For many businesses, social media remains the primary channel for reaching their target audience. However, with the popularity of TikTok on the increase, advertising results have been drastically altered. More Instagram advertisers are adapting their methods to be more like those of TikTok, while others are sticking with the tried-and-true formula they’ve developed over the last few years. It’s understandable if you’re stumped about the best approach—or if you’re even thinking about giving up Instagram completely. Instagram may have become more “TikTok-like,” but there are still significant distinctions between the two services.
Since TikTok is so successful, Instagram has had to change to compete with its emphasis on viral videos. Even major brands are trying to adapt their advertising content to the TikTok style across both platforms. This is because Instagram’s audience is getting older and older, while TikTok’s audience is getting younger and younger.
Instagram is increasing its focus on Reels as a means of competing with TikTok. Even while Instagram’s algorithm hasn’t altered significantly since TikTok’s release, it’s clear that the app now prioritises video content above photos. This is probably because of the dramatic shift in the type of material being posted on TikTok, which has shifted over to Instagram.
These days, it’s not uncommon to see an influencer share a video from their TikTok account on Instagram, particularly if it goes viral. These often stick to a structure of being seven seconds long, with a clear call to action and a mobile-friendly layout.
The ad wording is the main distinction between advertising on Instagram and TikTok. Instagram posts can have attention-grabbing headlines, humorous language, and lengthy descriptions. The majority of TikTok users generally won’t read the ad copy, so it’s important to convey all pertinent information in a seven- to fifteen-second video.
Instagram users still have a positive response to promoted and sponsored content. Conversions may still be made using high-quality images and video. Traditional social media advertisements aren’t always warmly received by users on TikTok, since the community there tends to favour more organic or user-generated content. The most important distinction is that marketers have a better likelihood of success with picture advertisements on Instagram than on Facebook. Generally speaking, the most successful advertisements on TikTok are those that are created specifically for mobile viewing.
The success of an ad campaign on either platform ultimately rests with the specifics of the brand’s objectives. TikTok caters to a younger audience than Instagram. TikTok’s meteoric rise suggests it has what it takes to overtake Instagram as the leading social media platform in the near future.
Generally speaking, it’s preferable to tailor your advertising platform choice to the nature of the advertised commodity or service and the demographics of the target audience. Always track the right metrics and experiment with different forms of content to find out what works best at bringing in customers. After amassing enough information, the best course of action will become apparent.
TikTok has made great steps to simplify the advertising process for its sponsors despite being a relative newcomer to the industry. Brands may easily enhance their presence on TikTok and its similarity to Facebook’s and Instagram’s Meta Business Manager by installing a pixel on their websites.
Advertisers have found success on TikTok. Filters, music, and transitions are just some of the in-app editing features available to make videos feel more natural and fit into the user’s experience. Instagram videos are frequently modified with applications other than Instagram, such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop.
It’s inevitable that marketers will use these channels to reach consumers on a global scale, but there are certain things to keep in mind. Language and cultural barriers are only two examples. Likewise, familiarity with international advertising law and copyright issues is crucial. Due to copyright rules, certain songs may not be usable in other countries. Some celebrities also decline to have their images used in advertisements in some regions. Always make sure you know your rights when using audio and when working with artists.
Applying what you’ve learned about how to use graphics and content in one market to another while keeping the core USP that generated conversions is the greatest method to advertise worldwide.
Ads on social media are bound to change in the near future, and this will affect how we use the platform. As people’s attention spans continue to decrease, we should expect to see a trend toward more natural, shorter forms of video content in the coming years. People are skimming, therefore ads need to grab them within the first few seconds.
It’s likely that people’s need to connect with others via shared experiences, though, will endure. There would be little point in consumers continuing to spend time on social media and contribute information if it turned into a platform comprised completely of adverts.