If your business wants to use social media to tap into the youth market, or target customers between 18 – 34 Snapchat and Instagram can be powerful tools. Snapchat has 300 million active users every month and of those users. 71% are under the age of 34. Additionally, 30% of millennial internet users use Snapchat regularly. Instagram has 600 million active users, with 59% under the age of 30.
Both platforms focus on using images to share a message. However, Snapchat and Instagram can be used in very different ways and for different purposes. Here are some tips to help you figure out which platform is right for you.
Filters vs. Stickers
Instagram helped get the word “filter” into the social media user’s vocabulary. With over 20 filters to choose from, as well as custom editing, there are lots of options for video and photo editing right from the app. Unless you are using Instagram stories, then you will not be able to add some of the fun filters Snapchat has helped make popular. Snapchat uses geofilters, facial recognition technology, and stickers. This encourages a more playful and fun post!
Finished Product vs. Behind-the-scenes
If you scroll through Instagram you’ll see lots of photos that look professionally lit and staged. Meanwhile, Snapchat users rely on the fact that the photos and videos on Snapchat do not stay forever. This allows users to post things that are not perfectly polished, such as behind the scenes footage. This removes the worry of the post not meeting standards of a formal post. If you want to share lots of content that looks polished and professional, then Instagram may be a better choice for you. If you want to share otherwise unpublished content, then Snapchat is a good choice.
Comments vs. Chat
One of the major differences in platforms is how you can engage with your customers. For example, Instagram has public comments. This means a comment can be left by anyone on a public image and can be seen by anyone. Users can like comments and respond to other commenters. But Snapchat does not allow for public commenting and instead offers chats. This can happen between one person, or possibly a group of selected people. These chats are not public, and like the rest of Snapchat content, the chats are not permanent.
Snapchat and Instagram have already positioned themselves as powerful tools in the social media marketing arsenal. But they can be used effectively to reach a new audience and increase engagement. If you have questions or want help managing your social media platforms like Instagram No time for Social is here for you!
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