As social media marketing only continues to grow in relevance and importance to businesses, we’re frequently being asked, “What’s better for our brand, Facebook or Instagram?”
Before we dive in, it’s important to note that Facebook owns both platforms. However, they are separate channels that serve different purposes, so it’s important to understand the differences when deciding which to use to execute your marketing goals.
As far as numbers go, Facebook is still the biggest contender, with 2.5 billion active users. With endless ways to hyper-target, a myriad of businesses are looking to use Facebook for their marketing efforts. They have been pivotal in how we understand social media and how they can be used to benefit businesses.
Despite being a younger company, Instagram is one of the fastest-growing global platforms. Founded in 2010 and growing to an active user base of 1 billion, it has incredible influence and potential in social media marketing.
Both platforms have advantages and should be used in some capacity. Here’s some key information to help you determine which platform to use for your specific brand.
Demographics of FB vs IG
Knowing platform-specific statistics will help you understand how to strategize based on your target market. According to 2020 social trends, here’s what we know about each platform’s user base.
Over half of Instagram’s users are under the age of 34. In addition, it is the most preferred app to teenagers in the United States. Whereas, according to Forbes, 41% of Facebook’s users are over the age of 65. While this has little to any effect on Facebook’s ability to flourish, younger demographics are more attracted to a visual and interactive experience offered by platforms such as Instagram.
Instagram’s younger users have a stronger desire to catch on to new trends as quickly as possible. So if you’re a business whose target demographic is a younger audience, Instagram is a pivotal platform to use to really be in front of those individuals.
However, the older audience shouldn’t be an afterthought. Where these users lack in youth, they make up for their income. 74% of individuals who make $75k or more are Facebook users. Depending on what products or services your company offers, this could be extremely advantageous. So if you’re a brand that offers an expensive service, you might have more success on Facebook than you would on Instagram.
Engagement of FB vs IG
There’s a sizable difference when studying the engagement between these platforms. Across all industries, Facebook had a median engagement of 0.09% per post, while Instagram had a median engagement of 1.6% per post. Businesses that make the same post on Facebook and Instagram will typically have significantly more engagement on Instagram.
As with everything in the realm of digital marketing, we can’t assume this to always be the case, as there are a significant number of intangibles when it comes to engagement. Images and videos perform better on Instagram, as that’s its primary purpose, whereas text performs better on Facebook.
Take this as an opportunity to know how your users engage with each type of platform. Be sure to have great branding images, product photography, and videos to engage your Instagram audience. Facebook is great for company news and updates, curated content, and ads to drive more conversions on your website.
Key Feature Differences
As mentioned, Facebook is the biggest social media platform, with 2.5 billion users. The opportunity to reach a wider audience is endless. Facebook also has a top-tier efficient communication channel. For many businesses, Facebook is used as an interactive platform for customer service. Just as you use it to interact with and inform your family, friends, and coworkers, it can be used for your business.
Another important feature of Facebook is its effectiveness in targeting your audience. It is particularly useful when setting up targeting ads. Also, consider boosting your posts, as you can set specific parameters around gender, age, income, social activity, and pretty much anything you can possibly think of.
One of the most transformative changes in recent years for Instagram has been how it has evolved into a hub for influencers looking for opportunities to collaborate with brands. As more and more public figures, models, and celebrities begin to use Instagram, businesses are able to tap into their endlessly growing fan bases. This unique opportunity allows people to identify with your brand and see themselves with your products. This platform also has huge potential for branding opportunities through video marketing. Stats show that there has been an 80% increase in time spent watching video content on Instagram.
Closing
Both of these platforms truly have very pivotal and unique opportunities for your business. As digital marketing experts, we are obsessed with diving deep into the data of understanding how the specifics of individual companies can benefit from specialized marketing efforts with each platform. If you’re interested in learning more please call us at 815-880-8602.