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TikTok vs Instagram: Main Differences Between them

Discover the latest TikTok vs Instagram data and gain insights into engagement, audience demographics, and more. Compare both platforms' performances and make data-driven decisions to maximize your social media marketing strategies. Stay ahead of the competition with valuable insights on these popular platforms.

Tiktok and Instagram are top-rated social media apps on the market today. While Tiktok was created mainly for short-form video sharing, Instagram is a photo-sharing platform that can share videos. Instagram was first launched as an iOS app in 2010 and later introduced to Android users in 2012.

Tiktok came about in 2016 and has grown tremendously since then. Through the years, the duration of videos that can be recorded increased from 15 seconds to 60 seconds to the current 3 minutes. It is possible to upload videos of a longer duration, up to ten minutes.


TikTok Vs. Instagram stats compared.

TikTok Vs Instagram stats compared

Here are some noteworthy stats that you need to know about regarding these two social platforms:

  • According to a recent global ranking of social sites (2023 rankings), Instagram stood at number 4 with at least 2 billion active users. On the other hand, TikTok came in at 6th position with an estimated 1.092 billion active users on the platform.
  • More than 60 million photos are uploaded to Instagram every day.
  • Instagram is valued at over $100 billion, almost double TikTok's valuation of $66 billion.
  • Five hundred million Instagram Stories are featured daily. TikTok Stories are less popular.
  • 981,000 videos are posted every hour on TikTok. 4 million photos are uploaded on Instagram per hour.
  • Since its launch, Instagram has gained an impressive 168.6 million users, while Tiktok has 1.7 billion.
  • From a survey of 8,000 TikTok users, 64% confirmed they feel free to be themselves while using the platform, and 56 % said they would post videos on TikTok that they wouldn't post anywhere else.
  • A report by Apptopia reveals Tiktok has been the most downloaded app globally for three years consecutively. Tiktok app downloads stood at 672 million. Snapchat followed closely at 548 million. In the US alone, Tiktok had 99 million downloads, and Instagram had 72 million.
  • Tiktok has 38,408 employees, while Instagram has 450.

Ad Revenues (in billions)

Year TikTok Instagram
2021 $3.88 $42.2
2022 $9.9 $43.3
2023 $13.2 (projected) $50.6 (projected)

Source (oberlo.com)

For both platforms, in-feed ads are the most significant contributors to revenue. As the name suggests, these ads appear when scrolling through your feed. They appear seamlessly as part of the user viewing experience.


Who Uses TikTok and Instagram?

Who Uses TikTok and Instagram

TikTok quickly emerged as a global sensation, particularly among younger audiences. The platform primarily attracts Generation Z users. These users are highly engaged and spend hours scrolling through short videos covering various topics, from entertainment to educational content.

A survey of Tiktok users conducted on April 2023 revealed most users to be between 18 and 24 years old. From this age group, 20.9% are female, while 17.5 are male. A decline in usage was observed as users advanced in age.

On the other hand, Instagram has a more diverse user base that spans a comparatively wider age group. While it still appeals to younger audiences, it attracts millennials and even older demographics. As of January 2023, 60% of users aged between 18 to 34 actively use Instagram. An older group between 35 and 44 constituted approximately 15.7% of the overall users.


Engagement Rates

Engagement rates measure users' interaction and involvement with the content shared on social media platforms. It typically includes metrics such as likes, comments, shares, retweets, and clicks. Higher engagement rates can positively impact brands, including increased brand awareness, improved customer loyalty, higher conversion rates, and a stronger online presence. Engaged audiences are more likely to advocate for a brand and make repeat purchases when compared to less active social platform users.

TikTok has had an engagement rate of 4.25%, whereas Instagram's is much lower at 0.6%. Instagram engagement differs according to the type of post. A carousel will have an engagement rate of 1.26%, photo posts at 0.6%, and video posts at 0.58%.


Business Statistics

Social media has become an integral part of modern business marketing strategies. It provides businesses with numerous opportunities to connect, engage, and promote their products or services to a vast online audience. Five million businesses are promoting through TikTok. This number mainly comprises small businesses seeking to tap into the app's growing numbers. On the other hand, Instagram has more than 25 million more established businesses using their ads.

Understanding the target audience on TikTok and Instagram is essential for businesses aiming to create effective marketing strategies. Marketers can tailor their content to resonate with their desired audience segments by analyzing user demographics and reach on these platforms.


US TikTok Ban

US TikTok Ban

Concerns regarding national security and data privacy have led to calls for TikTok's ban in the United States. This resulted in the ban of TikTok on government devices in 34 out of 50 states and growing. Public universities also supported the ban barring the app on their WiFi. However, the ban does not affect the use of the app on personal devices.

The US has a high number of TikTok users, 117 million as of April 2023. 60% of adults surveyed supported banning the app, agreeing it posed a security risk.


India TikTok Ban

The app was also banned in India on June 2020, along with other apps affiliated with China. This caused a considerable drop in users. Before the ban, India had more than 200 million active users.


Top 5 Most Followed Accounts Globally

Instagram

Top 5 Most Followed Accounts Instagram Globally

Account Number of Followers (In millions)
Cristiano Ronaldo 592.88
Lionel Messi 475.31
Selena Gomez 424.48
Kylie Jenner 396.02
Dwayne Johnson 385.92

Source

TikTok

Top 5 Most Followed Accounts TikTok Globally

Account Number of Followers (In millions)
Khabane Lame 161.1
Charli d'amelio 150.9
Bella Poarch 92.7
Addison Rae 88.6
MrBeast 84

Source


Final Thoughts

Despite TikTok's exponential growth in recent years, Instagram remains ahead in terms of users, revenue, and overall dominance in the social media landscape. 22% of marketers admit Instagram has the best growth potential. Moreover, Instagram's revenue and advertising capabilities are far more established and extensive, making it a more attractive platform for businesses and influencers. Instagram's integration with Facebook, its parent company, provides additional resources and reach that TikTok currently lacks. That being said, both platforms offer unique experiences and have strengths in different social media engagement areas.