In the social media world, there are countless ways to showcase your brand — and new ones seem to pop up every day! One of the newest features capturing everyone’s attention is Instagram Stories: the ability to upload photos and videos to your Instagram account that disappear within 24-hours.
If you’re thinking that sounds an awful lot like the popular platform Snapchat, you’d be correct — the developers of this new feature themselves said that they were inspired by Snapchat.
Despite the obvious similarities, recent reports have shown that Instagram Stories is gaining momentum with over 150 million daily active users. But does that mean your brand should ignore Snapchat? Should you use both?
We’ve highlighted some of the key differences between Snapchat and Instagram Stories to make a comparison.
Your Audience
Many brands flocked to Instagram Stories for one major reason: the audience numbers. Building a Snapchat following can seem like a challenge for a newcomer who isn’t as familiar with the platform. With Instagram Stories, the users have already been there, given Instagram has been around for a longer time and is owned by Facebook, the biggest social media platform in existence.
But should you neglect Snapchat altogether? Not so fast. Snapchat has more of an intimate and connected audience. With an effective strategy, brands and influencers are able to cultivate a very specific and highly-engaged audience through the platform.
While Instagram may have the larger user numbers, those numbers may not represent your ideal market. Snapchat tends to skew younger and is more popular among certain communities, so it could be essential for your brand to have an active presence on both platforms.
Instagram and Snapchat Features
Snapchat users can have a lot of fun with custom lenses that allow you to add dog ears or flower crowns, warp your face, or put your face on a dancing rabbit or smiling pug. Snapchat also has custom geofilters based on your location that can be a lot of fun for users. Brands can create their own custom geofilters for events which could provide a great opportunity to get your company’s name out there.
Instagram Stories are still new to the game, so it’s possible that similar face lenses could be an option later on. Instagram does provide fun stickers that are tailored to your location. And, of course, it wouldn’t be an Instagram feature without a selection of filters to use on your photos and videos.
Overall, Snapchat might be a little bit more fun, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Instagram is a little more focused on aesthetics — which makes sense, considering that it originated as a photo sharing app. Depending on your goals, both can provide unique opportunities to connect with your audience.
Technology
Snapchat recently made waves with their colorful Spectacles — a cool pair of shades that double as a way to take first-person Snapchat photos and videos and directly upload them to your Snapchat account.
At this point, Instagram has no such feature for users. A first-person view may not be what your brand needs, but it could provide some creative content and a unique experience for your audience!
Which Is Best For My Business in 2024?
Depending on your brand goals, it may be best to choose one platform or have a different strategy for both of them. It varies! No two social media platforms are exactly alike, so your social media strategy should adapt depending on the platforms you focus on.
V Digital Services
If your business is in need of some social media expertise, the skilled team at V Digital Services can provide you with a successful plan to connect with your audience on either or both platforms.
We can evaluate your goals, determine which platforms are best suited to highlight your products or services, and implement effective strategies to increase brand awareness and brand recognition. Contact us today for more information!
Article updated February 28,2024
Instagram, Snapchat