One is American, the other Chinese, one is younger, and the other is a bit more mature, and even though both rank as the top visual social media platforms in the world, we know Instagram and TikTok will be in a constant battle for ages.
Whether you are a micro or macro influencer, you probably have asked yourself the following question:
"In which of the two should I spend more time creating content?"
We have developed a comparison table to help you decide where you should spend your time as a creator.
Before we go straight to the point, we would like to make a suggestion when you make your final decision: The best marketers in the world follow Gary Vaynerchuck's strategy, which is to record an extensive video and divide it into smaller videos to be distributed across weeks and on the same platforms at the same time.
Think of your content as bread: slice it in many different crostini and serve them on separate plates with different herbs and spices, into different plates, for different people – that's how the pros distribute their content.
However, if your time is limited, this article will help you prioritize one platform and what type of content works best for TikTok and Instagram.
Let's get started!
1. Audience
Younger generations are on TikTok, while Instagram has a more mature user base. So if you are more likely to post content for teenagers, TikTok is a better place to start. However, if you are here for the long run, remember that social media profiles grow together with their audience, and the enormous mass of people in their teens now will be worth millions in a decade. By then, they will no longer be teen followers, but rather 20-year olds which are crucial for beauty and fashion brands these days.
2. Content
To consume or to create? That is the question. We have read dozens of surveys where people responded to a simple question, "why do you visit TikTok, and why do you visit Instagram?". People who spent more time on the latter said they like to post and keep in touch with friends, whereas those who spent more time on TikTok said they went online to consume funny videos of people whom they've never met before but know from the internet. If you want to entertain people – for example, if you like to tell funny stories, do pranks, or have a passion for telling jokes, Tiktok would be a great place to start.
3. Aesthetics
Visuals Vs. Casual: Instagram is the king of aesthetics. Pictures and videos here are super edited, and we are not just talking about photoshop or Instagram filters. Instead, we are talking about colors, visual compositions, and general content that could well appear in a movie directed by Tom Ford with stunning aesthetics. On the contrary, TikTok is where people don't care much about aesthetics– they like it casual.
4. Algorithm
The algorithm works differently, but both are very engaging. Some myths go on about Tiktok having more reach; however, if you check profiles like Will Smith or Kim Kardashian, they have more followers and views on Instagram than on TikTok. On the contrary, if you check micro-influencers' views and likes, you'll notice many accounts with more views on TikTok than on Instagram.
Don't let people fool you. It happens because of the type of content and the audience. If the content is for younger generations, it will always have more views on TikTok and go viral faster. If the video has fantastic aesthetics, it is more likely to go viral on Instagram than on TikTok.
Here we leave you with a comparison table so you can judge which platform would be best for you at the end of the day. Feel free to test and see which works best for you, but always continue on your long-term of being financially independent!
We’ll be here when you need to send an invoice to your clients: Feel free to get in touch and we’ll show you how it’s done.
