Social media marketing can seem overwhelming for small business owners trying to keep up with user trends and relevant updates on every platform.

Yet following social media best practices is essential to your company’s sales strategy. Here’s insight from marketing specialists and the platforms themselves on how your small business can optimize content and get in front of more potential customers.

Don’t Rule Out LinkedIn 

While LinkedIn may not be at the top of your mind when it comes to social media marketing, it might be time for your small business to take another look. This is particularly true if you're targeting consumers in the 25 to 44 age group, or sell your products and services to other companies.

Social media analyses point to LinkedIn as more than a professional network. Instead, says a report by Social Insider, it should be viewed as a “full-scale content engine.”

 “With organic reach still very much in play and user engagement continuing to increase, brands are doubling down on the platform,” explains Social Insider’s 2025 LinkedIn Benchmarks Study. “But the question isn’t whether to show up on LinkedIn — it’s how to show up in a way that drives real results.“

LinkedIn reports more than 1.2 billion members, including 234 million-plus in the U.S., and the platform recorded 1.77 billion monthly visits worldwide in February. 

The platform is more popular among men, with that demographic making up 56.9 percent of LinkedIn's user base, says research shared by social media management company Sprout Social.

According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index, more than 43 percent of consumers have profiles on LinkedIn, and a quarter of users interact with brands daily on the platform, the report says.

The platform offers marketing opportunities for a range of small businesses, but particularly for those selling to other companies. A Statista survey cited in a Sprout Social blog says LinkedIn is the top platform for B2B marketing, with 44 percent of professionals ranking it as their most important social media platform.

“Part of the reason why it's in this position is that LinkedIn helps you reach decision-makers," says the blog by Jacqueline Zote.

According to LinkedIn's marketing page, four out of five members drive decision-making at their companies, and users have two times the buying power as the "average web audience."

Keep Thinking Algorithms

Engagement still reigns on most platforms as fuel in the calculation of algorithms, which influence content recommendations, rankings in search results, etc.

This means increasing engagement should remain a key piece of your company's social media strategy.

The type of content is important, but so is the timing. Seek out information on the best times and days to post on which platforms to see when and where your followers and other users are reportedly most active.     

Even with Instagram's recently announced algorithm changes, your timing remains crucial, says a blog posted in late March by Sprout Social. 

"A captivating post can get lost if it’s published when your target audience isn’t active,” writes Sprout Social SEO strategist Mary Keutelian.

The best times to post on Instagram, the blog says, are generally Mondays through Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

On LinkedIn, according to Sprout Social research, the best days to post are Tuesdays through Thursdays. Mornings are typically ideal, with most engagements happening around 10 AM, it says.

Post Shorter Videos

As far as the type of content drawing engagement on social media, the trend for shorter videos continues across platforms. 

For example, LinkedIn users are more likely to engage with videos shorter than 15 seconds compared to short-form video that's 15-30 seconds long, says the report by Sprout Social.

According to research, videos get the most shares on LinkedIn. “The more shares you get, the more people you’ll reach,” writes Zote in a Sprout Social blog.

Interact More

Small businesses can help increase engagement on social media if they take the initiative to interact more with users.

Engagement goes both ways, notes Hootsuite social marketing specialist Eileen Kwok. “Take the conversation further in the comments.”

Reply to as many comments as you can, even if it's just to say thank you to someone who made a positive comment, she suggests. 

“Consider including a CTA or posing a question in your caption,” Kwok says in a Hootsuite blog by Alyssa Hirose in April about Instagram algorithms.

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For more about social media best practices, explore why small businesses should prioritize customer service on social media.