Both Instagram and TikTok have more than one billion users. This is a massive audience that online marketers cannot resist. Combined with the ease of use of these platforms and their worldwide reach, they are among the best resources for businesses.
The problem is that some people do not know how to choose between the two, especially when they don’t want to use both. If you are torn between Instagram vs TikTok, you need to understand how they work. It will help you know the value they bring to your business.
Here are essential facts you need to know about the two platforms and how they can impact your business.
Getting Started With TikTok
Table of Contents
With over 3 billion downloads and more than one billion active users, TikTok is one of today’s fastest-growing social media apps. It makes sense to take advantage of it by creating a profile and learning how to promote your business there. But how can you do that without having experienced first-hand all of TikTok’s unique features?
To be successful with this app, you need to check the following:
- Understand your audience
- Create compelling videos
- Be unique
- Know the current trends
- Always create something new
- Post regularly
The primary benefit of using Instagram as a platform for marketing comes from posting regular content. As such, you should post no less than twice per day — ideally once in the morning and once at night — so as not to drown out other videos coming up behind yours on followers’ feeds.
Getting Started With Instagram
Most people don’t realize that Instagram can be used for more than just selfies and sharing food pics. It’s also a potent tool for business marketing. The first step to get started here is to create a profile.
You need the following to create a profile on Instagram:
- A catchy username
- Profile picture
- Cover photo
- Your logo or brand name
That way, potential clients will immediately know who they’re talking to even before you say anything. Setting up your profile correctly takes only a minute or two but will be well worth it in terms of brand recognition down the line. The next step is to start making connections. Every time you post something, make sure it includes hashtags relevant to your industry so other users interested in your niche can see it.
Instagram vs TikTok — How Much Time Do They Take Up?
Each platform takes up a different amount of time. On Instagram, you’re limited to one post per day, and Stories can be posted twice per day for a total of three posts. On TikTok, there is no limit on how many videos you can post in 24 hours.
You also don’t have to create a video; short clips can be as short as 15 seconds, saving time spent creating content. On Instagram, editing each photo/video can take anywhere from five minutes to an hour or more if you want your post to look good—especially if it includes a filter or extra effects.
With TikTok, there isn’t nearly as much freedom when editing photos/videos, so use your best judgment when deciding what works best for your brand. Also, using existing memes and adding voiceovers makes things easy to create content for these platforms. Similar meme-creating tools are available with Instagram, such as Boomerang, but they aren’t built into the platform like they are with TikTok.
Most businesses often spend too much time creating original posts for Instagram. However, TikTok might take less time than other social media platforms due to its ease of use and user-friendly features.
How to Drive Users to Your Posts
Getting your followers on board with your posts can be challenging if you’re new to Instagram marketing. Sure, posting awesome content is essential, but you need a strategy to get your eyes on that content and grow your audience. You should find a way of directing people to your content instead of waiting for them to find you.
Whether you are using TikTok or Instagram, you can always let people know when you have posted new videos and images. For instance, you can share with friends and followers in other forums so that they check out your page. It will be even better if you can entice them to share your content. The goal is to make the posts reach as far and wide as possible.
When You Want to Use a Personal Account
If you’re posting content on your personal Instagram account, you can see how many people interact with your posts — liking and commenting on them. This is a great way to dominate Instagram in 2021. You can share images of yourself using products that will attract followers and fans to your business’s Instagram account.
Just remember not to post too frequently about your product or brand, as it could come off as spam. Instead, build trust by sharing photos of yourself modeling different outfits from your collection, behind-the-scenes looks at photoshoots, or just more general lifestyle shots that support your brand’s identity. From there, if users follow you, they may feel more inclined to purchase something from you.
Who to Follow on Instagram and TikTok
While TikTok is intended for fun and entertainment, Instagram users have a more serious intent. So, if you’re looking to grow an audience from scratch, TikTok might be a better platform for you. If your ultimate goal is business-to-consumer sales, Instagram might be a better option because of its higher engagement rates.
For music lovers, Instagram or TikTok are both great options. The important thing is finding out where your target market spends time online so that you can optimize your efforts across platforms. For example, with TikTok, you can also post links on Instagram to drive traffic back to your account.
Don’t go overboard with links, though, because best practice suggests using between 5–10% of overall content as links per video (just one link). This way, followers will learn what matters most to you without losing interest in watching it.
Videos to Post on Instagram and TikTok
To put it simply, videos engage your audience and create genuine connections with them. You can use short clips of yourself talking about something you’re passionate about or make a full-length video showing a new product or service. Either way, your goal should be to connect with potential and current customers in a meaningful way.
However, be sure to watch some of your competitors first to know what works and what doesn’t work for social media marketing on TikTok. If you are new, watching successful marketers in your niche will help you understand the challenges they face and what their audiences like. Creating a video that connects with the audience should not be a difficult task with such an approach.
The Fear of Being Blocked
The most significant difference between Instagram and TikTok is whether users will be blocked from posting. Instagram is a lot more restrictive than TikTok. On Instagram, you have to tag your photos with your name or brand so search engines can index them.
You can’t just post an image with no tagging—not even if you have a small number of followers. When you start building up your following, Instagram takes notice, adds your posts to their database, and restricts content that isn’t tagged with names or brands. This is meant to keep spam out of Instagram.
On TikTok, there are way fewer restrictions on how users share their images and on what they do in those images. It means there’s not as much accountability for brands sharing photos on TikTok as there is on Instagram. It makes it much easier for marketers to post and share on TikTok, especially when they know the freedom given to them.
Is It Worth It for Businesses?
If you’re a business owner, it’s important to decide whether or not Instagram is worth your time and money. While there are some clear benefits of using Instagram, you have to consider if these benefits outweigh its costs. Businesses can use Instagram for marketing purposes, but each strategy requires a certain level of time and resources.
The same applies to TikTok, even though it is different. It is all about finding your way through the jam and reaching your target audience. It takes time, but we all know that it works.
Whether you choose to market on TikTok or Instagram, you need to know that you will have to put in a significant amount of work. Do not look at the successful marketers and think that they achieved it overnight. However, as long as you do things right, you will get there.
Get Instagram or TikTok Marketing Help
The Debate about Instagram vs TikTok has been around for a long time, and it seems not to go away soon. If you’re looking for social media marketing success, you need to know if Instagram is better than TikTok. And at first glance, they might appear to be very similar platforms, yet they are different.
Our website has many other articles that you can read to understand more.
