In the last installation of the Marketing in the Digital Age series, I discussed how TikTok has revolutionized the marketing game for many large companies. Companies like Scrub Daddy, Wendy’s, and even the PGA have turned towards participating in trends and TikTok memes to elevate their traffic and boost their reach. Although this has proven to gain traction for these companies, one of the drawbacks of TikTok is its limited interaction options. Mainly, users like, comment, and share videos which restricts the interactive avenues that could be exhausted. There is, however, a social media platform that has the video capabilities of TikTok alongside an expanded variety of interactive options and an interface that many people have grown with for years: Instagram.
Unlike TikTok, Instagram has been around for over a decade (14 years to be exact). This gives it an advantage over TikTok because not only has the platform’s user base grown with the app, but it is more accessible simply based on the fact that less people had to really “learn” how to use it because it evolved alongside phone technology itself. That gives Instagram a wider age demographic and a more loyal audience. In 2020, Instagram rolled out a major update: Instagram Reels. As a “pivot to video” strategy, Instagram added reels to its app which essentially created a mini TikTok within Instagram. This major shift in the platform revolutionized the way users post and the way companies can market their products. Now, similarly to TikTok, Reels give companies the playing ground to hop on the latest trend and keep their content relevant and enticing.
Instagram Reels and TikTok are now rival platforms and actually harbor the same content as creators decide to post on both as a means of expanding their reach. Where Instagram takes the edge is in the original features offered in the app. Features like Stories, Polls, and even just the main photo feed function as different avenues to spread content and interact with the audience. TikTok has rolled out stories, but most users don’t want to bother because “that’s what Instagram is for.” That unwillingness to learn and partake in the new TikTok features is what gives Instagram the edge.
Similarly to TikTok, companies can post targeted video content to Instagram Reels, but they also have a whole other arsenal of content formats that can help further propel their campaigns into people’s feeds and, as a result, minds. Features like Instagram stories with polls, static photo posts, and the integration of Reels into all forms of the app provide companies with more options that will actually be used by the viewers. Although TikTok users spend more time overall on the app than those of Instagram, IG still holds more users overall making it an ideal environment for a company’s marketing efforts.
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