If you’re a small business owner, you’ve likely felt the shift. A few years ago, social media felt like a digital billboard—you posted your flyer, maybe boosted it for twenty bucks, and waited for the phone to ring.
But in 2025, the ground has moved beneath our feet. Social media isn’t just a part of the internet anymore; for millions of consumers, it is the internet.
At Flyt Creative, we don’t just watch these trends—we obsess over them so you don’t have to. As we look at the data shaping our industry right now, one thing is clear: having a Facebook page is no longer a strategy. It’s a prerequisite. The real game is happening in how you use it.
Here is a deep dive into the state of social media for small businesses in 2025, and why your business can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.
The “New Search Engine” Isn’t Google
For two decades, “Googling it” was synonymous with finding a business. If you needed a plumber in Murrells Inlet or a boutique in Charleston, you went to the search bar.
That behavior is changing faster than most business owners realize. Recent data reveals that 58% of consumers now discover new businesses directly through social media platforms rather than traditional search engines.
Pause and let that sink in. More than half of your potential new customers aren’t looking for you on a website; they are looking for you on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. If your social presence is a ghost town, you aren’t just missing “likes”—you are invisible to the majority of the market.
This is what we mean when we say “Words Make Worlds.” Your digital narrative is building the world your customer steps into. If that world looks empty or outdated on social media, they will simply scroll to a competitor who looks alive.
The 96% Reality Check
You might be thinking, “My industry is different. I don’t need to be an influencer.”
Here is the reality check: 96% of small businesses now use social media as part of their marketing strategy. This means your competitors are already there. The crowded marketplace isn’t coming; it has arrived.
However, usage doesn’t equal success. While 96% of businesses are present, far fewer are effective. This is where the opportunity lies for your business. Most are just making noise. You have the opportunity to make a connection.
Video: The Non-Negotiable Currency of Trust
If you’ve been hesitant to get in front of a camera, 2025 is the year to rip off the bandage. Short-form video (Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts) has firmly established itself as the most high-leverage content format.
Why? Because trust is the new currency.
Static images are easy to fake. Stock photos are easy to ignore. But video? Video conveys tone, expertise, and humanity.
- Engagement Dominance: Instagram Reels and TikTok videos see engagement rates that dwarf static photo posts.
- The “Un-polished” Advantage: The trend in 2025 isn’t high-production TV commercials. It’s raw, authentic, “behind-the-scenes” content. People want to see the face of the founder, the messy desk, and the real process.
For our clients at Flyt Creative, we emphasize that you don’t need a film crew. You need a perspective. Showing up authentically beats showing up perfectly every single time.
Social Commerce: The Storefront is Everywhere
Another massive shift we are helping clients navigate is the collapse of the sales funnel. It used to be a long journey: See ad -> Click link -> Go to website -> Browse product -> Add to cart -> Checkout.
Now, platforms are removing the friction. With integrated shopping features, a user can go from “discovery” to “purchase” without ever leaving the app.
- 50% of Gen Z consumers have purchased products directly on social platforms in the last year.
- Impulse buying is driven by social validation. When a user sees real people using your service or product, the barrier to entry drops significantly.
If you are selling products, your social media feed is your second storefront. If you are selling services, it is your portfolio and your testimonial page rolled into one.
The “Flyt” Perspective: Cohesion is King
So, where do you start? It’s easy to look at these stats and feel the urge to try everything at once. We need a TikTok! We need to dance! We need an influencer!
Breathe.
At Flyt Creative, our philosophy is that digital marketing is not about individual disciplines. It’s not just about SEO, or just about Social, or just about Paid Ads. To be truly effective, you must look at your entire web presence as a single, living ecosystem.
Your social media should feed your SEO by driving traffic. Your website should feed your social media by capturing emails. Your paid ads should retarget the people who engaged with your organic videos.
3 Steps to Take Today
- Audit Your “First Impression”: Open your business’s Instagram and Facebook profiles. If a stranger landed there today, would they know exactly what you do and how to buy from you within 3 seconds? If not, fix your bio and your pinned posts immediately.
- Commit to “Face Time”: Challenge yourself to post one video this week where you—the owner—speak directly to the camera about why you do what you do. Watch the difference in engagement.
- Call in the Experts: You know your business. We know the digital landscape. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, let’s build a strategy that actually makes sense for you, not just one that chases trends.
Social media in 2025 isn’t about going viral. It’s about being valuable. Let’s make sure your business is the one they find.