there, you’re ready to commit long-term, and you want to build brand loyalty.
- NO if you can’t dedicate the time or resources, or if your ideal clients aren’t active on social platforms.
You can always ask yourself these questions before decided to be on a social media:
- Who is my target audience?
- Which platforms are they using most?
- Do I have the time or resources to post and engage consistently?
- Am I willing to invest in paid ads to get results faster?
If you’re not sure, start small. Pick one main platform, learn it, test it, and scale up when you see results.
We also have created a Decision Guide for Small Businesses — packed with checklists and a self-assessment tool to help you decide whether social media is right for your business or not?
