Social media apps are constantly introducing new features to garner attention and establish themselves as number one. In late 2016, about three years after Snapchat first released “Stories”, Instagram released its own nearly identical feature, “Instagram Stories”.
Both Snapchat and Instagram Stories consist of short-form videos and photos that disappear a given period of time. The promise of regular, fresh content that can only be seen for a limited time, encourages users to regularly check these apps, making them wildly successful. Stories provide users with a great way to give their followers a brief look at the interesting things they are getting up to throughout the day. Additionally, they provide businesses with a quick and effective way to market themselves to audiences.
Although your marketing strategy should ideally incorporate both Snapchat and Instagram, limited time and resources may make it difficult for you to juggle both. Despite the massive success of both platforms, the question remains. When it comes to marketing your business, which is better for you: Snapchat Stories or Instagram Stories?
Demographics
If your business is looking to target a younger demographic, then Snapchat might be the better option. The app is highly popular amongst teenagers, and young adults, with 60% of its users being under 25.
Instagram, on the other hand, is popular amongst a slightly older demographic. According to a Pew Research Study, 59% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 and 33% of people between the ages of 30 and 49 use Instagram.
Features
Snapchat offers a wide range of features that users can play around with. These include:
• Face Filters: Users can lay a filter over their face which will move in sync with them, thanks to 3-D face-detection technology.
• Motion Filters: Users can create videos in slow, fast, and reverse-motion.
• Geo-Filters: Users can show their followers where they are or which event they’re attending. Anyone can create their own custom Geofilter, meaning these filters can be used to promote a brand.
• Sponsored Filters: Brands can pay to push customized face filters to promote themselves.
• Augmented Reality: The app allows you to place animations in the real world and interact with them.
Instagram stories offer slightly less by way of features. With Instagram, you can draw over your stories, add text and apply coloured filters. Like Snapchat, Instagram also offers face filters. Something which is unique to Instagram is the Boomerang feature, which are short videos that play forward and backward.
Tone
Snapchat’s quirky and creative filters make it well suited to brands with a strong personality. It is also considered as a more personal and authentic alternative to Instagram thanks to the “in the moment” nature of the app. This makes it the ideal platform for businesses looking to put a human face to their brand, connect with their audiences and build customer loyalty.
The content on Instagram is generally more stylized than the content on Snapchat. Images tend to be more polished and have a stronger aesthetic. This makes Instagram well suited to businesses who wish to showcase their products.
Which platform works best for your brand?
Now that you’ve got the lowdown on Snapchat vs. Instagram Stories, it’s time for you to decide which is better for your business. It’s a good idea to test out both platforms to see which one is more beneficial – this will depend on your target audience and business goals. Who knows, you may find yourself surprised by which platform works best for you.
