10 alternatives to Facebook's suite of platforms business owners should consider for selling products and connecting with customers

business owner using laptop in store
When Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook went down simultaneously on Monday, millions of users lost access to their accounts. 10'000 Hours/Getty Images
  • Facebook's six-hour outage reminded business owners they shouldn't be at the mercy of one platform.
  • Many entrepreneurs turn to social media, where they can find new customers for little cost up front.
  • Here are 10 alternatives to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp that are good for small businesses.

Facebook's recent six-hour global outage reminded many small-business owners and creators of a simple truth: You shouldn't be at the mercy of a single platform.

When Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook went down simultaneously in early October, millions of users lost access to their accounts. For many business owners and creators, the disruption was more than an inconvenience. It prohibited them from earning a living until the issue was resolved. While their monetary damage has yet to be quantified, early estimates suggest Facebook lost almost $100 million during the outage. 

Experts agree that owning your website is a safer avenue for business owners looking to avoid the consequences of secretive algorithmic changes — resulting in shadow-banning, for example — or unexpected outages. It also lets you have more control over your content and customer experience. But that may not always be the best option for small businesses with tight budgets or emerging brands competing in a crowded space.

Many entrepreneurs turn to social media, where they can find new customers for little cost up front. But after Facebook's outage, business owners are recognizing the need for a backup option.  

Whether you're shopping for a new platform or looking to expand your business' presence, here are 10 alternatives to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp that are good for startups.

TikTok

TikTok
TikTok now boasts a billion monthly users. NurPhoto/Getty Images

Viral videos proclaiming "TikTok made me buy it" are a testament to the app's marketing prowess. It routinely drives legions of users to buy products that are popular on the platform — from a pink cleaning paste to an eyelash-lengthening mascara — until they're sold out. 

Catching on to this, retailers have started flocking to TikTok to analyze trends and try to anticipate how a product may perform. TikTok's owner, the Chinese company ByteDance, has recently introduced a series of tools — including a Shopify integration, a shopping tab, and tagged products — to help creators and entrepreneurs manage their businesses on the platform. According to The New York Times, TikTok now boasts a billion monthly users.

Twitter

The Twitter app.
Twitter offers a few tools that businesses can use to stay on top of their customer service and boost their content. Matt Rourke/AP

When Facebook went dark, the company used Twitter to alert users of the outage and update them on progress. 

Twitter offers a few tools that businesses can use to stay on top of their customer service and boost their content. Last year, it also launched Spaces, which lets users create audio chat rooms where multiple people can interact. Businesses can leverage their Twitter accounts to break news, monitor what customers are saying about their brands or products, or simply connect with their audience directly.

Pinterest

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Pinterest has more than 5 billion monthly searches on its platform. SOPA Images/Contributor/Getty Images

The digital pinboard service has grown into a discovery machine for aspirational and inspirational content, counting more than 5 billion monthly searches on its platform. 

Among the tools the company offers to businesses, you'll find shoppable pins, integration with Shopify, and try-on-products pins, which use augmented-reality technology to let users test out a product virtually, such as trying on a shade of lipstick.

Telegram

telegram messaging app
During the Facebook outage on Monday, more than 70 million people signed up for the service. NurPhoto/Contributor/Getty Images

Founded by two Russian brothers, Telegram is an encrypted messaging service. During the Facebook outage on Monday, more than 70 million people signed up for the service, cofounder Pavel Durov said. 

What makes Telegram interesting for businesses is that group chats do not have a size limit, and you can also create Telegram channels, which act as a bulletin board where an unlimited number of people can sign up but only the administrator can post updates. You could use either method to stay in touch with clients and let them know about your upcoming product launches or promotions.

YouTube

youtube ad woman
Business owners can leverage the platform to become subject-matter experts in their industries. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The original creator engine, owned by Google, is also an option for entrepreneurs. When you use it to create educational content related to your business, such as DIY tutorials or topic explainers, it can help you find and grow a community with like-minded interests. 

Business owners can leverage the platform to become subject-matter experts in their industries. As a bonus, the larger your following, the more likely your channel would become eligible for monetization, so you could potentially create two new revenue streams with one platform.

Snapchat

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Businesses can link their Shopify accounts and offer a virtual shop in their Snapchat profile. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The video-sharing and messaging service cofounded by CEO Evan Spiegel is doubling down on providing resources to brands and businesses. In May, the company introduced brand profiles that allow users to find and follow a company.

Businesses can link their Shopify accounts as well and offer a virtual shop in their Snapchat profile, similar to Instagram's Shop tab. Brands can also create geofilters or immersive augmented-reality experiences to help promote their products within the app.

Discord

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Discord could allow businesses to connect directly with consumers. Shutterstock

The popular messaging platform lets users create their own "servers," also known as  chat rooms, where people can discuss their topic of choice through text, voice, and video. Like Telegram, this service could allow businesses to connect directly with consumers and announce product launches or promos in a more casual setting.

NTWRK

online shopping with laptop at home
The livestreaming shopping app has already been installed 2.5 million times across iOS and Android devices. Fiordaliso/Getty Images

Launched in 2018, the livestreaming shopping app has already been installed 2.5 million times across iOS and Android devices. The platform reimagines the home shopping experience with shows hosted by influencers and celebrities selling exclusive and limited-run products.

More recently, the company announced that it was investing heavily in original programming in hopes that more people will tune into the platform. Businesses and creators need to be vetted to use the service. There are no monthly fees, but NTWRK takes a 20% cut of every sale.

Etsy

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Etsy is an online marketplace that offers handmade and vintage goods from independent sellers. Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

For creators and businesses with unique, handcrafted products, Etsy may be a good platform to showcase their creations. Visitors to the site are already looking to make a purchase, and the company's latest filing showed that it had more than 90 million active buyers on its platform. Business owners can create their own digital storefront, and Etsy helps them ship domestically and internationally as well.

Amazon

A black Amazon sign with an orange smile logo on a wall
The everything store that started as a fledgling online bookstore still reigns supreme in e-commerce. Pascal Rossignol/Reuters

The everything store that started as a fledgling online bookstore still reigns supreme in e-commerce. Amazon Prime boasts over 200 million subscribers, and it's one of the most visited websites in the world.

Setting up a business account is relatively easy, and Amazon offers a ton of resources to help business owners deliver the goods to their customers' doorsteps. The downside is that the associated costs with running a business here are a bit more expensive than some of the other alternatives on this list.

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