From Instagram to TikTok, social media platforms have supported business for thousands of creators and innovators worldwide. Whether you’re a jewelry designer or a content creator, these channels have probably helped you connect to customers and see your business flourish.
According to recent Forbes data, many small businesses (around 20%) continue to run their operations on social media instead of using a website. It is straightforward and hassle-free to set up, offering good visibility and quick returns.
However, is continuing to limit your business to social media the best plan for its future? Or is it showing subtle signs that expanding to a website or physical operations may be in order?
1. You See Continuous Demand That Exceeds Your Capacity
Many social media-based businesses witness seasonal demand around special occasions. It helps entrepreneurs serve customers adequately, creating and delivering ordered products on time.
However, what happens when your business starts experiencing continuous, rising demand that you find challenging to meet? You may be compelled to refuse or cancel some orders, choosing reliability over missed promises.
It is a dependable sign that your enterprise could benefit from an expansion. Industry experts often recommend optimizing your digital touchpoints to prepare for additional demand during the holiday season. It may be time to consider launching a new customer service platform on an official website or outsourcing some orders to an offline team.
A related indicator is customer demand for new versions of your popular products, going beyond what you can offer or showcase on social media alone.
For example, many brands are now experimenting with minis, or smaller and cuter versions of regular products. According to Marketing Brew, minis help make headway with Gen Z and millennial customers. They find these options more accessible to overcome budgetary limitations.
Exhibiting product variations at offline events can give you a significant advantage over competitors who continue solely on digital channels.
2. It is Time to Build Brand Credibility
Social media is great for attention and helping companies generate talking points. It may have been working well as a system for taking customer orders and requesting them to share feedback.
At some point, however, it becomes inevitable to establish a deeper, more credible presence. Multiple surveys over the years have found that consumers find a business more credible if it has its own website. Not finding a professional website can raise apprehensions in the minds of your prospects, especially as your brand grows in sales.
This is why many entrepreneurs now consider website development and launch as an essential part of their growth stories.
Fortunately, creating websites has also become easier, even for businesses that don’t have in-house web development or design expertise. According to Hocoos, artificial intelligence can help create professional websites that match your business goals. AI can assist entrepreneurs with setting up online stores, complete with customized design and content.
3. Customer Acquisition is Harder or Costlier
In the initial days of your business, you probably struggled to find customers for your products. Unless your offering was inimitable, or even if it was, finding eyeballs and interest in this competitive age is formidable.
The sailing may have become smooth as your business found a steady following. Until, gradually, you sense a slowdown again. Social media businesses often experience saturation beyond a point, wherein entrepreneurs start struggling to expand their customer base.
The problem is partly due to competing brands vying for the attention of a similar customer subset. Changing algorithms on Meta and X also perpetuates this problem.
According to Entrepreneur magazine, organic reach is dropping even on LinkedIn, with personal profiles outperforming company pages. If you find that acquiring customers through social media alone has become expensive or unsustainable, you must consider expanding to other channels.
Customer acquisition costs (CACs) are rising anyhow, no thanks to an inflationary market and poor targeting. A recent Publicis Sapient survey reported that CACs increased 35% from 2022 to 2025, affecting sectors from retail to hospitality and dining.
At such a time, a website offers SEO-driven advantages and expands the scope for showcasing your portfolio and expertise. It simplifies the process of reaching out to customers, opening up a passive channel to build confidence and availability.
Offline channels, such as community markets and local events, can also provide your business with an enthusiastic boost.
Closing Note
Many successful businesses started on social media. Think Glossier, the real-women beauty brand that cashed in big-time on its Instagram content. Or Gymshark, the uncrowned expert at building a thriving online fitness community.
Undoubtedly, social platforms remain a fantastic avenue for launching your business and conducting day-to-day operations. That said, it is vital to stay alert to signs that your business could benefit from moving beyond this world to other digital and physical terrains.
A willingness to evolve with time is behind the most enduring success stories.
About the Author
