Social media has proven to be a fantastic marketing tool for businesses of all sizes and types in the past few years. With the hit of the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020, social media became one of the main ways of connecting with other social media users worldwide.
It’s a tool that allows you to reach more users, create focalized content, and reach your target audience as easily as it’s ever been. Now that Gen Z users are reaching the majority of social platforms, businesses of all lines also need to have an online presence.
But not every social media platform is the same, and not everyone that navigates the internet is part of every social media app. Baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z may be on different apps, so based on your business goals and target audience, you can decide which of these two massively popular platforms is the right one for your brand to reach a larger audience.
But first, let’s look into the history of these social media platforms.
Evolution of Instagram: From 640 Pixels to HD
Instagram is an American app created by Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom, initially launched in October 2010 for iOS, and acquired by Facebook Inc in 2012. The app snowballed to the point where it reached 10 million Instagram users in only one year.
It was initially created as an image-focused app with a specific 640 pixels images format that distinguished it from other apps in the social media scene. Still, with the integration of tools like Instagram stories and reels, it slowly turned into a video-oriented platform.
TikTok: A 2 Year Boom
Created initially as Douyin in China, TikTok represents the internationally available version of this app owned by ByteDance. This app specializes in short-form video content, and while it has not been around for as long as Instagram, don’t let this trick you; it’s already an established social media app.
It was launched globally in August 2018, and by 2020 it already had more than a billion existing users. It’s one of the fastest-growing apps in the social media landscape and will continue growing in the years to come.
But, Is TikTok Bigger Than Instagram In 2022?
It depends on the way you look at it. At the same time, Instagram’s all-time downloads are still significantly more extensive.
TikTok remains one of the largest, fastest-growing apps the world has seen, and it’s no secret that since the day it launched, it has experienced meteoric growth.
Even Facebook, now known as Meta, accepts that they are one of the biggest rivals the brand has faced.
There is more than one side to consider when deciding which of these two apps offers the best tools for your business, so let’s go into it a little more.
Algorithms
Instagram’s algorithm makes it tricky to grow and primarily promotes those already receiving positive/consistent feedback, making it challenging for those recently joining the platform to grow a significant audience.
TikTok, on the other hand, has such a unique algorithm that the new user growth rate is very volatile. At the same time, it can take you a hundred videos to make one that goes viral; you could also go viral in your first video, which isn’t uncommon nowadays on this platform.
Type of Content
While Instagram is jumping in the train of short formatted videos with their stories and Instagram reels, this platform also allows users for long-form videos, which is meaningful if your business requires longer videos for promotion.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLWtTxJSpp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLWtTxJSpp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLWtTxJSpp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Nike (@nike)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>TikTok offers another type of video style; content like people doing lip-sync and viral challenges is the type of post expected in the highly viral videos on this platform, but some social media users have shown that any creative/funny video can start a trend in this platform.
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@violett_green/video/6861976357862247685" data-video-id="6861976357862247685" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@violett_green" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@violett_green">@violett_green</a> <a title="duett" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/duett">#Duett</a> mit @vincentvianen <a title="beyoncehomecoming" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/beyoncehomecoming">#beyoncehomecoming</a> <a title="beyoncehomecomingchallenge" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/beyoncehomecomingchallenge">#beyoncehomecomingchallenge</a> <a title="vincentvianenchallenge" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vincentvianenchallenge">#vincentvianenchallenge</a> <a title="vincentvianendance" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/vincentvianendance">#vincentvianendance</a> <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - vincentvianen" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6822643939921808134">♬ original sound - vincentvianen</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>If your business is looking to expand into social media networks, you may want to work together with a specialized social media agency to help you with content production.
Demographics & Target Audience
Instagram is one of the top social media of all time for both apple and android phones, used by all kinds of people from all over the world, but TikTok isn’t so behind. With a very competitive edge that is still in its successful growth phase, TikTok is an app that is here to stay and won’t stop being a challenger for Meta any day soon.
TikTok is particularly popular among younger users, like millennials and younger generations. Depending on the product or service you are providing, considering the age of your potential user base will be very helpful when choosing TikTok vs. Instagram.
Their country of residence and their calculated income might be constructive; it’s just a matter of checking the stats, which could give you a great insight into which app to use depending on its popularity among your targeted market.
Advertisement Needs
The most popular option tends to be Instagram due to the in-feed ads, branded hashtag challenges, and influencer campaigns when it comes to ads. The paid advertising space on Instagram is the tool that helps millions of brands continue to achieve user growth through focalized ads and influencer marketing.
But influencer marketing isn’t limited to Instagram; TikTok influencers are a colossal advertisement strategy for many brands worldwide. The influencer marketing channel is growing beyond what was expected.
For many businesses, the influencer advertisement represents a massive boost to the exposure other types of marketing can offer. It has become a “must” for brand marketing planning.
Music & Editing Features
Instagram is adapting constant updates that make it feel closer to TikTok; in this way you can now crop, edit, add your own audio on top of the original video and add filters or video effects before you record the video and even once the video is recorded.
Still, when it comes to video and audio editing, TikTok is the leading app, mainly because it’s very intuitive and doesn’t require professional experience to generate excellent, top-tier creative-quality content for your personal brand or your business.
So, Which is Better, TikTok or Instagram?
There is no “right” answer in this scenario; the truth is that it is up to you and your brand’s team to make a research and a marketing plan. Then based on the information we provided and your research, you can decide your social media presence.
The truth is that it might be positive to be present in any app that is focused on building a user web since your business can always benefit from these tools that help you reach a broader customer base.
Trendy or Targeted Content?
What is the best type of post for your company? Images or videos? Short or long formats? Once these questions are answered, then you’re ready to choose TikTok vs. Instagram.
Instagram remains one of the biggest platforms for overall downloads. It’s also one of the favorite platforms for paid advertising, either through influencer marketing or in-feed ads (stories and feed).
On the other side, TikTok influencers are a massive marketing strength. It’s a fantastic, effective strategy if you’re promoting a brand destined to reach younger audiences interactively. Still, there are vast differences between the two apps regarding advertising.
While Instagram allows you to create targeted ads for specific users in the territory and planned age you desire, TikTok doesn’t allow detailed ad targeting. Still, it’s easier for your content to reach a broader audience. If you collaborate with influencers on this platform, then you can better control who your ad will reach.
Is It Easier To Grow On TikTok Than On Instagram?
Long story short, yes.
TikTok has a more convenient algorithm that allows for spontaneous growth, while Instagram is designed for you to grow little by little. The more connections you get and the higher your feedback is, the more promotion your posts will get in the platform’s “search” section.
TikTok provides users with a unique opportunity for new user growth because if your content is creative enough, you can reach virality on your first few clips. We’re not saying it is easy, but the algorithm favors this behavior, and it would be next to impossible for this to happen on Instagram.
So, Which is Better: TikTok or Instagram?
We already looked into the key platform specifics. So now, it is up to you and your marketing team to consider the points we’ve discussed here and compare these apps again, based on your advertising needs and your users’ demographics.
Both apps are top-rated and helpful, but your business could benefit more from one or the other to promote your products/services directly to your targeted audience. Many businesses wisely decide to have a presence on both platforms, although it takes more time and money. Lastly, remember that the more options you have, the more your chances of growing a stable customer base increase.
