With all the different social media platforms out there, many small business owners are wondering how they can manage their time and resources in the most efficient way by using the platforms that will best serve their business. Now that Instagram has rolled out its “stories” feature, where users can share videos and photos that disappear within 24 hours, similar to the Snapchat platform, many business owners and marketers are looking for answers as to which platform is best for their business.
There are several pros and cons to each platform, and we will go over each in a bit more detail here.
Snapchat for Business
Pros:
Snapchat really has an advantage when marketers are looking to reach the younger audiences. If you have a product that appeals to tweens, teens, and younger adults, Snapchat works well. With more than 100 million active daily users, it is hard to ignore this platform if you are targeting younger people.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”2jCEK” via=”yes” ]Up to 8x the amount of people age 13-34 watch the live video of an event on Snapchat vs. watch it on a TV.[/ctt]
Snapchat can also help you display a sense of urgency with relation to your product or service. Due to the fact that you only have a few seconds to view a photo or video on Snapchat, and it is gone after 24 hours, this is a great platform to send out information about a sale or even a coupon code to create the sense that your consumers must act fast! This may appeal to marketers who want to move product quickly or engage with an audience by providing incentives to watch videos about their products.
Cons:
On Snapchat, it is difficult to know exactly who is following your brand. It is also slightly more difficult for consumers to find your photos and videos unless they have chosen to follow you and your posts appear on their list. There is also the ephemeral nature of the content, which is gone in 24 hours, never to be seen again (unless you repost). Snapchat also does not have an easy way to group categories of content by using the hashtag, making it slightly harder for a consumer to find your product by searching for a specific keyword or topic.
Instagram for Business
Pro:
[ctt template=”3″ link=”p0hzf” via=”yes” ]With 400 million active monthly users, and five billion “likes” a day, marketers should not ignore Instagram as part of their social media strategy, especially if you are promoting a visual product. [/ctt]
With regular posting on Instagram, your photos and videos can be edited creatively and live forever on this platform. You also have the capability of tagging other people in your posts and through photos and videos on the Instagram “stories” feature, which is a great way to reach influencers and engage with people directly through your posts. Instagram also allows the use of hashtags to categorize photos and videos, which will give you access to a wider audience than just your followers as people who are looking for categories and topics related to your brand can search via keywords.
The audience for Instagram is a much wider range than for Snapchat, meaning that your posts have a better chance of reaching an older demographic if that is who you are targeting. Through its integration with Facebook, Instagram now allows businesses to purchase ads for stories, which can be specifically targeted to the consumers you want to reach.
Cons:
With Instagram’s new algorithm, your posts may not show up in your followers’ feeds in a timely way. Therefore, regular posts are not always a great way to display an urgent message or flash sale. You can use the “stories” feature or a platform like Snapchat for this. Instagram also only really works well if you are selling a visual product. If you need to add a lot of wording to your posts, another platform may be better for you. Lastly, there is a lot of competition from other brands on Instagram, so it is important that you create engaging, visually appealing content.
All in all, it’s very important for your brand to have representation on social media. Depending on your product or service, you may choose to focus on different platforms. If you need guidance or expertise when considering your approach to social media, please
contact us at Miss Ink, and we can provide you with the right plan of action for your business.
References:
Gotter, A., Says, A. G., Says, R. L., Says, J., Says, M. C., Says, J., . . . Says, R. A. (2016, May 30). Snapchat vs. Instagram: Which Should You Use? Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
https://adespresso.com/academy/blog/snapchat-vs-instagram-which-should-you-use/
(2017, March 24). Why Your Brand Should Switch to Instagram Stories. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/why-your-brand-should-switch-instagram-stories?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue%3A 2017-03-24 Social Media Today Newsletter %5Bissue%3A9595%5D&utm_term=Social Media Today
