Video marketing is one of the most popular content marketing tools. Short-form videos are easy to watch and interact with on a variety of social media platforms with the most popular being TikTok and Instagram reels. But as a small business with a limited amount of time to create content, which platform do you choose? TikTok or Reels?
Where is your audience?
When deciding which platform is best for your business it is important to know where your target market is. Do some research and find out if your audience spends more time on TikTok or Instagram. A helpful place to start is with this statistic. Millennials (people between the ages of 25 -40) spend more time on Instagram while Gen Zs (people between the ages of 9 – 24) spend more time on TikTok.
What kind of content do you make?
TikTok and Reels, although similar, are two very different platforms. These differences might help you determine which platform is correct for the type of content you create.
The first and most notable difference is video length. With TikTok, video length can be anywhere between 15 seconds to 10 minutes. Instagram reels can be a maximum of 90 seconds. So if you are looking at making longer videos TikTok is the platform for you!
The second difference is in editing. Both apps offer a large range of editing tools such as draw tools, speed controller, transitions, AR effects, filters, stickers, and audio libraries. Although TikTok has a few more features that Reels does not like GIPHY in Green Screen, one-tap visual enhancement, and effects for voice recording. This means that when it comes to editing, TikTok is better than Reels, but there is always the option of using a third-party video editor such as Canva.
TikTok and Instagram have different content styles. TikTok is more creative and random. It’s a space where creators can experiment with different content styles and jump on trends.
Instagram is more aesthetically pleasing and structured with a strong focus on high-quality content.
Find the platform that best displays your brand to your customers. If it’s fun, creative and unique TikTok might be the correct option, if it is comforting, structured and visually pleasing Reels might be the better choice.
When it comes to music, TikTok has an extensive library filled with trending new songs. On the other hand, Instagram’s music library isn’t so broad… If music and trending songs are important to your business then TikTok is the way to go.
Is it one over the other?Â
While you have been reading this blog you have possibly asked the question ‘Can’t I just use both?’ and the answer is yes!
Both Social Media Platforms are fantastic for publishing your brand’s video marketing and reaching a large audience. Although you may find that one platform works best for your business you will often find that both are beneficial.
If you still don’t know which to use we would recommend doing some experimenting. Create a video and post it on both TikTok and Reels to see where it does best. Jump on trends and post widely over both platforms before deciding which is best for your business. Be creative and have some fun!
