There's no universal answer, but there is a simple test: does your customer search for you, or do they need to be reminded you exist?
Start with search when...
- People search your service by name (roofing, dentist, towing, trailer repair)
- Purchases are urgent or high-value
- You want customers outside your existing circle
Start with social when...
- Your product is visual or impulse-driven
- You rely on events, launches and community presence
- Your customers browse rather than search
Most local businesses need a hybrid
Build the searchable foundation once, then use social to feed it. The site keeps earning after the post disappears from the feed.
Keep going