Is Social Media Still the Best Tool for Business Growth?

Social Media is a superb tool for business, but should it be the only one? 

For more than two decades, social media has been the default answer for businesses looking to grow. From the early days of Facebook Business Pages to the arrival of Instagram Reels and TikTok, the advice has been simple: show up, post regularly, and customers will come. But in 2025, many business owners are quietly asking themselves a difficult question: is social media really still worth it?

As someone who trains Irish business owners in social media and digital marketing every day, I hear the frustration and have witnessed their burnout. Organic reach has plummeted (it did so, some time ago). They’re saying ads feel more expensive and seem less effective. The updates and change on social platforms are exhausting. At the same time, business owners are still feeling the pressure of actually running their own companies on top of everything else.

So, what do you think? Is social media still the best tool for growth, or has the landscape shifted?

The Promise vs. the Reality

When social media first arrived, it felt like everyone was on the same level. Small businesses could compete with big brands simply by posting up something regularly. A funny post, a creative photo, or a personal story could travel far without costing a cent.

That promise hasn’t disappeared, but the reality has changed. Algorithms now reward paid, video-first content, and constant activity. It’s no longer enough to post a picture once a week and hope for results.

For many SMEs, this creates a gap between expectation and reality. They’re told that “consistency is key” but don’t have the resources of a full-time content team. The result is stress, burnout, and underwhelming results.

The Costs of “Free” Platforms

Social media is often described as free marketing, but that’s misleading in my opinion. Even if you’re not paying for ads, there are costs:

• Time: planning, creating, scheduling, replying.
• Creativity: constantly trying to keep up with trends.
• Attention: dealing with the addictive, distracting nature of platforms.

For a small business owner, time is often the most precious resource. Every hour spent chasing customer engagement is an hour not spent improving products and services, meeting and serving customers, or developing a business or marketing strategy.

What Actually Builds Growth

Here’s the truth I share with clients: social media is just one tool, not the tool. It works best when it’s part of a bigger overall marketing strategy. Growth rarely comes from a single post going viral. It comes from building strong foundations:

• An updateable website that clearly communicates who you are and what you offer.
• An email list that you own and can use to nurture leads.
• Content that provides real value (Serve, Share & Sell), not just entertainment, and is discoverable over time.
• A strategy that builds on itself and doesn’t favour vanity metrics.

Social media can do all of this, but it needs to originate from your website.

Rethinking the Role of Social Media

So, is social media dead? Absolutely not. It still plays a vital role in discovery, relationship-building, and staying visible. But its role has shifted. Instead of treating it as the initial “go to”, businesses should treat it as:

• An online shop window: a place where new people can find you.
• A conversation tool: a way to meet and engage with your community.
• A source of credibility: your  online “social  proof” that you’re active and trustworthy.

The mistake is expecting it to do all the heavy lifting. Social media is the handshake, not the “hand hold”.

The Return of Owned Channels

One of the most interesting things I’m seeing is the return to “owned” channels: like newsletters, podcasts, blogs, and communities. These are platforms where you, not an algorithm, decides who sees your message.

Like for instance, a podcast episode can bring in new listeners years after it’s recorded. An email list gives you direct access to people who actually want to hear from you, they’re already aware of you! A well-written blog post can also rank in search results long after a reel has disappeared.

These channels don’t replace social media, but they do support these “owned” channels. Instead of pouring everything into chasing engagement, businesses can create content with a longer shelf life.

What Do I Think We Should Do?

For Irish businesses, the question isn’t whether we should abandon social media, it’s how we should use it smarter. That means:

• Prioritising platforms where your audience actually spends time. Check your analytics.
• Creating content once and repurposing it across channels. Lasts longer and gets seen more.
• Investing in skills whether through training, outsourcing, or tools that save time and energy. Everyone needs to upskill in my opinion, including me.
• Measuring impact in sales, enquiries, or relationships, not just likes. Learning to understand your own ROI.

The businesses that thrive in 2025 and 2026 won’t be the ones that post the most. They’ll be the ones that treat social media as one piece of a well-balanced strategy.

Are You Thinking More Marketing or More Social Media Marketing?

Is social media still the best tool for business growth? On its own, no. But as part of a bigger, smarter approach, it’s still essential and invaluable.

The businesses that recognise this shift, where we are moving from chasing vanity metrics to building lasting digital assets will find themselves less stressed, more resilient, and better prepared for the future.

Because in the end, growth doesn’t come from playing the algorithm’s game (I know a lot of businesses claim they can). It comes from building real connections, telling your story with purpose, and choosing the tools that work for you.

About Melanie

Melanie Boylan is a Social Media Trainer, Social Media Manager, Speaker and Digital Marketer with STOMP Social Media Training Ltd, who has been freelancing with ITN since 2016 and is on our top team.

She works with SME’s, LEO’s, ETB, Partnerships, State Bodies and Corporates throughout Ireland and collaborates frequently with other teams for events and mutual projects.

You’ll find her speaking to guests on the ITN Podcast and on The Monday Morning Marketing Podcast with her co-host Esther Ocampo, which has been going since 2020.

Melanie advocates for Tech and news in Space, STEM, Sustainability, StartUps, Social Media and Climate Change. Please note, that’s all she does.