Snapchat or Instagram? We now have a winner, in spite of the rival apps' competitiveness and similarities.
Individuals, organisations and professionals alike are all completely torn about which platform to use - Instagram or Snapchat?
Snapchat is much better for hilarious funny faces to your mates, but Instagram offers the option of a collage of your most beautiful photography.
Which one wins?
For the general public and everyday private use, there is probably a fair argument for both - but for business, a clear fire winner has emerged.
Well done... Instagram! Here's why...
Statistics Roundup
Total number of daily active users
- Snapchat: 173 million (August 2017)
- Instagram: 400 million (May 2017)
Total number of monthly active users
- Snapchat: 300+ million (January 2017)
- Instagram: 700 million (April 2017)
Number of photos (Instagram) / photos and videos (Snapchat) uploaded per day
- Snapchat: 1 million (January 2017)
- Instagram: 95 million (January 2017)
A journey in time
There is no arguing that Snapchat was the first platform to enter the 'disappearing media' market, with its Stories offering launching way back in 2013.
However, Instagram already had a solid audience base, so its Stories offering in 2016 wasn't particularly 'new' - people were used to Snapchat's way of doing things.
This meant that Instagram users (who were also probably Snapchatters) found it easier to do all of this in the one platform - where they were already used to sharing visual updates. It was just "easier".
In March 2017, Snapchat's IPO revealed that user growth had slowed whilst Instagram Stories is continuing to enjoy a rise in user growth.
The figures above are clear evidence of a divide in popularity and growth, but why has Instagram really taken over this market?
How Instagram won the 'battle'
Instagram is purely and simply 'easier' and there are reasons for it:
|
|
Snapchat |
|
|---|---|---|
| Viewing time |
24 hours |
24 hours |
| Video length |
Up to 10 secs |
Up to 10 secs |
| Media embellishments |
Yes |
Yes |
| Privacy |
Media is public, but can be made private |
Media is public, but can be made private |
| Story search |
Yes |
Yes |
| Links and URLs |
Yes |
No |
| Hashtags |
Yes - clickable |
Yes - manual |
| Search |
Yes - Instagram will provide suggestions too |
Yes - but you must know the exact handle |
| Other add ons |
Instagram is an existing photo and video sharing platform |
Snapchat Spectacles and 'SnapMap' |
Why Instagram is best for business
1. Discoverability
On Instagram it's a lot easier to find others and be found. From a business point of view Instagram's location and hashtag stories really win it for us.
Using the geotags and hashtags, people can share content about your venue and Instagram will bulk it altogether, creating an extra resource of info and media.
Snapchat introduced the Snapmap and search bar - perhaps in a bid to rival - but it's just not as easy to use and you can't directly do it from the snap you're watching.
Instagram also, simply, has a much wider and varied user base - 700 million to put a figure on it. 200 million (and more) of those are also using Instagram Stories too.
02. Targeting
In three words - Facebook owns Instagram.
If you don't immediately join the dots, we can do it for you - Facebook is the #1 platform for targeting, retargeting and advertising. Businesses on Instagram and Facebook benefit HUGELY from this.
Instagram advertisements can be targeted and put together using the data Facebook finds both on Facebook and Instagram - that's a lot about a person.
Snapchat, to compare, is a self-serve ad platform. This only came about in 2017, so although it is now easier to purchase and create adverts, it in no way compares to Instagram.
Why? Smaller audience base and you pay for all views - you can't target and pay for only the ads users interact with, like you can on Instagram and Facebook.
03. User friendliness
Anybody over the age of 30 (dare we say younger) was apprehensive about Snapchat - in fact Snapchat is designed and used by a considerably young audience.
If your organisation targets youngsters - educational establishments for instance - it may be worth considering. Otherwise, Instagram is still fairly "new" and "uncomfortable" for older audiences but it makes things much easier to learn and control.
Instagram is overall easier to use and adopt for those comfortable or familiar with Facebook. It makes growing your brand and engaging with your audience easier too. Snapchat isn't necessarily an engagement tool, whereas Instagram can be.
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