Social media is the dominant force in modern society. It is hard to find people not signed up on one of these social media sites. Several social media sites include services like posts, live feeds, stories, reels, messaging, etc.
The video-sharing landscape has shifted since Instagram introduced Stories, a transitory video feature similar to Snapchat. Tools like Instagram Reel Video Download also became popular after the introduction of Instagram Stories. Does this new feature suggest that users switch from one app to another?
Here is a statistical observation – Snapchat users are 60% likely to indulge in impulse buying. However, 80% of Instagram users follow at least five brand pages, and 70% of US companies have started using Instagram.
Two of the most widely used social media platforms, Snapchat and Instagram, strongly emphasis photo sharing and visual elements. The apps are similar in many respects, but some significant differences affect when and how you should post content using either Instagram or Snapchat.
When advertising your brand, Instagram and Snapchat are incredibly useful. Which app will serve your brand the best? In this blog, we analyse the features and user bases of Instagram and Snapchat so that you can form an opinion as you develop a successful content strategy.
History of Instagram and Snapchat
In 2010, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Instagram, a social media platform for sharing photos and videos. Facebook Inc. eventually purchased Instagram. Users of the app can upload content that can be modified using filters, categorized by hashtags, and sorted by location.
Instagram profiles can be either public or private. Users can explore trending content, like images, follow other users to add their stuff to a personal feed and browse other users’ content by tag and location.
When Instagram first launched, it set itself apart by limiting content framing to a square (1:1) aspect ratio of 640 pixels, which matched the width of the iPhone’s display. This requirement was lifted in 2015 with the upgrade to 1080 pixels. IG Downloader has also upgraded its resolutions accordingly.
Additionally, it introduced messaging facilities, the ability to share multiple images or videos, and a Stories feature akin to that of its main rival, Snapchat. Users may publish their material to a feed in chronological order, with each post being visible by others for a total of 24 hours. In January 2019, 500 million people regularly used Stories.
Snapchat
Snapchat is a multi-media instant messaging service and app created in the United States by Snap Inc., formerly known as Snapchat Inc. One of the main characteristics of Snapchat is that images and messages are often only accessible for a brief period before they are no longer visible to their recipients. The app has changed from its initial focus on peer-to-peer photo sharing to now including users’ “Stories” comprising 24 hours of chronological content.
The app also contains “Discover,” which allows brands to show short-form, ad-supported content. Users may also save pictures in the “my eyes only” section, which gives them access to a password-protected area where they can preserve their images. End-to-end encryption is also used, albeit in a limited capacity, with hopes to expand its application in the future.
Former Stanford University students Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown founded Snapchat. It is well-known for taking social networking in a new, mobile-first direction and emphasising user engagement with augmented reality products and virtual stickers.
Snapchat has 293 million daily active users as of July 2021, an increase of 23% over the previous year. More than four billion Snaps are sent daily on average. Snapchat is popular among young people, especially those under 16.
Why brands should consider each of them?
Over 500 million people use Instagram daily. Eighty-six per cent of Instagram users publish Stories, compared to 70% who watch them daily. While 25% of Gen Z and Millennial Instagram users discover products and services through watching Stories, over 36% of brands advertise their products and services on Instagram Stories. Brands must be active on Instagram Stories to reach a younger audience.
There are currently 319 million daily active Snapchat users, up 20% from the previous year. So, even as other social media platforms gain popularity, Snapchat is still going strong. Similar to Instagram, Snapchat has a younger demographic of users.
The age bracket of Snapchat users is 18 to 24 for 20% of all users. Suppose you’re marketing to older Millennials, Gen Xers, or Boomers. In that case, Instagram could be a more successful medium because Snapchat usage drastically declines among those over 35.
However, it is to be noted that a majority of Snapchat users also use Instagram. Therefore it makes sense to cross-promote on both platforms.
Best app for brands and emerging businesses
Shortly after Snapchat declined a bid from Meta (the parent company of Instagram), Meta began building features similar to Snapchat on Instagram. These days, Instagram and Snapchat provide similar features.
Users can publish transitory content on both apps, which vanishes after 24 hours. Users of both platforms find this limited life of content desirable since it keeps their feeds fresh, new, and constantly updated.
Which app is better entirely depends on the type of business. Instagram is a fantastic tool for social media marketing because of its many features. By upgrading to a “business” account, companies and brands can make the most of the platform by making their page more accessible and letting users see their direct contact info. Businesses may upload videos up to 90 minutes long on Instagram using the extended video format known as Instagram TV.
A button within Instagram Stories also allows businesses to hold “Ask Me Anything” sessions. Influencers or organisations with representatives love to use Instagram, where they can go on a Live video to interact with their audiences.
A personal messaging platform on Instagram allows one-on-one conversations. It helps you to swiftly respond to consumers and guide them to the information they need.
Snapchat has expanded into new and exciting areas since the launch of Instagram Stories, such as “Snap Maps,” which let users use the app to find their friends’ locations. The more people use the site, the more fun filters they can unlock and snaps they can revisit. NBC, E! News, Harpers Bazaar, and The New York Times produced content for the platform. Snapchat has been a significant success as a brief narrative video platform.
Conclusion
Instagram is where your consumers go to stay up to date on their more extensive social networks. Your consumers may grow more intimate friendships with their pals on Snapchat. You can choose who you want to target with your marketing and how you want to advertise to them. Instagram and Snapchat are almost alike at first impression. However, as each network expands and changes, it forges a unique position in the industry.