When it comes to big companies, there is always talk of monopolies. The same is true for social media platforms and messaging apps. The rules of the market dictate that the strongest always tries to gain the upper hand.
Either they buy and expand. Or they “borrow” new features and incorporate them. There’s a lot of overlap with Instagram and Tik Tok. But how are they different? How do they become the same? And is Tik Tok really the new Instagram?
How do they become the same?
You could pretty much say that Instagram and Tik Tok are pretty much the same. Everything about both apps is geared towards creating content that appeals to as many people as possible. It’s all about hashtags, comments and followers.
Both Instagram and Tik Tok focus on being visually creative and expressing your ideas and personality. Probably if someone were active on Instagram and noticed the rise of Tik Tok, they would try it. For seasoned Instagrammers, Tik Tok should be similar enough for them to feel comfortable using it. But does Tik Tok have enough resemblance to outshine Instagram?
How Are They Different?
This may not seem all that relevant, but among the top five most downloaded apps, Tik Tok is the only one not in America. However, there are many more important factors to consider.
demography
One of the most obvious is that Tik Tok is for young people. Specifically, Gen Z made the most of it. Older Millennials and Gen X have turned Instagram into the leading photo and video sharing app. But Gen Z has turned Tik Tok into social entertainment.
Tik Tok can be used by users under the age of 13. Young people aged 13-17 represent a smaller fraction of the demographics. Most of the users are in their twenties. Also, Tik Tok seems to be equally popular with both male and female viewers. When it comes to Instagram, women seem to lean a little more.
Contents
The most important difference between Instagram and Tik Tok is content. But this is also connected. The generation gap will certainly be portrayed creatively. Instagram, with all its fun features, has been strongly associated with unlikely requests. Its original premise didn’t make the post seem so real anymore. This is where the phrase “Instagram life” comes from. A curated version of what your life is like.
Of course, this is a very cynical point of view. There are lots of real people and real stories to follow on Instagram. A great resource for community support. After all, it’s still where all the celebrities are. But the reason to underline these facts of Instagram is to highlight how different Tik Tok is.
When you first download Tik Tok, you might be surprised how quickly you get caught up in what’s going on. As soon as we launch the app, there is a teenager lip syncing, dancing and sketching. It’s meant to entertain, to make you laugh, to sing along. And yes, you can also make a political statement through all these things.
Revenues
This is another way Tik Tok and Instagram are different. They use different income models. Instagram allows ads on their platform. While this can be very annoying at times, they are not going anywhere. It can be especially frustrating if you’ve only ever done one search for backpacks, because that means you’ll be staring at backpack ads for the rest of your life!
Tik Tok, on the other hand, is ad-free. The app feels like there’s no time or place for ads. Everything happens so fast. If they have in-app purchases, you can purchase stickers and emojis to further customize your videos.
Even Social Media Apps Have IDs
But will Tik Tok get big enough to push Instagram into oblivion? In theory, yes. But it seems unlikely at this stage. Many people use both apps every day. While the others chose one and stuck to it.
There’s a lot of unpredictability about what’s going to be the next big thing. Sure, Tik Tok has caught the attention of teenagers, but that could change very quickly. After all, they are quite different. Each has its own charm.
Let us know what you think of Tik Tok being the new Instagram in the comments section below.
