By Tihan van der Walt | 13 November 2026
"We need to be on TikTok." A business owner can say that while selling to 55-year-old facilities managers in Midrand, and occasionally they're right. My view is that most small businesses get more from doing Facebook properly than from doing four platforms badly.
I took the figures from DataReportal's Digital 2026 South Africa report. The report is careful about them: "ad audiences often only account for a subset of a platform's total users", and Meta "has made important changes to the way its advertising resources report audience reach data over recent months".
Which social media platform is biggest in South Africa?
By ad reach, TikTok and Facebook are close. In DataReportal's words, "figures published in TikTok's advertising resources indicate that TikTok had 29.1 million users aged 18 and above in South Africa in late 2025", while "data published in Meta's advertising resources indicate that Facebook had 27.9 million users in South Africa in late 2025." YouTube showed 26.9 million, LinkedIn 17.0 million "members" and Instagram 8.60 million.
Those don't add up neatly, and the report says so. LinkedIn's numbers are "based on total registered members, rather than the monthly active users that form the basis of the ad reach figures published by most other social media platforms", and Meta "has made important changes to the way its advertising resources report audience reach data over recent months". What I'd take from it: TikTok and Facebook are both huge here, LinkedIn is bigger than people assume, and Instagram is smaller than its reputation.
When is Facebook the right choice?
DataReportal's numbers say "Facebook had 27.9 million users in South Africa in late 2025", and that "Facebook's potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 2.60 million (+10.3 percent) between October 2024 and October 2025." It adds that "61.7 percent of adults aged 18 and above in South Africa used Facebook at the end of 2025", and that "49.0 percent of Facebook's adult ad audience in South Africa was female, while 50.6 percent was male." Not a platform in decline, then.
Over-30 buyers and local work? Facebook first, with real job photos, the suburb in the caption, and ads that open WhatsApp. Meta has also limited how many links some pages can post; see the Facebook and Meta link limit article.
When does Instagram make sense?
DataReportal says "Instagram had 8.60 million users in South Africa in late 2025", which it puts at "13.2 percent of the total population", and adds that "18.1 percent of adults aged 18 and above in South Africa used Instagram at the end of 2025." It also points out that "Meta only allows people aged 13 and above to use Instagram, so it's also worth highlighting that 17.1 percent of the 'eligible' audience in South Africa used Instagram at the time of report production."
Much smaller than Facebook, then, and I'd only make it the main platform if what you sell looks good in a photo, which covers food and fashion and beauty and interiors and not, say, accounting. Meta ads can run on both platforms from one campaign anyway, so for paid reach the choice mostly makes itself.
Is LinkedIn worth it for South African B2B?
For B2B, I think so. DataReportal reports that "LinkedIn had 17.0 million 'members' in South Africa in late 2025", with the caveat that "LinkedIn's advertising tools publish audience reach data based on total registered members, rather than the monthly active users that form the basis of the ad reach figures published by most other social media platforms." Even so, the company's figures "suggest that LinkedIn's audience in South Africa was equivalent to 26.2 percent of the total population at the end of 2025."
LinkedIn's targeting page talks about reaching people by "company, job experience, education, devices, demographics, interests and traits". If your buyer is a fleet manager or sits in procurement at a mine, that list is the reason to be there, pricey clicks and all.
Should my business be on TikTok?
By its own ad tools, TikTok has the biggest reach of the four. DataReportal: "TikTok ads reached 64.8 percent of all adults aged 18 and above in South Africa at the end of 2025", and "39.3 percent of TikTok's adult ad audience in South Africa was female, whereas 60.7 percent was male." Its reach "increased by 7.27 million (+33.2 percent) between the end of 2024 and late 2025."
Probably, if someone will film. That's the real question. More on our TikTok marketing page.
What about WhatsApp and YouTube?
DataReportal says "YouTube had 26.9 million users in South Africa in late 2025" and that "YouTube ads reached 52.1 percent of South Africa's total internet user base (regardless of age) in October 2025." It also says YouTube's "potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 1.60 million (+6.3 percent) between the end of 2024 and late 2025", though "Google only publishes updates to its figures for YouTube reach every three to six months".
WhatsApp Business, according to its own page, lets you "greet people the moment they start a conversation and respond to messages even when you're away so your customers always feel seen and heard." That chat is where most quotes get accepted, so set up the greeting, away message and quick replies, and post your TikTok clips as YouTube Shorts too.
How do I choose the right platform for my business?
In DataReportal's figures, "61.7 percent of adults aged 18 and above in South Africa used Facebook at the end of 2025", "TikTok ads reached 64.8 percent of all adults aged 18 and above in South Africa at the end of 2025", "LinkedIn's ads reached 37.8 percent of South Africa's population aged 18 and above in late 2025", and "18.1 percent of adults aged 18 and above in South Africa used Instagram at the end of 2025." The report's own caution is that "ad audiences often only account for a subset of a platform's total users".
My advice is one main platform, one helper, three months. Then decide on a third. The 30-day social media content plan for SA SMEs covers what to post.
What should I budget for social media ads?
R1,500 to R5,000 a month is where I'd start a local business, and that's my rule of thumb, not a benchmark, judged on the calls and WhatsApps it brings in.
DataReportal says "changes in the audience reach figures published in Meta's ad planning tools do not necessarily correlate with overall changes in its platforms' active user bases." LinkedIn's help page: "Due to different location targeting methods, you might see different results in reporting when using a third-party tool, such as Google Analytics." The GA4 and Google Tag Manager guide covers counting enquiries.
FAQ
Which social media platform has the most users in South Africa?
DataReportal: "TikTok had 29.1 million users aged 18 and above in South Africa in late 2025", and "Facebook had 27.9 million users in South Africa in late 2025."
Is Facebook still worth it here?
It is. "Facebook's potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 2.60 million (+10.3 percent) between October 2024 and October 2025," says DataReportal, and "61.7 percent of adults aged 18 and above in South Africa used Facebook at the end of 2025."
Does TikTok work for B2B?
For most B2B firms LinkedIn is the safer start. DataReportal's numbers: "LinkedIn's ads reached 37.8 percent of South Africa's population aged 18 and above in late 2025", and "In late 2025, 48.7 percent of LinkedIn's ad audience in South Africa was female, while 51.3 percent was male."
Is Instagram bigger than people think?
Smaller, actually. "Instagram had 8.60 million users in South Africa in late 2025," though its "potential ad reach in South Africa increased by 1.40 million (+19.4 percent) between October 2024 and October 2025."
Too busy to post?
Some owners like running their own social media. Most, I'd guess, would rather someone else did it, and that's fair enough.
Need a social media plan that brings in work?
MinuteSteak (Linbro Park, Sandton; by appointment only) is one of the big players in South African digital marketing. About ten years of social media and paid campaigns, for clients from KMP Media, AAD, Falco Appliances and Cobra and Grohe Taps to small local service firms. We'll help choose the platforms, plan the content and run ads measured on enquiries.
Talk to us about social media WhatsApp 081 327 2146 Call 081 482 2584
