In the world of social media, trends, features, and even platforms can seemingly become a phenomenon overnight. One night, you go to bed after scrolling your Instagram feed, and the next morning you wake up to a brand new, intriguing yet unfamiliar app called TikTok. It doesn’t take long for this app to surpass all others as the most downloaded app of all time with over 1 billion active users across the world.
Flash forward to the present day where Instagram – and almost every other popular social platform, for that matter – are scrambling to keep up with this new app. So, what makes TikTok so attractive, and can Instagram compete with their look-a-like competitive feature, IG Reels? Well, let's dive in!
Why is short-form video so popular all of the sudden?
Before we talk about Reels and TikTok, let's first address why the short-form video nature of both platforms caught on so quickly. For a long while, social media marketers have strategized their content around the fact that the attention span of our followers is short- and we mean short. According to Facebook, marketers only have 0.25 seconds to capture a user's attention before they keep scrolling.
With that in mind, snackable video content became the name of the game for brands and content creators and opened the door to a scrappier style of content – especially for brands who had typically seen video content as an expensive, high-production-value ordeal.
The lower production value required for a high-performing Reels or TikTok video was key for brands. That, paired with the fact that these platforms became widely popular during a pandemic when creative teams were developing content out of their own homes. Additionally, it opened up a new door for brands and content creators to turn out quick-hit, entertaining content.
What's the difference between Reels and TikTok?
Now that we've covered why short-form video content is so popular across both Reels and TikTok, let's discuss the key differences between these platforms that have affected how they've been adopted by social users.
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Reels |
TikTok |
The Takeaway |
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The User Experience |
To navigate to Reels, users must first open the Instagram app, where they will be shown their regular feed from accounts they follow. Then, they will select the Reels icon from the bottom menu to start viewing Reels in a TikTok-esque feed of content that's been curated for the user by Instagram's algorithm. |
When a user opens the TikTok app, they are immediately shown a curated feed of TikToks the platform's algorithm has chosen – AKA the “FYP” (for you page). The full screen and vertical swipe feed create a frictionless user experience that makes it as easy as possible to enjoy the app. |
TikTok's unique user experience puts short-form video content curated just for you at the center stage, creating a seamless and simple way to enjoy content. On the other hand, Reels is only a feature of Instagram among many others. |
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Music & Video Editing Tools |
Due to copyright concerns, Instagram business accounts only have access to Reels' library of royalty-free tracks, while content creators have access to a larger library full of popular copyrighted music. While Reels does offer video editing tools, they can be tricky to navigate and their filters and effects are not very extensive. |
Music and sound are the cornerstones of a TikTok video, and the app has nailed this feature with its extensive library of music and user-generated sounds available to content creators and brands alike. On top of that, TikTok's video editing features are user-friendly, and they offer a wide variety of filters and video effects. |
TikTok is the clear winner when it comes to music and video editing tools given their extensive music and sound library and editing capabilities. |
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Platform Purpose |
Instagram, home of Reels, is a network-oriented app, where users are used to seeing content from people they are familiar with and have chosen to follow. However, in the Reels section of the app, it takes on a content-oriented approach, serving users content from people they don't know. |
At its core, TikTok is a content-oriented app. It normalized the experience of seeing content from people you don't know in your feed based on your usage history and learned preference. |
While both platforms’ short-form video features are content-oriented, Instagram is known for being a network-oriented app. Instagram has offered a similar user experience through their “Explore” page since 2012, so this balance between content and network orientation is something they've been teetering for a while. |
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The Algorithm |
Instagram has been less transparent about the Reels algorithm, however, it has provided a few best practices for success. For example, Instagram recommends that Reels content is entertaining, fun, and inspiring, uses the app's creative editing tools, and leverages the music or sounds provided. Instagram has also shared that content that is visibly recycled from other apps (e.g. contains a TikTok watermark) will also be deprioritized by the algorithm. |
Beyond all of the features listed above, TikTok's arguably largest advantage is its algorithm. The platform's parent company, ByteDance, has been very transparent about the large investment they made to design the app's algorithm that picks up on users’ personalized interests in record time, contributing to the effortless and enjoyable nature of consuming content on the app. |
Overall, TikTok's algorithm is the first of its kind and unlike anything we've ever seen in the social space, which ultimately contributes to its success. We don't know as much about Instagram's Reels algorithm, but we can assume it attempts to mimic the TikTok experience while staying true to the app and attempting to keep Reels content unique. |
How Brands Can Be Successful on Reels and TikTok
To be successful on Reels and TikTok, brand content shouldn't feel like brand content. Brands need to get scrappy and creative to grab user's attention and not stand out like a sore thumb among the style of content shared by individual creators. With that in mind, both Reels and TikTok require a unique content strategy within the brand's larger social strategy. However, that inevitably requires extra time and effort. To decide which of these platforms to begin focusing your efforts on, ask yourself these two questions:
- Which platform is your audience on currently?
- Which one can you commit to doing consistently?
While there are many benefits of TikTok as discussed above in our comparison of the two platforms, many brands have already established themselves and have grown a following on Instagram, and therefore beginning to utilize Reels has a low barrier to entry. While cross-posting between the two platforms is an option we've seen numerous brands take, a carefully thought out strategy for each channel your brand has a presence on is more important than simply having content out there. When it comes to a brand's social presence, quality is always preferred over quantity.
The social world is ever-evolving – and at the end of the day, there's no one-size-fits-all answer to which platform is best – the answer is unique to your brand's priorities and your team's bandwidth to thoughtfully manage the channels on which your brand appears.
