TikTok vs Instagram: Which Platform is Best for Your Brand?

Social media has changed the way we do just about everything. Whether it’s buying, selling, or networking – it’s predominantly all done through our screens. Therefore, as a business looking to take the next step in securing brand exposure, leaning on social media platforms is an ideal solution.

While the likes of traditional platforms such as Facebook and Twitter still hold power in the world of branding, they are no match for the influence and popularity raised by TikTok and Instagram.

With the ability to create viral trends, control the conversation, and interact with your audience, becoming relevant on TikTok and Instagram is the ultimate hack for enhancing your brand’s presence.

While targeting both platforms seems ideal, you may be wondering which is better suited to your company. We’ll outline everything you need to know about TikTok and Instagram to ensure you’re making the right moves when it comes to the world of social media and brand exposure.

Understanding the Platforms

TikTok

TikTok can grab people’s attention as it is known for sharing short-form video content. When it first became popular in 2020, it was known for its comedic sketches and viral dance trends. However, it has now evolved into a platform that businesses can take advantage of as part of their marketing arsenal.

As the platform is known for its one-of-a-kind viral content, including challenges, trends, and unique influencer marketing, it’s an excellent way for brands to jump on board and showcase their products or services in a way that will appeal to a broader audience.

Instagram

Instagram is the most popular social media platform when it comes to influencer marketing. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s best for your business.

Instagram is incredibly popular due to its versatile nature. Users can partake in various creative projects, including sharing professional photos, short and long-form content, and everything in between. With its emphasis on visual content, Instagram caters to almost all audiences. Additionally, Instagram has the addition of ‘Stories’ which are ideal for real-time content – meaning you can be as creative as you like with your marketing strategy.

Instagram will also help you create a sense of community, especially if you already have a loyal fanbase. Hence, if you’re looking to build engagement and relationships, Instagram is the ideal platform.

Key Differences

· Instagram has more active monthly users than TikTok

· Instagram is more widely downloaded than TikTok

· On average, people tend to spend more time on TikTok than on Instagram

· TikTok has become increasingly popular across the United States, making it more frequently used for marketing purposes

· The user demographics for both platforms are considerably youthful; however, TikTok has a much younger target audience

· TikTok is a video-only platform, while Instagram allows for pictures and professional photography

· Social media influencers are more likely to use Instagram for marketing purposes as the platform will enable you to build long-term relationships with potential and past buyers

· Instagram has been around longer than TikTok, meaning the pattern of influencer marketing on Instagram is known and feels more familiar to audiences

· TikTok allows for more narrative-driven content

· Instagram offers a finite audience – the content uploaded will be distributed to those who follow the page or influencer. On TikTok, the content is distributed to everyone, which may result in more views, comments, likes, and shares.

User Demographics

The first step to understanding whether TikTok or Instagram is best for your brand is by focusing on user demographics. Both platforms offer their users an incredibly contrasting experience; therefore, the target audience for both significantly differ.

35% of TikTok’s global audience is between the ages of 19 and 29, and 28% are under 18. Hence, the age group of the target audience is something brands should be mindful of when creating content and ensuring it also correlates with their own products and user demographics.

Conversely, most Instagram users are aged between 25 and 34 – this provides an older and wider age distribution that may appeal to some brands more than others.

While age is an excellent way of focusing on user demographics, understanding how best to use your social media platforms can also be determined by gender.

There are over 80 million active users on TikTok, with 60% female and 40% male. Alternatively, 52% of Instagram users are female, and 48% are male.

To get the most out of any marketing campaign, your content must resonate with the user demographics. For example, if you’re selling products or services catered toward young adults, teens, or younger children, TikTok may be the ideal platform for your marketing needs. However, if your products and services aren’t boxed into a particular age group, then using Instagram to open doors for your brand and find new customers may be more fitting. Similarly, if you’re selling products or services within a beauty or wellness niche, you may want to use a platform that targets females more than males.

Understanding user behaviour and social engagement on online platforms will help you determine which is best for your brand.

When it comes to TikTok vs Instagram, the two have slight differences in terms of social engagement and online interactions.

TikTok is known for its raw, short footage that is often original and funny. Hashtag challenges are prevalent, and often, the content posted is low-quality, quickly put together, and not overly serious. Hence, it’s the perfect method for participating in internet challenges and showcasing your brand’s quirkiness, uniqueness, and humour.

Alternatively, Instagram encapsulates imagery and style more than everyday general content. The branding found on Instagram is often quite intentional, as there is a message or purpose behind every post. A lot more work goes into the average Instagram post – including editing, professional photography, informative/witty captions, and more.

While both platforms allow users to like, share, and comment on their viewing, user behaviour and social engagement differ, especially when social media influencers are involved.

Social Engagement Using Influencers

Brands often work with influencers to boost user behaviour and social engagement. Your goal as a business should be to create positive discourse surrounding your brand’s presence. Therefore, by utilising popular influencers to promote your products or services, your target audience will be more willing to interact, shop, and engage with your business.

However, the way influencers promote products on the two platforms will need to be tailored to suit target demographics and their social engagement. For instance, Instagram utilises traditional influencer ads, such as supported Instagram posts. This content is a prominent promotion that any potential buyer can clearly recognise. Conversely, TikTok utilises more original content, which means less promotional branding and more subtle marketing technique. Participating in a trend while showcasing your product or service is an excellent way of utilising TikTok advertising or marketing to its fullest potential.

Hence, if you’re looking to use both platforms in conjunction with influencer marketing, it’s ideal to utilise Instagram for product images and information while using TikTok for exciting videos on how to use the product.

Understanding social platform targeting choices will help your brand’s exposure grow, especially when it comes to paid advertisement.

In terms of both TikTok and Instagram, paid advertising is increasingly popular – with more and more brands utilising these platforms to promote their products and services while finding new targeting choices.

A paid advertisement placement on Instagram allows for more precise targeting. You can specify your target audience by choosing their location, user demographics, interests, behaviours, and more. You can also choose to target past buyers, people who have interacted with your brand, or even those who have bought similar products to the one you’re selling.

Conversely, TikTok does not allow for as much freedom when it comes to social platform targeting choices. While you can still target your audience through gender, location, and age, other variables such as interests and behaviours may not be as prominent.

When it comes to paid advertising, social platform targeting choices may suggest that Instagram is the better platform to utilise in generating brand exposure. However, this may not always be the case. For example, TikTok has a much larger appeal to younger audiences. Therefore, if this age group is your user demographic, it makes sense to use this platform to build a relationship with your audience and promote your products or services.

TikTok vs Instagram: Which is Better for Influencer Marketing?

Throughout this article, we’ve constantly referenced the impact social media influencers have on the way people purchase products and services online. If you’re aiming to increase your brand’s sales through social media, you may be wondering whether investing in an influencer marketing campaign is worthwhile and, if so, which platform to use.

While both TikTok and Instagram offer high-quality influencer marketing strategies, it’s important to understand which platform works better for your brand.

Before starting any marketing campaign, it is essential that you understand your goals and objectives as a brand. What do you want people to know, and what products or services are you looking to feature?

For instance, if you’re looking to generate hype or quickly raise awareness about one of your products with the hopes of going viral, TikTok is the ideal platform. With the way its algorithm works, short, sharp, and compelling videos posted on TikTok will usually generate the results you’re looking for. In addition, utilising an influencer to encapsulate your brand’s message and convey it through fun and unique video ideas.

On the other hand, Instagram influencers often take months to market products to their audience. However, in doing so, the relationship they build with their audience often becomes more substantial and more reliable. Therefore, when utilising Instagram for influencer marketing, you’ll want to think more about style and imagery. This includes how your product is being showcased to your target audience and how you want the influencer to curate their content to fit your brand’s image. Hence, if you’re looking to gradually build your brand’s image over the long term, choosing Instagram as the platform for your influencer marketing campaign is the appropriate choice.

Develop a Successful TikTok and Instagram Marketing Strategy

Utilising TikTok and Instagram to enhance your brand’s presence and boost sales may not be as easy as it sounds. While you can put your social media marketing skills to the test and manage the platforms yourself, there’s no sure-fire way of knowing you’ll get the desired results.

To ensure you have the best chance possible at reaching your marketing goals, it is ideal to seek assistance from a team of professionals who understand social media, influencer marketing, paid advertising, and what it means to reach specific user demographics.

At First Page, we offer social media management services that will ensure your desired customers notice your products and get funnelled towards making a purchase. We specialise in both Instagram and TikTok ads and aim to use our paid advertising skills to create highly targeted and endlessly scalable content.

In addition, our digital marketing agency provides high-quality advice for all businesses looking to grow and out-sell their competition by utilising social media platforms. We’ll provide you with detailed solutions regarding TikTok and Instagram, help you deduce the best platform for your business needs, and set up killer ads that convert.

Develop a successful TikTok and Instagram marketing strategy today by teaming up with the digital experts at First Page.

CTA: With TikTok and Instagram being highly relevant for every person’s buying journey, it’s only appropriate to include these two social platforms in any successful marketing strategy. Hence, knowing how to use TikTok and Instagram for your brand will elevate you above your competition, bring in more sales than you can imagine, and increase your brand’s exposure.

To get started on your next TikTok or Instagram campaign, contact our digital strategists today.