Social selling isn’t just a buzzword: it’s the future of sales.

In a world where cold calls are ignored and inboxes are flooded, social selling allows you to connect with potential customers on platforms they already use, building trust and relationships instead of pushing products.

In this guide, we’ll break down what social selling is, the best platforms to use, top strategies to boost your efforts, and the most effective tools for mastering this approach. Ready to transform how you sell in 2025?

What is Social Selling?

Social selling is the practice of using social media to find, connect with, understand, and nurture sales prospects. It’s not about pitching. It’s about building genuine relationships that lead to conversions over time.

Instead of cold calling or generic email blasts, you engage with your audience where they already spend their time: on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and Instagram.

• Build trust through authentic engagement
• Position yourself as an expert
• Shorten sales cycles
• Generate more qualified leads

Top Social Selling Channels

LinkedIn Social Selling

LinkedIn is by far the best platform for B2B outreach, networking, and content marketing. It allows businesses to build authority and trust by sharing insightful content and engaging with professionals.

Pros

• Tailored for B2B
• Advanced filters and Sales Navigator
• Long-form content works well

Cons

• Time-consuming to do right
• Competitive space

Best practices

• Send personalized DMs
• Comment consistently on ICP’s posts
• Use content to spark conversation (not sell)

Twitter (X)

Twitter is a powerful platform for thought leadership, industry news, and real-time engagement. Its fast-paced nature allows for quick interactions and joining trending conversations.

Pros

• Fast and easy to join trending conversations
• Ideal for sharing bite-sized value
• Good for prospect research with hashtags and lists

Cons

• Short content lifespan
• Harder to track conversions

Best practices

• Follow and engage with your ICP
• Use advanced search to identify leads
• Share insights, not just links

Instagram

Instagram thrives as a visual storytelling tool, great for branding and lifestyle connections. It's perfect for businesses focused on aesthetic appeal, emotions, and casual interactions.

Pros

• Strong for lifestyle or product-based businesses
• Great for building emotional connections
• Instagram Stories and DMs allow casual interactions

Cons

• Harder for B2B lead gen
• Not ideal for complex products

Best practice

• Use Stories polls and Q&A for engagement
• Share client results or team culture
• Link your content in bio or Stories

Best Social Selling Strategies

1. Know your audience.Build detailed ICP profiles using CRM data. This enables you to refine your messaging and approach to exactly who you want to target.
2. Engage before you sell.Don't rush to pitch! Like, comment, share valuable content, and show genuine interest in your prospects. Be present in their world before selling.
3. Create value-first content.Focus on insights, education, and storytelling. Content that adds value and solves problems for your audience is what gets attention.
4. Use social listening.Track conversations around your niche and engage when you find the right moment. Use tools to monitor mentions, hashtags, and keywords.
5. Use automation wisely.Automation can help scale social selling efforts, but it should always feel personal. Don't over-automate—personalize at scale using CRM tools that allow automation without losing the human touch.

10 Best Social Selling Tools

👉 Try folk CRM for free

1. folk CRM

Best for‍

Relationship management and outreach automation. folk is an intuitive CRM with powerful social integrations across Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and WhatsApp.

✔️ Pros

• Easy-to-use interface with minimal setup.
• Automates follow-ups while maintaining a personal touch.
• Social integrations for all major platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp).
• Centralized contact management and communication history.
• Ideal for solopreneurs and small teams.

❌ Cons

• Essential features only

Pricing

‍Starts at $20/month.

👉 Try folk CRM for free

2. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Best for‍

In-depth LinkedIn prospecting, lead management, and sales automation.

✔️ Pros

• Advanced search filters for precise lead targeting.
• Provides real-time updates on lead activities.
• Integration with CRM tools for seamless workflow.

❌ Cons

• Learning curve for new users.
• Expensive, especially for small businesses.

Pricing

‍Starts at $99/month.

3. Hootsuite

Best for‍

Social media scheduling and monitoring.

✔️ Pros

• Supports all major social platforms.
• Powerful analytics and monitoring tools.
• Ideal for managing multiple accounts.

❌ Cons

• Interface can feel outdated.
• Limited CRM functionalities.

Pricing: Starts at $99/month.

4. Sprout Social

Best for‍

Teams needing advanced social engagement features.

✔️ Pros

• Complete social media management suite.
• Excellent team collaboration features.
• Detailed analytics and reporting tools.

❌ Cons

• Pricing may be prohibitive for solopreneurs or small teams.

Pricing

‍Starts at $249/month.

5. Zoho CRM

Best for‍

CRM combined with social media integrations.

✔️ Pros

• Affordable pricing with extensive customization options.
• Integrates social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
• Custom workflows and lead management.

❌ Cons

• User interface feels clunky and outdated.

Pricing

‍Starts at $20/month.

6. HubSpot

Best for

Sales automation and CRM with inbound marketing capabilities.

✔️ Pros

• Generous free plan with essential features.
• Excellent customer support and learning resources.
• Easy-to-use interface.

❌ Cons

• Costs can escalate quickly as you scale.
• Limited social media integrations compared to other tools.

Pricing

‍Free plan available, paid plans from $18/month.

7. Buffer

Best for‍

Scheduling and publishing posts across multiple social channels.

✔️ Pros

• Clean and simple user interface.
• Low-cost, making it suitable for startups and solopreneurs.
• Works well with Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

❌ Cons

• Limited analytics and reporting tools.

Pricing

‍Starts at $6/month.

8. Nimble

Best for‍

Relationship building and social insights.

✔️ Pros

• Tracks social conversations and provides actionable insights.
• Integrates well with LinkedIn and other social platforms.
• Built for small businesses and solopreneurs.

❌ Cons

• Limited integrations outside of social networks.

Pricing

‍Starts at $24.90/month.

9. Sendible

Best for‍

Agencies that manage multiple clients’ social media profiles.

✔️ Pros

• White-labeling and client reporting features.
• Multi-platform support, including Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
• Great for managing teams.

❌ Cons

• Interface feels a bit outdated.

Pricing

‍Starts at $29/month.

10. Crystal

Best for‍

Analyzing personality traits and tailoring messaging.

✔️ Pros

• Unique ability to analyze LinkedIn profiles and offer communication tips based on personality types.
• Helps craft more personalized messages for social selling.

❌ Cons

• Limited to LinkedIn only.
• Niche use case.

Pricing

‍Starts at $49/month.

Social Selling Stats in 2025

• 78% of social sellers outsell peers who don’t use social media. Source
• 76% of buyers are ready to have a conversation on social media. Source
• Companies with consistent social selling processes are 40% more likely to hit revenue goals. Source
• LinkedIn is the #1 platform for B2B lead generation. Source

‍

Ready to try social selling with a CRM that makes it easy? Try folk today.