In the digital world, competition is intensifying. Multiple apps are launching in the same category to gain traction and stay relevant. Users are a common target for almost all app developers nowadays.
The millennial generation is one of the largest user bases for most apps, services, and websites because of their interests in technology and social media. Therefore, many companies have thought through various strategies to attract millennials with their products.
With so many apps emerging everyday, it can be challenging keeping track of what’s new and noteworthy among users. Newer apps tend to focus on a particular niche or aspiration that’s less catered by other apps at the moment.
Two such examples are TikTok and Instagram – both launched in recent years with a specific user base as their primary target audience. Let’s take a closer look at some key similarities and differences between TikTok vs Instagram.
Also Read: Instagram marketing tips
Today, social media users are more connected than ever before. At this point, the average user has accounts with several different social networks. However, just like any other type of business, it’s important to keep an eye on how these platforms are evolving and how they might impact your audience in the future.
In order to do that, you need to know how your competitors are growing and what new features they may be adding. Today we’ll dive into the details of TikTok VS Instagram so you can make an informed decision about which platform is best for your brand moving forward.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is a popular social media app created by the Chinese tech giant Bytedance. It’s one of the most popular apps in the world, with over 500 million monthly active users and growing.
TikTok is primarily a video-sharing app that allows users to create short, silly little videos, or “snaps” that can be edited and customized with silly filters and music.
TikTok has been a strong contender for the title of “the next big social media platform” for a long time, and it’s finally starting to live up to the hype.
TikTok is primarily a video platform. However, users can also create images and GIFs, and the app also has a strong focus on “live content”, which allows users to interact with their followers and get real-time feedback during streams.
TikTok’s main attraction is that it allows users to create very short, very silly, highly visual content. TikTok appeals to a younger audience, and it’s considered a “fun” alternative to other social media sites.
TikTok also has a strong presence in the Asian and Asian-American markets, which means that it’s a great platform for businesses trying to reach a global audience.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is one of the world’s most popular photo-sharing apps, owned by social media giant Facebook. It’s the second most popular social media platform in the world, with over a billion daily active users. Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing platform.
Users can share images and other visual content, and they can also follow one another and like and comment on posts in a similar manner to how you might interact with your friends on a messaging app. Instagram has recently added the ability for users to post short video content, similar to TikTok, but it’s not nearly as prominent as its photo-sharing function.
While Instagram has long been focused on photo sharing, the platform has recently implemented a number of changes that have made it more like a social media site in general.
Users can now follow businesses and engage with brands more easily, and businesses have many more options for using the site to grow their audience and sell their products. Instagram’s greatest strength is its large and dedicated user base. It’s one of the most popular social media sites in the world, so it’s a great option for almost any type of business.
Instagram Stories vs TikTok
One of the main differentiating factors between Instagram and TikTok at this point is the ability to create “stories” on Instagram. Stories are essentially just short video clips that disappear after 24 hours and can only be viewed by other users in real-time.
This is a feature that was added to Instagram after TikTok became popular and it has proven very effective for businesses, allowing them to highlight key products or services, tell a story, and even take orders.
The ability to put your content in front of followers at any time is hugely valuable, and Instagram Stories has proven very successful in this regard. TikTok does not have a feature like this, which means that it’s not as easy for businesses to put their content out into the world in real time and drive sales or traffic.
Instagram vs TikTok: Which platform is winning?
At this point, it’s impossible to say which platform is overall “winning”. They’re both incredibly popular, and they each have their own unique offerings and strengths. Instagram is generally considered to be the more “grown up” of the two; it’s a photo-sharing app, and the overall user base skews older than TikTok.
TikTok, on the other hand, is extremely popular with younger audiences and is a great option for businesses trying to reach a younger demographic, like fashion brands or teen-focused companies.
TikTok is also one of the most popular social media sites in the world for Asian and Asian-American users, which means it’s a great option for brands trying to reach this demographic.
TikTok also allows users to create live content, which allows them to interact with their followers and drive sales in real time; this is not available on Instagram.
Instagram: Pros and Cons for Businesses
Instagram is a great option for businesses, as it’s popular with all demographics and has a large user base. It’s easy to use and navigate and you can track your progress and analytics easily.
However, it does have some downsides. Since it’s been around for a long time, the platform has become saturated, which means it’s harder to stand out from the crowd and get the visibility you need.
Instagram is also more “grown up” than other platforms, and some businesses may find it difficult to connect with their audience and get the results they need. Instagram does have a lot of advantages for businesses.
The platform allows for targeted and highly visible posts, as well as timely and location-based posts. You can’t really do that on a platform like TikTok, where most posts are very silly and impromptu, and followers are expecting a more lighthearted experience. Instagram allows businesses to create thoughtful and carefully curated content that’s likely to be seen and commented on by more users.
Instagram: Pros and Cons for Users
Instagram is a great social media platform for users as well. It’s easy to use, it’s very visually oriented, and it has a large user base. Instagram is also well-known for being a “friendly” app, which means you can expect to get helpful feedback from other users and a good rule of thumb is to “treat others as you would want to be treated.”
There are, of course, some downsides to Instagram for users. The platform is highly saturated and it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd and get the attention you want or need. It’s also possible for users to get caught up in a cycle of comparing themselves to others, which can be harmful and lead to low self-esteem and depression in some cases.
What’s New in Instagram?
Instagram is always changing and adding new features to help users and businesses get more out of the app and reach their goals. Recently, the platform has made some key changes. Instagram has implemented a new way of sorting posts so that the ones that you see first are the ones that you are most likely to engage with.
This means that if you’re posting to Instagram, you need to be extra careful about how you’re engaging with your followers. Instagram also made some changes to the Explore page, which is the page that users see when they don’t follow anyone yet and want to find new content to follow.
The explore page now focuses less on “following” and more on “interests”. This means that you have more freedom to focus on your brand, products, or services and less freedom to make friends and build a following.
Is TikTok better than Instagram?
There is no “better”, at least not yet. Both platforms are incredibly popular; they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
