Instagram Stories are doing nothing but growing. What began as a ‘Snapchat rip-off’ is now a popular feature of Instagram and an effective means of advertising. It makes you wonder if you should pause your Snapchat ads and switch to Instagram instead.
When it comes to audience, you can’t deny that Instagram has the best numbers. Instagram has roughly 500 million daily active users and 200 million Instagram Stories daily users. Compare that to Snapchat, who has 166 million daily users only* (*yes, still a lot but nothing compared to Instagram).
But quantity isn’t the only thing that matters. If you want to target a younger audience, then Snapchat is the way to go. On Snapchat, 60% of users are under the age of 25, while Instagram Stories are more popular with people under 49. Snapchat users also spend an average 40 minutes a day on Snapchat, which is more time than they spend in Instagram Stories.
Advertising on Instagram Stories is half the price of advertising on Snapchat. You get more analytics tools through Instagram, and the use of Facebook Business Manager is super helpful. Snapchat has an analytics tool, but it costs $19 a month to use. Also, about 30% of Instagram users have purchased products or services they first saw on Instagram. Instagram wins this round for instant scale, advertising tools and cost-efficiency.
Sponsorship campaigns have a greater reach on Snapchat. For example, you can create a sponsored ‘lends’ on Snapchat for up to $300k. This lens may be an AR animation, a game or a filter. Your lens can get 165 million views and trigger an 8% rise in purchase intent. Snapchat ads also get more visual attention than Instagram Stories.
Keep in mind that profiles are harder to discover on Snapchat, and most snaps and replies are set to private. Instagram encourages public, user-generated content. And its search function makes it easy to discover new profiles.
Snapchat or Instagram Stories?
So, which is the better platform? It depends on what you want to do. Are you hoping to reach with a younger audience who will actively engage with your brand? Choose Snapchat. Do you want more exposure, advertising options and easy analytics tools? Instagram is for you.
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