TSL Top 5: The best social media platforms to grow your community

The top 5 best social media platforms

In 2025, where attention is the new currency, social media isn’t just about staying connected but also about building a tribe. The digital space is crowded with 5.31 billion social-media users worldwide, which is about 63.9% of the global population, but a few platforms still reign supreme when it comes to building influence, trust, and engagement. Whether you’re a creator, brand, or student trying to carve a digital niche, finding the best social media platform can decide how far your content travels.

Here’s a closer look at the top five spaces that truly help you grow and engage your community and why they’re still the best for creators, professionals, and everyone in between.

Instagram: the aesthetic powerhouse

If visuals speak louder than words, then Instagram is still the loudest voice in the room. With more than 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram remains the home of visual storytelling. From Reels and carousel posts to interactive stories and live sessions, it’s where storytelling meets strategy. It's the best social media platform for new-age brands to thrive here because audiences don’t just scroll, they feel. According to recent data, nearly 63% of Instagram users follow at least one small business, proving how powerful it is for community-driven brands.

Creators engage through polls, “Ask Me Anything” stories, and collaborative posts. This format always helps build a community, since people love being part of the story, not just watching it. If your audience is between 18 and 34, this is your stage.

Instagram insights help you know your reach and audience behaviour

X (formerly Twitter): where conversations go viral

Fast, witty, and often brutally honest, X remains the digital coffee shop of ideas. It’s where communities are born over memes and thoughts. Even after its transformation, it commands a solid 586 million active users. Creators use it to spark conversations, announce projects, or build authority through quick takes.

On X, consistency is the key. Commenting on trending threads, adding value to discussions with insights, staying authentic, and having genuine conversations with like-minded people make the algorithm reward you more than virality. That's how you build your cult.

Communities on X

LinkedIn: the new-age networking space

www.linkedin.com

Why do newbies outperform pros on LinkedIn? | Ankit Raj posted on the topic | LinkedIn

How come #college students with almost zero work experience get more reach than seasoned professionals? #LinkedIn paradox? 🤔 I think it’s not just luck. It’s a blend of algorithmic factors, content style, and community dynamics. 👾 An #experienced professional 👨‍🎓 ironically, becomes bad or disinterested in selling dreams. They share insight that can be perceived as boring, and their content style is too specific, only to be understood by other suffering individuals. Compare that to a post that reads, "I just failed my first #coding interview. What should I do next?" The raw vulnerability and plea for help drive massive community interaction. LinkedIn may be for professional use, but it's a part of social media after all. So social media-style #content with hooks and emojis naturally performs better. And kudos to students for making great use of this tool, expanding their network. I think we all can take a lesson from them that being vulnerable💆, showing doubts 🤷, and asking questions 🙋‍♂️ is not unprofessional. However, one must also not negate that seasoned professionals have more valuable insight to offer than a student. This isn't a critique of the algorithm; it's a humble invitation for mid-level professionals to rethink how they share their knowledge. 

Gone are the days when LinkedIn was just for job seekers. If Instagram is for vibes, LinkedIn is for value. Today, it’s where thought leadership thrives. It’s the best social media platform for both founders and fresh graduates, where everyone shares ideas that build credibility. The app has become more than just a resume zone; it’s a community of experts sharing insights, journeys, and collaborations.

With over 1 billion members globally, there’s room for every field and passion. Posting weekly insights, engaging in niche discussions is a way to find your people. LinkedIn is no longer a space of robotic professionalism, and the crowd is not afraid to show a little personality.

www.linkedin.com

10 Ways to Build a Community on LinkedIn

Many companies will place advertising and promoting their services and products over community-building on social media. This can often result exclusively in pushing posts at people instead of actually interacting with one's audience.

TikTok: the trend lab without rules

Short-form video still rules, and TikTok continues to shape pop culture daily. From 15 seconds of viral dances and fashion hacks to educational micro-lectures, the app proves creativity can be universal. With the current attention span, if your message gets delivered to your target audience within that minute, community building wouldn't be tough.

TikTok’s growth is unstoppable, with about 1.6 billion active users as of mid-2025. If keeping videos short, snappy, and emotionally relatable is your strength, it's the best platform for you. TikTok gives every user an equal chance. One great video, even from a new account, can cross borders overnight. And with features like Duets and Stitch, creators collaborate in real time.

Strength of emotion relatability on TikTok

Facebook: the community veteran

It might not be the “cool kid” anymore, but Facebook remains unbeatable for groups and event-based engagement or even business advertising. From local clubs to study communities, it’s still the go-to for organic, meaningful connections.

While younger audiences migrated to newer apps, Facebook still hosts the largest audience base, around 3 billion monthly users worldwide. Private groups and event tools are the underrated features that make people stay long after they’ve hit ‘join’.

Creators who take their Communities further on Facebook (via Facebook)

How to choose the best social media platform?

Social media isn’t one-size-fits-all. Whether you’re a creator building a brand or a professional amplifying your voice, these five platforms remain the strongest pillars for digital growth. All that's needed is knowing your content, goal, and vibe, and choosing the best social media platforms accordingly. If you’re ready to grow your online tribe, keep experimenting as your community is out there waiting to connect.

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