Worst to Best: The Social Platforms You Should Be Using (And My Honest Thoughts)

I’ve run a social media agency for four years and worked in digital marketing and PR for over a decade, so I’ve seen every social platform evolve (and, in some cases, completely fall apart). Some are still worth your time, some are frustrating but necessary, and others feel like they exist purely for people to show off.

Whether you’re a brand, a public figure, or a business, choosing the right platform is key. Here’s my ranking, plus who they’re good for and whether they’re worth using for paid ads.

1. Twitter (X) – A PR Disaster Waiting to Happen

Best for: Public figures, media, sports, politics, customer service

Paid ads: Not worth it. Many brands have pulled out

I used to check Twitter first when a big event happened—terror attacks, breaking news—but now? I don’t bother. Instead of reliable updates, it’s flooded with graphic, horrifying, and completely unregulated content.

Twitter was always chaotic, but it used to be controlled chaos. Now, it’s driven purely by outrage and who can pay to be seen. People can buy a blue tick and spread misinformation unchecked, and there’s no proper moderation anymore.

It’s also exhausting. A brand makes one mistake, and suddenly, the replies are full of people demanding they be shut down, arrested, or worse. Some brands have pulled off a personality-driven approach on Twitter (Wendy’s roasting people, Ryanair’s snarky tweets), but for most businesses, Twitter is a PR minefield.

I also used to use Twitter for news. If something major happened, I’d search it on Twitter for real-time updates. Now? It’s full of the most graphic clips imaginable. No warning, no context—just horrific videos of events that would never have been allowed a few years ago. I now use Reddit instead when something big happens because at least there, people provide actual context and discussion rather than just shocking clips for engagement.

Prediction: Brands Will Be Cancelled for Using Twitter in a Few Months

I predict that in just a few months, we’ll start seeing brands publicly shamed for even having a presence on Twitter. It’s becoming too toxic to ignore, and companies will soon be pressured to cut ties completely.

2. LinkedIn – The Home of Fake Engagement, AI Pep Talks, and Wannabe Steven Bartletts

Best for: B2B brands, recruiters, consultants, corporate professionals

Paid ads: Effective for B2B but overpriced

I really struggle with LinkedIn. It’s shallow, fake, and exhausting. Engagement isn’t real, it’s self-serving networking. People comment not because they care, but because they know it’ll show on their feed.

It feels like the ones shouting the loudest on LinkedIn are just trying to convince themselves everything is brilliant. The most successful business people I’ve met? Never use LinkedIn. They don’t have time, I suppose ha ha.

The classic LinkedIn post:

• A job interview miracle—"I ran over a grandma on my way to an interview. Turns out, she was the CEO’s nan. Got the job."

• Forcing a selfie with employees, nothing says ‘great company culture’ like forcing employees to smile for a bosses LinkedIn post. (Heads up, they don’t want to be in the photo… But they want to make sure they still get paid next month so they pose for your ego.)

• The manager who lets employees leave 20 minutes early on a Friday—and expects a medal.

• The ultimate humble brag (not very humble, to be honest)—"I’m so proud to have been invited to speak at this incredible event!" (Event name is nowhere to be seen).

How to Spot a ChatGPT-Generated LinkedIn Post

LinkedIn is flooded with AI-generated posts these days. If you see any of these, assume ChatGPT had a hand in it:

• Phrases that sound like a TED Talk script: "In today's digital landscape…", "It’s important to remember…", "We must all strive to spearhead innovation…"

• Weirdly polished and very cringe corporate words no one actually says: Elevate, Powerhouse, A-Player, Leverage, Synergy, Spearhead, Thought leadership, Delve

• British people now speaking with American Grammar and spelling

• A bulleted list followed by a “thoughtful” summary paragraph

• A motivational speech about resilience… for no reason

• Emojis that scream “AI wrote this”: 🚀🚨 ✅ 🟢 📈 📹 💡 🎉 🔥 ⏳ ✔️ 1️⃣ 2️⃣ 3️⃣

If I see emojis at the beginning of paragraphs, I know ChatGPT wrote them.

3. Bluesky – Twitter’s ‘Clean’ Twin or Another Doomed Experiment?

Best for: Public figures, B2B brands, professionals looking for a Twitter alternative

Paid ads: Not available yet

Bluesky was created by Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s co-founder, as a decentralised alternative to Twitter. The idea was simple: take what made Twitter work, strip out the chaos, and build something more user-driven. No single company owns it, which, in theory, should prevent the power struggles and algorithm nightmares that have plagued Twitter.

Sounds great, right? The problem is social media history is littered with ‘Twitter alternatives’ that went nowhere. Mastodon? Too complicated. Parler? Became too political. Threads? A Facebook group with extra steps.

Bluesky is different because it actually feels like Twitter before it fell apart—cleaner, quieter, and without the endless "For You" doomscroll. Trolling and bot activity are lower (for now), and engagement feels more genuine. There’s an early sense of community, similar to how Twitter felt in its first few years.

That said, the platform is still small. It’s growing, but it hasn’t hit critical mass yet. If it does, it could be a lifeline for public figures, journalists, and brands that need a place for quick, controlled statements without the mess of Twitter. If it doesn’t, it’ll join the long list of platforms that people tried for a few months before drifting back to their usual feeds.

I feel hopeful about Bluesky because it’s so needed. Twitter’s unpredictability has left a huge gap, and brands, journalists, and public figures desperately need a reliable, professional alternative. If Bluesky can scale properly and avoid the mistakes of its predecessors, it might just be the platform that sticks.

4. TikTok – Viral Goldmine, Sales Graveyard

Best for: Creators, entertainment brands, fast trends, awareness-driven marketing

Paid ads: Unpredictable. Great for visibility, terrible for conversions

When you first create a TikTok account, you might notice your first few videos get decent views and likes. This is not because your videos are brilliant (they might be, but I haven’t seen them, so who knows). It’s because TikTok’s algorithm boosts early content to get you hooked. It’s a classic casino strategy—give you a win early on so you keep playing.

For a social media agency, this is a nightmare. Trying to explain to clients that their first few videos got thousands of views because TikTok was reeling them in—and that their sudden drop in engagement isn’t because they "lost their touch"—sounds like the worst excuse imaginable. But it’s the truth. TikTok rewards new users with visibility, and then? It makes them work for it.

Once you’re past that honeymoon phase, TikTok becomes a relentless content machine. If you don’t constantly post and adapt to trends, your engagement drops. The algorithm doesn’t care about consistency, loyalty, or audience-building—it’s just a never-ending cycle of "what’s viral today?"

We worked with a client who had 30 million followers on TikTok and 2 million on Instagram. They promoted the same product on both platforms and sold:

• 38 products on TikTok

• 286 products on Instagram

The numbers speak for themselves. TikTok followers don’t mean much when it comes to actual conversions. People scroll, watch, move on. Even influencers with millions of followers struggle to get their audience to click a link, let alone buy something.

Because I run a booking company, I always advise clients to not focus on an influencer who only has a following on TikTok. The numbers seem impressive, but from a business perspective, they’re quite meaningless. TikTok might make someone look huge, but when it comes to selling tickets, products, or anything requiring a loyal audience, it rarely delivers. If an influencer is only big on TikTok, the financial return is usually disappointing.

The other issue is that TikTok fame is brutal. It’s short-lived, unpredictable, and unforgiving. I actually worry about people who experience the very fast high and even faster low of TikTok fame. One moment, they think they’re a famous influencer, and within months? Completely forgotten. Engagement drops like a rock, often overnight.

If you’re planning to use TikTok for your brand, know what you’re getting into. It’s a short-term numbers game, not a long-term community builder. The people who win on TikTok are the ones constantly posting, adapting to trends, and treating it as a full-time job. If that’s not your strategy, you’ll struggle to get lasting results.

5. Facebook – Outdated for Some, Essential for Others

Best for: B2C brands, local businesses, e-commerce, community groups

Paid ads: Still the most successful for our clients at Honest London

Facebook might not be the shiny new social platform anymore, but from a business perspective, it still delivers some of the best ad results out there. While it’s not as popular among younger demographics in the UK and US, it’s still heavily used across Europe by all age groups.

For brands targeting 36+ audiences, Facebook is often unbeatable. It’s the one platform where paid ads still consistently convert, particularly for B2C and e-commerce. The targeting options are more refined than most other platforms, and brands can still get high returns on ad spend.

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One overlooked area of Facebook is Groups. They’ve quietly become a goldmine for engagement. Whether it’s local community pages, niche interest groups, or customer-based communities, people are actively participating in Facebook Groups, making them an incredibly valuable marketing tool if used correctly. Brands that embed themselves into relevant Groups or create their own communities often see much better organic engagement than they would on their standard business pages.

That said, I never use Facebook personally. If my account could collect dust, it would be covered. I find the platform clunky, and I can’t get past the endless stickers and Memojis people insist on using in comments. But for brands? It’s still one of the most powerful platforms for ads and sales.

6. Reddit – The Last Social Platform That Feels Real

Best for: B2C brands, tech companies, gaming, beauty, niche communities

Paid ads: Can work, but Redditors hate obvious marketing

Reddit is completely different from every other social platform. There are no influencers, no carefully curated personal brands, no one flexing for engagement, just people talking about what they actually care about. That’s what makes it so valuable and also so tricky for brands to navigate.

If your brand fits naturally into Reddit’s ecosystem, it can be an incredibly powerful tool. Tech brands, gaming companies, and beauty brands that engage with relevant subreddits the right way can gain long-term, loyal customers. But Reddit users spot corporate nonsense instantly. A traditional ad or branded post will often get ignored, mocked, or downvoted into oblivion unless it’s genuinely useful or entertaining.

One of the best ways to use Reddit isn’t through ads but through organic engagement. Brands that actively participate in discussions, answer questions, and contribute in an authentic way can build serious credibility. It’s also an amazing platform for market research, with entire communities dedicated to discussing specific industries, products, and trends.

Personally, I love Reddit. It’s the one social platform I actually enjoy using. But even I’ve noticed a shift. In the past year, it’s felt a little less trustworthy. The press constantly pulls stories from subreddits like AITA, which has led to people writing fake posts just to go viral. While it’s still the most grounded social platform, I do think some of the authenticity is slipping.

For brands, Reddit is a risk, but if used correctly, it can be one of the most effective platforms for genuine community-building and long-term engagement with niche audiences.

7. Instagram – Pay to Play, But Still Powerful

Best for: B2C brands, influencers, public figures, e-commerce

Paid ads: Essential if you want real visibility

Instagram is still one of the strongest platforms for brand-building, but it’s become increasingly difficult to grow without paying for ads. The days of organic reach being enough are long gone. If you’re not actively using Reels, Stories, grid posts, and Lives, your content will struggle to get seen.

I miss the original Instagram. It was so much better when a blurry photo of my coffee could get 1,000 likes just because I used #coffee and #london. The app felt effortless, and engagement was actually real. Now? If you’re not using every feature the app throws at you, the algorithm buries your content.

That being said, Instagram remains the best platform for turning followers into actual customers. Unlike TikTok, where users scroll and forget, Instagram users are invested in the people and brands they follow.

Instagram Shop works well, many of our clients at Honest London have seen huge success using Instagram Shop. It’s still the best platform for influencer marketing. Even if TikTok gets more views, Instagram converts better.

One of the smartest marketing strategies brands can use on Instagram is micro-influencers. While big influencers may have millions of followers, we’ve seen incredible sales come from micro-influencers who have genuine, engaged audiences. Their followers actually trust them, which makes product recommendations feel more authentic and personal. A well-placed collaboration with a smaller but highly engaged influencer often drives better conversions than working with a celebrity who has millions of passive followers.

The algorithm is ruthless. If you don’t play by its rules, your reach tanks. Meta Verified is a joke. A blue tick used to mean something. Now, it just means you paid £9.99 a month. It’s a pay-to-play platform. If you’re not spending on ads, expect low reach.

Instagram’s shopping features, influencer collaborations, and ability to create a strong brand identity make it a must-have for businesses. But it’s not as effortless as it once was.

Final Thought on Instagram

It’s frustrating, but it works. It’s the only platform where you can grow a loyal audience and actually convert them into customers. If you’re serious about branding, Instagram is still essential.

Final Thoughts

There is no perfect social media platform, but knowing where your audience is and what each platform actually delivers makes all the difference.

• Twitter (X) is a PR risk waiting to happen. It’s unregulated, chaotic, and brands will likely be shamed for using it in the near future.

• LinkedIn is just corporate TikTok at this point. Fake engagement, AI-generated pep talks, and people treating it like a networking Olympics.

• Bluesky has potential but still has to prove itself. It feels like early Twitter and is much-needed, but only time will tell if it lasts.

• TikTok is great for visibility but terrible for conversions. Going viral is easy, but selling products or maintaining long-term engagement isn’t.

• Facebook is outdated but still the best for ads. If you’re targeting a 36+ audience, it’s where you’ll get the best return on investment.

• Reddit is the most honest platform, but trust is slipping. It’s amazing for genuine discussions and niche communities, but fake viral stories are on the rise.

• Instagram is frustrating but still essential. It’s a pay-to-play platform, but it’s the only place where you can build a loyal audience and actually convert them into customers. Micro-influencers, in particular, are a goldmine for brands.

Social media success is about understanding the platforms rather than chasing the biggest numbers. Whether you’re a brand, a public figure, or just trying to stay relevant, knowing where your audience is actually engaged is the difference between wasting time and building something that lasts.