TikTok vs Instagram for Marketing in 2024: What to Choose?

Is the difference between TikTok and Instagram that big? In marketing, where every piece of engagement matters creators take advantage of the available platforms to get more followers, push their content, and collaborate with other influencers. Moreover, both platforms provide opportunities for people to create collab posts and use them to their advantage. Still, this is not the only point worth attention to, as both Instagram and TikTok have various tools and options to be used, and today we will compare their major aspects to define which platform is the best. In this article, you'll find out:

• How do the platforms' algorithms work?
• What types of content are available on the platforms?
• How can you track down analytics?
• How does the algorithm work?
• What opportunities you can use to create adds?

Let's get straight to the point to find out which platform is the best for influencer marketing.

What Are the Key Differences Between TikTok and Instagram?

Average users consider both platforms as those where you can waste time scrolling feed with funny videos and images. They see viral content appearing on the For You page on TikTok and in feeds on Instagram, where they have mixed content related to their interests.  Still, businesspeople who run accounts to make money and push their products have a different understanding of this platform.  

TikTok's focus is on short viral videos targeting younger generations. For example, the famous Khaby Lame with over 2.5 billion likes on his account. He made himself famous by posting reactions on various videos. Now, we see various content on his page, but he still makes a difference by reaching millions of views on each profile. 

Instagram has a bigger variety, offering various types of content for storytelling, promotion, collaboration, and other activities inherent to social media marketing. You can gather multiple media and share them in one post, or create a series of posts telling one story to encourage followers, as they wait for you to reveal the ending. 

TikTok is advantageous for small business that works with smaller audiences and has a lower reach. Instagram, on the other hand, is a better option for middle-range companies and large companies that establish their presence. It works the same way for major players in music areas. Artists like Eminem and bands like Linking Park have a solid presence on Instagram and use it to

• Make announcements
• Release music
• Show backstage and private life

Everyone has a personal approach to using the platform, including the number of posts, the type of content they prefer to post, and other factors. For example, Till Lindeman and 21 Savage post content often, sharing their personal life and professional activities while other musicians can skip up to 2 months before making another post. 

What Content Can You Post on TikTok and Instagram?

To make it clear about the capabilities of creators who want to establish a presence on each social media platform, we outline the main types of content available on Instagram and TikTok.

Available types of content on Instagram and TikTok

As you can see, Instagram offers a wider variety of content types for content posting, which gives users more options to push their products and achieve their marketing goals.

Video Content on TikTok and Instagram 

Videos are what most Instagram and TikTok content strategies are based on. Short videos usually last up to 60 seconds (in fact, creators try to make them 15 seconds) and are set to entertain viewers. If we talk about using TikTok for business, the main goal is to provide users with the most valuable information about products and services. Creators make accents on visual captivity, effects, and thumbnails to make content more attractive for younger generations.

If we look at the latest TikTok demographic data, we’ll see that most users (around 48%) are under the age of 30, and most creators belong to the 18-24 age category. Every 4th TikTok user is under 20 years old. Moreover, 60% of all TikTok users are female. 

The demographics and age gaps we see on TikTok outline key topics users prefer the most. Entertainment and dancing categories are the most popular among individuals with 535 and 181 billion views respectively. For example, videos with pets get only 10 billion views.

Quick transitions between the frames make it easier to perceive the content, understand key takeaways, and decide whether they like this type of content or not. 

Instagram steps forward in the Instagram vs TikTok contest, as it offers more options for video creation. This adds flexibility to your content strategy, offering more options to promote, share, and sell something. 

• Stories remain visible for 24 hours and disappear from the feed. You can save them in compilations, so people will see them on top of your profile. Stories can be used to post daily content, make announcements, or share posts for better visibility.
  
• Reels can last up to 90 seconds and are mostly used to present major products, make announcements, or post trending content.
• Compilations are mostly used to represent goods and services, showcasing them from the best angles. For example, if you showcase a new product in your store, upload multiple videos, so the clients will understand what they are dealing with.
  
• Long videos uploaded through IGTV are not common among Instagram users who use the platform for marketing purposes. Still, this is a good option to save live streams (Q&A sessions, giveaways, etc.).

Since TikTok and Instagram offer different options for sharing video content, creators adapt their marketing strategies to each platform. The most common comparison is between videos on TikTok and Instagram reels. You can post the same content with these two options. 

Comparing Instagram Reels and TikTok Videos

Over the past few years, Instagram Reels have become more popular than TikTok videos. Due to bigger audience concentration, creators prefer Instagram Reels over a similar format on TikTok. However, TikTok takes advantage of audience activity level and user engagement. Since short videos are the only format on TikTok, users bring higher activity. Moreover, the average age of the TikTok audience is lower than on Instagram, so users generate more likes, comments, and shares of the videos they enjoy.

Tools for Editing and Creativity

Both TikTok and Instagram offer a bunch of tools for editing. You can use filters, and templates, add effects, and select songs from the music library to create engaging content. If you want to go viral, you can do that by trying multiple content ideas.

Platforms give you multiple options to enhance the quality of your content and create better engaging videos. For example, use trademark font, color range, and other effects to make your content stand out. Short-form videos are great for storytelling format, especially when you record daily videos for your blog. For example, influencer Jordan Ferrone records daily videos of taking ice baths, keeping his overall engagement high. 

Using Instagram For Business

Instagram is a cheap option for establishing an online presence for your business. Instead of creating a website, purchasing a domain, and wasting resources improving it, you can work with a business account and have everything in hand. Direct messaging clients, sharing video content, posting regular updates, watching analytics, and doing everything for business improvement. 

The first thing to mention about Instagram for business is its Branded Content Tool. Considered the biggest offering to boost reach, have better targeting, and make online shopping almost effortless, this tool comes as an extension for paid partnership posting. With the Branded Content Tool, your ads look more native and understandable. Moreover, you are not limiting yourself to your current audience and reaching Instagram users who don't follow your profile. Another point to mention is that using the Branded Content Tool for Instagram enhances the shopping experience, allowing users to purchase the selected items in a few clicks. 

When you partner with another influencer, you receive a major advantage - a credibility boost. If you are an influencer and you initiate a collaboration with a brand, it will be an advantageous move, mainly because your audience will see what brands trust you. Moreover, it will signal other companies to take advantage and initiate collaboration with you. 

TikTok Usage for Business

With TikTok, you can take advantage of using this platform for business purposes by creating a business account. If you push a personal brand via TikTok, a business account on TikTok will be the best option. This type of page provides access to multiple marketing tools, helping you manage content, schedule posts, and get access to advanced analytics. Also, you can connect third-party tools and avoid resource duplication to enhance productivity. 

To create a business profile on TikTok, do the following:

• Open the profile and proceed to the menu in the top right corner.
• Go to settings and select the account management section.
• Choose "Switch to Business Account" and click on it.
• Select the category that is mostly related to your business.

The next step is profile optimization, which includes the selection of a profile picture, description, and business name selection. Your bio has to be short but informative, so users who come to your account first will understand what niche you possess and what content to expect. Also, consider placing links to social media profiles and related platforms. For musicians, it's essential to share URLs to the platforms they are presented in. 

Engaging With the Audience on TikTok and Instagram

Recent analyses show that Gen Z prefers TikTok over Instagram, and this tendency keeps growing. For example, in the United States, there are around 150 unique followers every month, which is 31% more compared to the previous year. If we compare Instagram and TikTok, we'll see that TikTok is more popular among younger generations. According to predictions based on current numbers, in 2027 TikTok will reach around 2.2 billion users. 

Why is audience engagement important? These are the main metrics that matter for influencers. Moreover, creators who use social media for promotion (for example, musicians), count engagement as well. They need to know how many users interacted with their posts and what part proceeded to the music profile on Spotify, SoundCloud, or other platforms. 

Creators analyze engagement patterns via various analytic tools to understand:

• When Instagram and TikTok users are the most active?
• What demographic do they have among their followers (age, sex, etc.)?
• How do people engage with the posts (likes, comments, saves, and shares)?

The easiest way to boost engagement on TikTok and Instagram is to run challenges. You set goals and encourage followers to take simple steps and proceed to the next level. If you are a musician who pushes content on both platforms, you can ask people to record videos using your music for background sound and add your trademark hashtag to the description. 

Later, run a poll to find out whether the audience enjoyed the contest or not. The best way to do it is to post a poll on Instagram stories, so you'll see who responded and who ignored. By doing this, you understand how effective your methods are and how else can you promote your music on Instagram.

Analysis is also a good option after a promotion campaign. When you invest in content push, an advanced analytics report helps you see the results and decide whether you have to invest more, use collaboration, or change the approach completely.  It's important when you launch trending challenges to keep up with the global hype and understand how the trends change.

Paid Ads on Instagram and TikTok

Relying only on active users that follow you is not enough, so the best way to advance on two platforms is to promote your content. Besides using paid promotion services, you can invest in paid ads on platforms. 

Instagram offers various formats of ads, including images, reels, carousels, and stories. Tag products and services, so the users will see the price and decide whether they proceed to payment or look for something else. TikTok ads appear on the "For You" page and are mixed with other videos, so people randomly see them in the feed. You can customize ads, adding special effects related to your brand to make posts stand out.  

If we compare the costs of ads, TikTok ads cost less than Instagram's. Still, Instagram offers more promotion options, helping you implement more marketing campaigns via this platform.

Is TikTok Better Than Instagram?

The choice between Instagram and TikTok for the best app for marketing depends on the goals and preferences of each marketer. TikTok is better if your audience belongs to younger generations. However, Instagram offers more content posting options, allowing individuals to change promotion strategies and adapt them to the existing trends. TikTok or Instagram? It's up to you.