TikTok vs Instagram: Which Platform Is Better To Try in 2023?

Whether you’re a TikToker or an Instagrammer, both are excellent online platforms that have exploded the world of social media. But there is a question that always comes to our mind when we think of TikTok vs Instagram; which one is better?

Well! There is no exact response to this question as these social media platforms are powerful and unique, with many similarities and slight differences. You can use TikTok influencer marketing to achieve better results in specific niches, while Instagram influencer marketing in others.

So, each has key strengths and weak points, giving both social apps advantages over one another.

However, the questions you should ask yourself are; what is your intention in using these social networks, or what do you aim to do?

Then, you will have an accurate answer to which one is better or suits you best. Let us break down the competitive battle between Instagram vs TikTok in this article and give you the right answer!

TikTok vs Instagram: What Are They?

If you are a social media enthusiast and active user, you must have accounts on both platforms and know the significance and uniqueness of each one. As they are both well-known and outstanding, a clash begins between these powerful social media applications. Let’s see what they are first and then discuss what happens between Instagram vs TikTok!

Read Also: How To Save Videos On TikTok

TikTok

Launched in 2016, TikTok is the most successful short-video social platform, with over 1 billion users worldwide. It allows content creators to create videos with a length of 15 seconds to 10 minutes to entertain their audience.

This video-based social media application had a big blast in 2020 during the rise of the global pandemic (coronavirus or covid-19), reaching 2 billion downloads.

As people were in quarantine, they started downloading and using TikTok, resulting in a significant amount of TikTokers.

Early users made funny clips, including lip-syncing and dance videos, and later other types of content like crafting, fitness guides, life hacks, vlogging, before and after visuals, and countless more video content were added.

Consequently, it became one of the top social media platforms by the end of 2021 to compete with the best in the industry, like Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

In fact, TikTok creators should be thankful for the coronavirus that helped them achieve this reputation and who they are now.

Nowadays, TikTok has turned into one of the major social platforms for marketing and advertising. Numerous brands and companies collaborate with TikTok influencers to boost brand awareness, promotions, and conversions.

Read more about the TikTok marketing guide.

So, finally, Instagram found one of its crucial rivals, and this was where the Tik Tok vs Instagram battle began.

Instagram

Created in 2010, Instagram gained popularity quickly and became one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. In 2012, Facebook took the acquisition of Instagram, and it kept evolving at a fast pace.

Currently, it has over 1 billion active users and keeps increasing every day. This application allows users to share visual content like photos and videos followed by hashtags and captions.

You can share photos and videos on your Feed, upload Stories, run a live stream on Instagram Live, check Explore for recommendations and trending posts, use hashtags, send messages using Direct Messaging, and use Instagram tools or features.

Without a doubt, it is the top social media application with every aspect users are looking for.

In addition, Instagram is one of the best marketing places. You can promote services, brands, and products to generate leads and enhance brand visibility.

Read also: best Instagram influencer marketing platforms

So, TikTok vs Instagram marketing is a challenging competition to see who can gain more leads and higher conversions.

Let’s analyze both applications’ marketing features now.

TikTok vs Instagram For Business

When you aim to use one of these social media apps to enhance marketing and boost sales, you should accurately proceed with them and follow the proper marketing method to attain top results.

Also, you should consider what type of advertisement or promotion has a better outcome from the platform.

We will begin with TikTok’s advantages to see how this powerful media can beat Instagram in specific advertising areas. Here are some of the benefits of TikTok:

• It is a video-centric content platform that only focuses on videos allowing advertisers to showcase their goods through short clips.
• You have a higher potential and possibility to go viral with TikTok content than Instagram content which can help you easily gain visibility and recognition.
• TikTok has a more international user community where you can easily reach global users and increase your brand’s global recognition.
• It is an ideal marketplace for starters to promote their small businesses compared to Instagram, which is much more challenging.
• TikTok is all about creativity! You must be creative to grab the audience’s attention. So, use unfiltered and authentic content to have a powerful bond with your audience.
• TikTok is famous for its challenges! You take advantage of these fun challenges to boost promotions and brand visibility.
• On TikTok, you should create user-generated content which brings credibility and loyalty to your brand through videos.
• On Instagram, users with more than 10K followers can only promote clickable links, while on TikTok, every user can add direct links to their profile.

Read Also: How To Make Money On TikTok

Now that we’ve seen TikTok throw some punches at Instagram with these advantages at the big battle of TikTok vs Instagram. Let’s see what Instagram has for a response. Here are the benefits of Instagram:

• On Instagram, you have the opportunity to promote all types of content. It is not just video-based. These various content formats help you to have diverse ways of marketing goods and services.
• As Instagram is the top social media platform worldwide with a massive community, you have an immense audience to reach and attract.
• As previously mentioned, TikTok allows users to create videos with a maximum duration of 10 minutes, while Instagram’s in-feed video length can reach 60 minutes.
• You have a higher engagement rate on Instagram due to its following, liking, commenting, sharing, and visiting website options.
• Instagram acts as an e-commerce platform and online shop where you can directly sell your products to your followers.
• Instagram’s direct messaging allows you to communicate directly with customers, leading to supportive client service.
• Instagram has excellent features for business accounts, including direct links to drive traffic to their websites and accurate insights and precise analytics to assist them track their performances.
• On Instagram, you have various ad formats, such as story, photo, video, and carousel ads.
• As previously mentioned, Facebook bought Instagram in 2012. So, you can use cross-platform integration and create a vast network between the two platforms.
• Instagram is the leading social media influencer marketing platform with numerous content creators, from nano and micro-influencer to macro-influencers and mega that can help your brand grow.

Therefore, the intensity and tension of the ongoing battle of Instagram vs TikTok for business keep increasing while each release updates and find new innovative methods to surpass the other.

Read Also: How To Sell On Instagram Without A Website

TikTok vs Instagram: Similarities And Differences

Although these online communities are primary opponents, they have lots in common. They also have some variations that we will refer to after mentioning the similarities. Some of these correspondences are:

• The two prioritize video content.
• Both platforms offer engagement features and interactivity, including likes, comments, and shares.
• TikTok and Instagram include hashtags for specifying or categorizing content and finding suitable ones.
• TikTok has a ‘For You’ for recommendations and trending videos, while Instagram has ‘Explore’ with the same purpose.
• Instagram and TikTok have a similar feature known as Stories that allows you to post content for a limited 24 hours.
• Both programs are massive thriving influencer networks with countless content creators.
• You can find specific business accounts on both applications:
  • Instagram Business Account
  • TikTok Creator Account
• Although they are against each other, they offer cross-platform sharing that allows you to share content on both social networks.
• You can start live streams on both platforms.
• You can find trending challenges on Instagram and TikTok.

Alright! Let’s see what are the contrasts between the two and mention some:

• TikTok is only a video-based platform, while Instagram has photos and videos. In general, Instagram has a wide range of content types.
• As mentioned previously, the video length differs between the two; Instagram videos can extend to 60 minutes while TikTok’s clips can reach 10 minutes only.
• Effects and editing are different on each platform. You have a broad range of video editing tools on TikTok, while Instagram offers basic filters and effects.
• For TikTok vs Instagram marketing and monetizing, Instagram has a wide range of advertising and promoting features. On the other hand, TikTok offers simple advertising options.
• For influencers, TikTok is an excellent social network to grow and develop, especially if you’re a nano-influencer. But Instagram is the home of well-developed influencers with countless content creators.

Surprisingly, they’re both strong competitors with all their similarities and differences. Keep following to learn more about them!

TikTok Users vs Instagram Users

As we all know, both of these social media apps have over 1 billion active users and are popular among individuals. Let’s examine these online community enthusiasts and see who is the winner of Instagram vs TikTok users. Just kidding! There are no winners out there, but we can dig deep and learn more about them.

TikTok Users

People from all around the world use TikTok and are known as TikTok users or better known as TikTokers. These individuals come from various cultures and different ages that produce creative content to entertain others or watch other videos and engage with them.

However, most TikTokers are young people, such as Gen Z (9-24 years old) and Gen Y or Millennials (25-40 years old). They like the vibrant atmosphere of TikTok and quickly get adapted to it.

Moreover, these users like doing challenges, following trends, and using effects or editing in content production. This enthusiasm makes TikTok an ideal spot for them to spend their time on.

Instagram Users

Unlike TikTokers, Instagram users or Instagrammers come from all ages, including Gen Z and Millennials to Gen X (41-56) and Boomers (57-66), particularly Millenials or Gen Y. Instagram has a broad community filled with celebrities, influencers, businesses, individuals, and others.

Also, Instagrammers are creative and well-experienced users that post appealing photos and videos, create dynamic live streams, and upload attractive stories and quality content to engage with their followers, while TikTok users are for progress and development.

However, these are just statistics and information recorded from both platforms to get overall data. They are not specifically tailored to Instagram or TikTok.

Okay! Now that we are familiar with these content creators and analyzed what happens with TikTok vs Instagram users. It is time to discuss the similar content type they have in common which is Instagram Reels and TikTok videos.

TikTok vs Instagram Reels

The two common features that make these platforms similar are the short-form video content of both. Each has its aspects and uses where you can benefit from content creation. Let’s see which has the advantage over the other between Instagram Reels vs TikTok clips.

TikTok Videos

• Short videos or a combination of multiple clips into one video (maximum 10 minutes).
• Add-on features: music, effects, text, and stickers.
• Collaboration with other users with Duets and Stitches.
• Interactions: likes, comments, and shares.

Instagram Reels

• Short videos with a maximum of 90 seconds in length.
• Add-on features: effects, music, stickers, filters, text, and edit tools.
• Social interactions: likes, comments, shares, and saves.

FAQs

What a clash between Instagram vs TikTok networks! Now, let’s answer some of your most frequent questions and clarify everything.

1. What Is TikTok vs Instagram Analytics?

For TikTok, you can track analytics with a TikTok Pro account using profile overview and content insights, including followers, likes, comments, shares, video views, and profile views.

For Instagram, you can analyze your performance if you have an Instagram Creator or Business account. You can check your account’s overview, content insights, and audience insights, including profile visits, follower counts, impressions, reach, engagement rates, and views.

2. What Are TikTok Ads vs Instagram Ads?

These platforms are helpful marketing tools for brands and companies. They offer different ad formats with special features to showcase brands, tradenames, or promote products. Let us begin with TikTok.

TikTok Ads:

• In-Feed Ads,
• TopView Ads,
• Full Page Takeover Ads,
• Branded Hashtag Challenges,
• Branded Effect.

Instagram Ads:

• Photo Ads,
• Video Ads,
• Carousel Ads,
• Story Ads,
• Explore Ads,
• Collection Ads,
• Reels Ads,
• Shopping Ads.

3. How Many Users Are On TikTok vs Instagram?

Instagram has over 1.3 billion active users, while TikTok includes more than 1 billion users worldwide.

4. TikTok vs Instagram: Which Platform Is The Best For Your Business?

If you want your brand to enhance and grow, you can refer to these platforms for marketing and advertising. You should consider specific aspects before approaching each.

For marketing on TikTok, you should know:

• Your audience is mostly young individuals, especially Gen Z or Millennials.
• Creativity is the key to success.
• Creating content according to your audience is significant.
• Influencer marketing is productive and prosperous.

For marketing on Instagram, you should know:

• Your audience is mixed and diverse.
• Visual content is the key to success.
• Using Stories and Explore can boost your marketing.
• Cross-platforming with Facebook can enhance your strategy.
• Using shopping features accelerates your sales.

5. What Is The Difference Between Snapchat vs Instagram vs TikTok or YouTube Shorts vs TikTok vs Instagram Reels?

Every aspect of TikTok vs Instagram is mentioned previously. So, we will discuss other platforms, including YouTube and Snapchat for business and clarify their features.

Snapchat Videos:

• 60-second duration clips.
• Video content as ‘Snaps’ disappear.
• Similar to Instagram, Snapchat offers Stories, communications, and filters.

YouTube Shorts:

• Short-form videos with up to 60 seconds of length.
• Video content creation with music and audio.
• Integrated into the YouTube website or application with other types of YouTube content.

Conclusion

Finally, we’ve deeply reviewed these powerful and massive social platforms and got our answers for TikTok vs Instagram. Each has its unique features, specialized aspects, and distinctive content types to entertain users. They have some advantages and disadvantages compared with each other.

But, none of these are superior to the other as both have significant and beneficial features. You should consider your intentions to see which is more proper or suitable between TikTok vs Instagram, and then approach these applications.

However, you can have accounts on both and use the strength of each to enhance your marketing strategies, advertising formats, and influencing, or using for any other purpose.