Grow Your Brand Organically: Top Social Media Platforms for Digital Marketing in 2026

Amidst shifting algorithms and the AI revolution, the digital marketing landscape can feel like shifting tides. Or quicksand. Or somehow both? So how are you supposed to keep your business growing through organic marketing strategies when the foundation is so fluid? The first step is to choose the right foundation by honing in on the social media platforms where your customers are showing up, and then share content they’re actually interested in.

Since it’s been a while since my last deep dive, I’m donning my scuba gear and getting into all the facts and stats that show which platforms are best for businesses and brands to thrive in 2026.

Quick Note: This blog is about organic social media strategy, not paid ads or sponsorships. For that reason, I’m not going to get into YouTube because the primary digital marketing strategies on that platform are paid.

1. Facebook

While the general assumption is that Facebook is mostly reserved for Gen X and grandparents accidentally posting as Grandmaster Flash, the data speaks for itself. Facebook remains king of the hill for the most popular social media platform in 2025, with over 3.06 billion active users. The platform is primarily used by Gen X, Baby Boomers, and Millennials, but younger generations still show up from time to time. In fact, 90% of social media consumers have a Facebook profile! One of the most popular demographics on Facebook is mothers, who tend to be very active in Facebook groups specifically.

Demographics (courtesy of Datareportal):

• Most Active Users by Country: India, USA, Indonesia

• Gender (worldwide): 43.3% female, 56.7% male

• Gender (USA Only): 53.8% female, 46.2% male (data from Statista)

• Average Age: 24-34 years old

What Businesses Should Use Facebook?

Facebook ranks as the number one driver of business impact for all brands, but especially B2C/D2C business models. Similar to YouTube, a lot of this impact comes from a strong Facebook ad strategy, but an organic strategy is just as essential. Consumers place a high value on customer support, regardless of the platform. So if your ads are driving traffic but don’t have a backbone of strong customer service in DMs, posts, and comments, consumers will notice that discrepancy.

You should be using Facebook if you’re a…

• Local business

• E-Commerce business

• Service Provider

2. Instagram

When making predictions on the social media landscape for 2025, 44% of creators and marketers told Sproutsocial they would be prioritizing Instagram for their digital marketing strategy! This really should come as no surprise, since Instagram walks the line between Facebook users and TikTok users, appealing to the broadest range of generations.

Demographics (courtesy of Datareportal):

• Most Active Users by Country: India, USA, Brazil

• Gender (worldwide): 47.3% female, 52.7% male

• Gender (USA): 55.4% female, 44.6% male (data from Statista)

• Average Age: 25-34 years old (61.1% of users are under the age of 35)

What Businesses Should Use Instagram?

Consumers place a lot of stock in whether a business has an Instagram presence, using the platform to research brands and products more than any other social platform. This makes Instagram a vital platform for product-based businesses to show up. As far as your target audience, you’re most likely to find Millennials and younger here, with 6 in 10 teens having an active Instagram account.

You should be using Instagram if you’re a…

• Product-based business

• Photographer/Videographer

• Creator/Influencer

3. TikTok

Time to get into one of the most popular—and most controversial—social media platforms around the world: TikTok! The source of many of the world’s most viral videos and insane trends, TikTok is the beloved home of many teens and young adults. However, the platform has been under fire for years now with concerns over user data safety, and the platform is currently set to be banned in the US by December 16, 2025, if it is not handed over to a US-based company to manage.

Demographics (courtesy of Datareportal):

• Most Active Users by Country: USA, Indonesia, Brazil (China has its own version called Douyin)

• Gender (worldwide): 44.3% female, 55.7% male

• Gender (USA): 47.1% female, 52.9% male

• Average Age: 25-34 years old*

*The average age has trended upward in the last three years from the 18-24 bracket, likely in part because of users aging out of that bracket.

What Businesses Should Use TikTok?

The demographics get a little more complicated with TikTok because several countries have at least partial bans in place, including India (where many other social platforms are highly popular). It should also be noted that among its 1.58 billion active users, the majority are in lower-income brackets and don’t have college degrees, although part of this may be because the majority of users are teens.

You should be using TikTok if you’re a…

• Product-based business (especially those that appeal to teens and young adults)

• Creator/Influencer

4. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is among the most niche social media platforms with its heavy focus on networking and professionalism. Still, it boasts 1.2 billion registered members around the world, which is nothing to scoff at—especially if your business fits the demographic!

Demographics (courtesy of Datareportal):

• Most Active Users by Country: USA, India, Brazil

• Gender (worldwide): 43.1% female, 56.9% male

• Average Age: 25-34 years old

What Businesses Should Use LinkedIn?

It’s pretty easy to figure out which businesses would benefit the most from LinkedIn, as it’s primarily those looking for work and those looking for workers. This actually can apply to almost any business, but some—like B2B or recruiting businesses—more than others.

You should be using LinkedIn if you’re a…

• Service provider

• B2B business

• Recruiting business or agency

5. Pinterest

Pinterest is my personal favorite corner of the internet. It’s low pressure, fun to doom scroll, and highly underrated for digital marketing strategy! Pinterest is frequently used to save “inspo ideas” for weddings, baby showers, and recipes, as well as following the latest fashion and beauty trends (which Pinterest has surprisingly good predictions for to help you target your strategy even further).

While it only has 553 million monthly active users compared ot the billions the other top platforms boast, Pinterest is the 2nd fastest growing platform and has more focused demographics data than a lot of the others.

Demographics (courtesy of Datareportal):

• Most Active Users by Country: USA, India, Brazil

• Gender (worldwide): 70.3% female, 22.4% male

• Average Age: 18-24 years old

What Businesses Should Use Pinterest?

I am of the belief that any business can thrive on Pinterest (yes, even local ones) because of how it operates like a search engine, but it’s especially beneficial for e-commerce brands that appeal to women. Product-based businesses with higher ticket items may find this platform especially effective, as Pinterest itself boasts reaching 40% of US households with incomes above $150k.

You should be using Pinterest if you’re…

• A product-based business

• In the fashion/beauty industry

• In the wedding industry

How Much is Too Much? Choosing Platforms for Digital Marketing Strategy

Look, trying to focus on five platforms may sound like a lot. That’s because it is! Even with a strong repurposing strategy, trying to be active across five different social media platforms can be a lot for a small business to keep up with. When trying to decide where you should focus your resources, ask yourself these questions:

• Where is my audience most likely to show up?

• Where is my audience most likely to convert?

• What platforms work together the best?

When I say “work together,” I mean which platforms can you post the same content on the most seamlessly? For example, if you are prioritizing Instagram, it’s very easy to cross-post on Facebook. If you create a lot of video content for TikTok, you can share it on Reels and YouTube Shorts as well. The most distinctly different are LinkedIn and Pinterest, so they tend to require their own strategic approach, but if your audience is highly engaged there, then it’s worth the additional effort.

If you’re ready to outsource your digital marketing strategy so you can focus more time on your business, contact me and let’s chat!