The internet and social media in today’s economy have become tools that can be used for private purposes as well as for public, business and scientific purposes. They are instruments that have revolutionised communication on the one hand, while on the other they are the basic method of reaching customers with a company’s offer. Today, the Internet and social media have become a must in marketing strategies of contemporary companies wishing to achieve market success. The aim of the article is to present the potential generated by the Internet due to the use of social platforms and indicating their significance for businesses. To achieve the objective, publications on this subject were reviewed and an analysis of numerical data characterising today’s Internet and social media users was completed. As a result of the completed analyses, an image of contemporary Internet and social platforms was developed. It was also possible to indicate the opportunities and benefits resulting from their use by a company.