Is Social Media Worth It?

Written By Elena Helgiu

Is Social Media Worth It for Small Businesses? A Realistic Guide to Time, Budget & ROI

Many small business owners dream of growing their customer base through social media. And it’s not a bad idea — platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook can deliver massive reach. But here’s the real question: how easy is it to make social media work for you, and will it actually impact sales?

The truth is, most small businesses underestimate the time, budget, and strategy required to see real results. And whether it’s worth it for your business depends heavily on your industry, resources, and goals.

For example, a local bar or restaurant could see an instant boom from a viral TikTok, while a hospital or B2B service may see little to no ROI from the same effort.

Below, I’ll break down the two biggest factors you need to evaluate before committing to social media as a growth channel: time and financial investment.

1. The Time Commitment for Social Media Marketing

Before building a social media strategy, you need to know exactly how much time you can commit. Consistency and quality matter. And so does playing by the algorithm’s rules.

At minimum, you should:

  • Post at least 3 times per week

  • Use videos and reels to attract new viewers

  • Follow platform best practices so your posts actually get seen

  • Stick to a content schedule and hop on trends quickly

  • Engage with followers in comments and DMs

  • Allocate time for video editing, captions, and optimization

Here’s a realistic time breakdown for a single 30-second video (and yes, I did calculate an AI assistance to speed things up):

  • Brainstorm content ideas (30 minutes)

  • Write an engaging, algorithm-friendly script (1 hour)

  • Content setup & prep (1 hour)

  • Filming/photography (1 hour)

  • Simple video editing (30 minutes)

  • Scheduling with hashtags, captions, & QC (30 minutes)

Total time: 4.5 hours

That’s if you’re fast. Advanced editing, custom lighting, or special effects can push a single video into the 8–10 hour range. Multiply that by three videos per week, and you’re looking at a full-time job just for organic social media.

2. The Financial Commitment

If you want social media to drive revenue, you need more than a few posts here and there. You’ll likely need a dedicated social media manager or an agency like Messy Desk to execute at a high level.

Typical costs:

  • $1,000–$5,000+ per month for a contractor producing 3 videos/week

  • Extra costs if you want custom visuals instead of stock imagery

  • Potential years of gradual growth before hitting “viral” reach

That means your business should either:

  1. Be highly social-media dependent (think direct-to-consumer brands like beauty, apparel, or accessories), or

  2. Have at least $5,000/month in revenue to reinvest, with an expected ROI within 1–2 years

For many early-stage businesses, there are faster, cheaper growth channels like partnerships, referrals, or direct outreach.

Why Paid Digital Ads Can Be More Efficient

One big reason some businesses skip heavy organic social media is because digital ads get you straight to the customer without fighting the algorithm.

Platforms like Meta and Google want your ads to succeed. They’ll deliver your ads to your ideal audience multiple times to drive conversions.

Our favorite Messy Desk strategy:

  1. Create a small batch of organic posts (free)

  2. See which performs best

  3. Put ad spend behind the winners

This way you build your profile for credibility and avoid wasting ad budget on untested ideas.

When Social Media Is Worth It

There are still great reasons to invest in social media marketing:

  1. Credibility for New Businesses
    Most customers need 3–7 touchpoints before buying. A polished social media presence adds trust when they’re researching you.

  2. High-Impact Local Businesses
    Restaurants, bars, fitness studios, and event spaces can use social media to connect with locals. Think: offering free vouchers to influencers in your area, or running hashtag challenges to get the community involved.

  3. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands
    If you sell a product that looks great in video (e.g. clothing, beauty, home goods) social media is a powerful growth driver.

The Bottom Line

Social media can be a revenue-driving machine, but only if you treat it like a serious business function. If you can’t commit the time, budget, and consistency, you’re better off focusing on other marketing channels first.

If you want a data-driven, ROI-focused approach to social media and paid ads, Messy Desk can help you create content, test ideas, and scale what works. Contact us today to start building your growth strategy.

Elena Helgiu
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