Busy Social Lives

Social media is as hot as ever for quick lube operators looking to market their shops, but their choice of platforms they are using to spread their message is evolving.

Participants in the 2025 NOLN Operator Survey weighed in on the both the social media channels they’re using, as well as the frequency with which they post. Overall, 58.1% of operators promote their shops on social media at least once a week. Here’s what they told us about their social media habits.

What’s hot:

More shops are maintaining Google Business Profiles this year, with 56.9% report using the platform, up from 43% last year. LinkedIn (25% in 2025 vs. 17% in 2024) and TikTok (15.3% in 2025 vs. 11% in 2024) also made gains.

This year, NOLN asked readers about their use of Yelp for the first time, and 31.9% of survey participants reported they maintain a presence on the site.

What’s not:

Usage of X (formerly Twitter) dropped significantly from 2024, with just 8.3% of survey participants, compared to 23% last year. Snapchat (2.8% in 2025 vs. 8 % in 2024) and Pinterest (1.4% in 2025 vs. 5% in 2024) also had notable declines in usage.

Holding steady:

By a wide margin, Facebook (used by 83.3% of survey respondents) remains the most popular social media platform among quick lube operators. Instagram (30.6%) saw its usage stay on par with last year’s figures as well.

Social Media Use by Platform

Facebook – 83.3%

Google Business Profile – 56.9%

Yelp – 31.9%

Instagram – 30.6%

LinkedIn – 25%

TikTok – 15.3%

X – 8.3%

Snapchat – 2.8%

Pinterest – 1.4%

None of the above – 11.1%

How Often Shops Promote Themselves on Social Media

Daily – 25.7%

Weekly – 32.4%

Monthly – 14.9%

Quarterly or less – 8.1%

No social media – 18.9%