Are you debating whether to invest more in TikTok vs. Instagram in 2023? Whether you handle your social media channels yourself or rely on a team like Wholeheart, you should learn the basics of these channels before deciding where to focus your marketing efforts.
This TikTok vs. Instagram breakdown will share:
- The differences between the two platforms
- Which audience groups they cater to
- The kind of content that performs well
- Tips for utilizing both platforms to your advantage
Read on to learn more about TikTok vs. Instagram, and decide which is ideal for your marketing goals and audience.
TikTok vs. Instagram Overview
Before you decide which platform is best for you, let’s look at the key differences between TikTok vs. Instagram.
Instagram was originally a photo-based app where people connected with mostly people they knew personally. Over the last few years, Instagram has begun leaning heavily into video, in attempts to compete with TikTok and replicate its success. So now the platform is more of a mish-mash of photos and videos, which are called Instagram reels.
TikTok is focused mainly on short-form video content typically under 60 or even 30 seconds. With over 466 million monthly active users, TikTok is today’s hot new (ish) social media platform that’s taking over with Gen Z and has started to gain popularity with older generations.
TikTok vs. Instagram Audience
As of January 2023, Instagram has 1.35 billion users, making it the third-most-used social media app behind Facebook and WhatsApp. Forty-five percent of Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 39, making it the favorite for Millennials and older Gen Zs.
TikTok is the top social media app for teens and young adults. It has the youngest creator base on social media with 1 billion monthly active users, making it the second-most-used social media app behind WhatsApp. Approximately 72% of TikTok’s users are younger than 34 years old.
TikTok Vs. Instagram Culture
The biggest difference between TikTok vs Instagram comes down to culture. It’s hard to describe unless you’ve spent time on both platforms, but the “vibe” is very different.
Instagram has long been people’s “highlight reel.” People used it to show off the more interesting, glamourous aspects of their life, like a fancy vacation or night out with friends.
As a result, Instagram isn’t always the best for mental health. Scrolling through a feed of filtered perfection can be off-putting, making us feel more disconnected and alone.
TikTok is all about authenticity. More casual, “real life” kind of clips tend to perform best. The content feels more personal and vulnerable on the part of the creators. This helps users feel as if they’re part of a community, …and less alone.
Of course, there will always be the perfect influencers and envy-stirring vacation clips, but as a whole TikTok tends to foster a more relatable and welcoming environment than Instagram.
Perhaps this is why people spend, on average, more time on TikTok– 52 minutes per day, vs. 28 minutes per day on Instagram.
TikTok vs. Instagram Algorithm
When it comes to the TikTok vs. Instagram algorithm, Instagram simply can’t compare.
The Instagram Algorithm
At a high level, Instagram’s feed shows you posts from the accounts that you follow. It orders the appearance of those posts based on how often you’ve engaged with the account in the past, and the general overall engagement of that account and/or post. (This is shifting as Instagram continues trying to replicate TikTok, but more on that below.)
In general, the best way to succeed in Instagram’s algorithm is to get a high number of engagement– which is a combination of likes, comments, shares, and saves. This indicates to TikTok that your content is successful, and earns it placement in the feed.
The TikTok Algorithm
TikTok’s feed is a whole different animal. While you can follow accounts and view a feed based on accounts that you follow, the primary feed is made up of videos that TikTok thinks you will like, based on the videos you’ve engaged with before.
If you watch a video of golden retriever puppies, get ready to see a lot more videos with golden retriever puppies. Same goes for make-up, fitness, clothing, cars, humor– just about any niche or industry you can imagine, it’s on there.
This makes TikTok a game-changer for content creators and businesses to reach their targeted audience. You don’t need to have a following to succeed on TikTok; TikTok brings the following to you.
In general, the best way to succeed in TikTok’s algorithm is to get more view views and people watching your video all the way through. TikTok also cares about engagement, i.e. likes and comments, but video engagement is at the top of the totem pole.
TikTok vs. Instagram Editing
When it comes to video editing, TikTok reigns supreme. Because it was originally designed as a video app, its in-suite level of editing capabilities far surpasses Instagram’s.
Generally speaking, TikTok tends to have a better music or audio offerings, more advanced video effects, filters, and green screen capabilities. Its editing tools are more intuitive and user-friendly than Instagram’s, and less likely to crash mid-way through an edit (every content creator’s nightmare).
Instagram is trying to play catch-up with video editing capabilities, but that’s just it– it’s only catch-up. As a result, serious or more tech-savvy content creators on Instagram are likely to create their videos in other apps (including TikTok) and then upload them onto Instagram.
TikTok vs. Instagram Content Topics
While both platforms can support just about every subject matter, industry, or niche, certain topics tend to perform better or worse on TikTok vs. Instagram.
Best Content for Instagram
Top-performing content on Instagram tends to include images or video that add a creative spin to everyday subjects, such as:
- Travel
- Lifestyle
- Fashion
- Food
- Product-Based Businesses
Again, that’s not to say other topics cannot do well on Instagram, but “lighter topics” such as those above are more likely to dominate the feed
Brands and content creators on Instagram tend to curate their accounts in a way that all their photos have the same aesthetic and feel. When you visit their profile page, you can quickly get a sense of their style and who they are as a brand.
Best Content for TikTok
TikTok content is really all over the place, in the best kind of way. You can go on and see content that is very clearly tied to a specific niche or audience. You can also go on and see the most random, creative, hilarious thing that makes you think “who thinks of that??” This is part of what makes TikTok so fun and addicting.
One thing that tends to ring true on TikTok– a preference towards more “raw” content. As described above, part of the cultural pull of TikTok is that it doesn’t feel quite as filtered and performative as Instagram. So videos that perform well are often quick, casual clips– like someone walking down the street while talking to the camera.
Here a few content formats we see working well on TikTok:
- Storytelling – Someone tells a funny, interesting, or insightful story, often while doing something else like putting on make-up or walking down the street
- Vlogs & Montages – Aesthetically filmed and editing “video blogs” that take viewers through something simple, like cleaning an apartment or “day in the life”
- Funny, Relatable Clips – Whether someone is lip-syncing to an audio and adding funny text or talking to the camera directly, people love content that is funny and relatable
- Casual Educational – Educational content that is delivered in a casual or creative way – like verbally teaching your audience something while making coffee
- Random and Creative – Scroll-stopping content that is hard to describe as it truly is so random and creative.
When brands try to get too “high-production” on TikTok, the videos tend to fall flat. In fact, many users will immediately scroll past a clearly high-production video, as they’ll inherently know it’s an ad.
Beyond that, the sky is really the limit in terms of what content work well on TikTok. While you will probably grow a larger audience more quickly with “light-hearted” content, such as those described above, there is also room for heavier topics.
Many real estate, finance, legal, and medical personalities have grown a respectable following on TikTok. So have “boring” businesses like pool cleaners, construction workers, and accountants. It just may take more time, and a little creativity.
Tips for Creating a TikTok vs. Instagram Strategy
Whether you decide to invest more resources into TikTok vs. Instagram, or both, you’ll want to have a clear strategy. This will help you clarify what your marketing goals are for each platform, and organize your content plan accordingly.
Here are a few high-level tips for creating your TikTok or Instagram strategy.
Identify Your Goals
Different goals require different content plans. For example, if your top goal is to grow a following, you’ll be publishing different content that if your goal is to drive website traffic. That’s why you want to start with the desired end result and reverse-engineer your way there.
Consider Your Audience
If you’re trying to decide which platform to focus on, consider where your target audience is already hanging out. And don’t just go by age; many millennial and Gen X audiences can be found on TikTok.
You’ll also want to think through why they are drawn to either platform, and the kind of content they’re looking to consume while there. Are they trying to educate themselves on a topic, or just squeeze in a few laughs during lunch? For most people, it’s a little bit of everything, but you’ll want to consider what the divide looks like for your target audience.
Research relevant accounts
Conduct an audit of relevant accounts in your industry or niche. Don’t just passively watch their videos, either. Take note of what’s working and not working. Pay attention to the hooks people use and the style of content. Consider what the top-performing videos have in common. See what kind of topics people in your industry are posting about.
We find it helpful to create a spreadsheet to track your findings. Otherwise, it’s easy to get lost in the endless supply of content. Link to videos you especially like and would like to use as inspiration. Take notes around what you liked about it, and how you might utilize its lessons for your own content.
Map out your content topics
Most successful accounts have a finite number of content topics they focus on. It doesn’t have to be one thing, but they should be connected. One account might be mostly about fitness, nutrition, and mindset. Another could be related to business, marketing, and mindset.
List out the content topics you could post about for your brand account. Identify the top 3-5 (give or take) and come up with a few content ideas within each topic. Also consider how much weight you’ll give each topic– you might post about one topic 70% of the time, and another topic only 10%.
Commit to a posting frequency
Whichever platform you decide on, you’ll need to post content at least somewhat consistently in order to build your following and attract engagement.
The ideal number is up for date. Really, the ideal number is “every day, multiple times a day” but that’s not realistic for most companies. We recommend brands commit to the highest number of postings per week they can realistically achieve.
It’s also worth noting, that ideal number may differ between TikTok vs. Instagram. Posting frequently will help on either platform, but it’s especially important on TikTok. This further increases the opportunities for them to come across your content, which helps you reach and attract new people.
Set up a content production schedule
Once you commit to a certain number of posts per week, set up a content production schedule. This is important because, with video production, there are many more steps and stages to think about, including:
- Research
- Planning
- Scripting
- Filming
- Editing Clips
- Adding voiceovers / audio / text / effects
- Caption writing
- Publishing / Distribution
If this sounds like a lot, you’re not wrong. Even with TikTok, which supports more simple videos, a certain level of planning and production is required. That’s why it’s important to set up a content production schedule , so you know in advance which day(s) to set aside for the above steps.
Which Will You Choose?
We hope this TikTok vs. Instagram Guide was useful in helping you decide where to focus your marketing efforts in 2023. With the right strategy and mindset, you can build a TikTok or Instagram presence that supports your marketing goals and drives business results.
If you want help deciding between TikTok vs. Instagram, or would prefer for social media marketing to be taken off your hands entirely, check out our purpose-driven marketing services.