For many years, Facebook has been one of the most effective channels for advertising. That’s to be expected, considering that the network has 2.6 billion monthly users throughout the world. Instagram, on the other hand, has a whopping one billion active users every month, so it could be worth a second look.
It’s important to consider both the target audience and the sort of material your company can best use when making this decision.
Let’s compare Facebook and Instagram from a business perspective so you can choose the one that’s ideal for your plan.
Facebook and Instagram: A Crash Course
How Facebook Works, Part 1
Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook in 2004, and it has since become one of the most popular social media sites for advertising purposes. By 2012, Facebook had a billion users, solidifying its status as the most popular social media platform overall.
Users of Facebook post media such as photos, videos, and articles, along with associated commentary.
Facebook Business Manager is a popular tool for companies of all sizes to employ in their social media marketing strategies. Solutions for businesses on Facebook include app development, e-commerce, and advertising.
How Instagram Works?
Instagram, a smartphone software for sharing photos and videos, was first made available to the public in 2010. On its first day, the famous social media app had 25,000 downloads, and by 2011, it had 10 million monthly users.
Instagram, in contrast to other social networks, has always prioritised photo sharing. Since then, the app’s functionality has grown to include the ability to upload and view videos from a desktop computer.
Instagram is a photo-sharing and editing programme where users may apply special effects filters to their uploaded photographs and videos.
In 2012, Instagram was acquired by Facebook. Instagram is still its own app, but the purchase has led to tighter integration between it and your business’s Facebook Page.
Instagram vs. Facebook
Facebook’s average daily users are more than Instagram’s, and Facebook ads cost less per click on average. Instagram, on the other hand, is a better way to reach those under the age of 30. Instagram outperforms Facebook in terms of total brand engagement.
Do you prefer Facebook or Instagram? Which is preferable?
Read on to see how the content formats, user demographics, and advertising options of Facebook and Instagram stack up against one another.
Features of Facebook and Instagram
Let’s examine and contrast the platforms in terms of content types and means of interaction.
Instagram and Facebook both provide:
- Uploads of Visual Content
- Video Blogs
- Stories
- Actual-time footage
- Particular commercial websites
- Storefronts on Facebook and Instagram
- Product tagging and shoppable posts
- Hashtags Messaging
Since Facebook also features Groups and Events, it might be a better fit if your company is heavily reliant on community interaction and in-person gatherings.
On the other hand, if your items are aesthetically appealing, Instagram might be a competitive advantage.
Userbases on Facebook and Instagram
Facebook continues to have more users overall compared to Instagram. But from a statistical standpoint, how does Instagram compare to Facebook?
In other words, what demographics of consumers do you expect to target via each medium?
Statistics about American Facebook Users
With 2.6 billion monthly active users, Facebook continues to dominate the social media landscape.
Sixty-nine percent of all U.S. adults are Facebook users. 44.6% of Facebook users are between the ages of 25 and 44, while 15.3% are in the 18-24 year old bracket.
Seventy-four percent of Americans with yearly incomes of $75,000 or more use Facebook. Additionally, 80% of the educated population is on Facebook. Only 79% of the population claims to have attended “some college.”
Everyone in the city, the suburbs, and the country uses Facebook. However, 75% of American women vs 63% of American males are active Facebook users.
Profile of American Instagram Users
Instagram has a large user base, although its members tend to be younger.
Sixty-seven percent of all millennials use Instagram. And when you narrow it down to persons aged 30–49, the figure decreases to 47%, which is significantly lower than the 79% of that age group that has a Facebook account.
In addition, just 42% of individuals with a high yearly income and 43% of those with a college degree said they use Instagram.
Once again, more American women (43% this time) than males (31% this time) use Instagram.
Urban and suburban areas have a higher concentration of Instagram users. The Pew Research Centre reports that 46% of city dwellers, 35% of suburbanites, and 21% of people living in rural regions are active Instagram users.
Even though Facebook is more widely used, urban and suburban millennials are easier to reach with an Instagram campaign.
Engagement on Facebook vs. Instagram
When it comes to the total number of users, Facebook is clearly in the lead. Instagram, nevertheless, wins out when it comes to active users.
When comparing Instagram with Facebook, brand engagement is where Instagram shines.
There is a dismal 32% brand engagement rate on Facebook. On Instagram, however, 68 percent of people engage with companies often.
It’s worth noting that Facebook’s latest algorithm improvements give more weight to user-to-user communication in the News Feed.
Despite the fact that consumers may already be following a company’s Facebook page, this algorithm modification has reduced the overall reach for commercial.
The Ads on Facebook and Instagram
Finally, let’s compare the advertising possibilities and outcomes of Facebook and Instagram to discover which one is superior.
Traditional photo and video advertisements, as well as Messenger and Playable (interactive games) ads, are just two of Facebook’s eight ad forms.
Instagram’s advertising options include the picture, video, carousel, Instagram story, and collection formats.
Last Words
Establishing a solid online reputation for your company takes time and dedication. It may be more efficient to prioritise one medium over another at times.
For the most part, companies would be better off using Facebook than Instagram. However, Instagram is still an effective platform for reaching the younger demographic and increasing participation.