Infographic: Instagram Reels vs. TikTok - everything you should know

You probably know that Instagram Stories’ father is Facebook, but if you’re somewhat older than 25 years of age, you also know that its mother is… well, Snapchat. Millennials lived this tale when Instagram Stories was born, but now Gen-Zers also have a similar story to tell, because Facebook did it again.

As a response to TikTok’s success and popularity, and changing media consumption habits, Instagram has launched a new feature to compete directly with the Chinese short-video platform: Instagram Reels. 

If you are a brand and you’re struggling to understand the main differences between both, and whether you should be on TikTok or on Reels (or on both), don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Even though TikTok and Reels are very similar, especially for content creation, there are key differences that set them apart. Below, we’ve gathered the main ones for you to better understand where your target audience is and therefore on which of these platforms you should focus your efforts on.

Feel free to share this infographic on your website and credit us with the following link: IMA Influencer Marketing Agency.

Reels and TikTok: same same, but different

Just like TikTok, Instagram Reels is also a place where you can find short videos with creative visual effects to the sound of trending music.

And even though one of the most talked-about distinctions between both apps is the video length limitation - 30 seconds on Reels; 60 seconds on TikTok - that is not where the key differences lie. So, let’s cut to the chase:

With different types of content format and an established user base, Instagram appeals to a broader audience, expanding the possibilities for Reels

Let’s start by stating the obvious: Reels is a feature inside Instagram (with its own section), while TikTok is its own app. This means that, on Instagram, users are exposed to different types of content formats, like posts, stories and livestreams, while on TikTok it’s only possible to share and watch short videos previously recorded. 

Because Reels is integrated into Instagram, the already-existing user base of this platform is exposed to the new feature, expanding the potential for adoption, which can occur even for the people who refused to download TikTok. For this reason, Reels has great potential for user adoption.

Added to that, the fact that audiences have access to different content formats in one platform makes Reels more appealing to those who spend a good part of their time checking their feeds, stories, and IGTVs, instead of opening an app with a sole purpose of watching the short-video-format type of content.

Broader audience = broader content themes 

The fact that Instagram offers different content formats also means that the content themes and topics are broader. From beautiful pictures on their feeds, to a sneak peek of their daily lives on stories, and professional advice on livestream, users share everything on Instagram, and the diversity of content themes will likely be transferred onto Reels as well.

Also likely to affect Reels is the fact that Instagram tends to be a more aspirational channel, where users usually think twice about the content quality, the filters and effects they use, and the overall visual aesthetic of the content.

TikTok, on the other hand, is much more niche in terms of both content formats and themes

Unlike Instagram, TikTok is focused on short videos only, so it’s very appealing to audiences who respond well to this type of content. But it’s even more niche when it comes to the content themes shared on the platform.

The Chinese app gained a lot of popularity for having a totally different approach in terms of creators’ tone of voice, spontaneity, and authenticity. Much less worried about the visual aspects of the content, TikTok users resonate well with entertainment and humor, and with a type of content that is on the edge of being silly, and for this reason is really funny. As a result, the inspirational lifestyle content that gathers many likes on Instagram doesn’t have the same effect on TikTok.

Audiences are not as defined as they were before, but differences still exist 

TikTok started to grow in popularity among younger generations, and was originally famous for being a platform for Gen-Z. Instagram, in its turn, has always been very popular among Millennials. 

With COVID-19, political concerns over TikTok, and the launch of Reels, this audience distinction is becoming more blurred every day. Because people were stuck at home looking for entertainment, COVID-19 completely pushed TikTok to Millennials, who are now very keen on the TikTok-like type of content. And with TikTok facing political concerns and (potential) bans in key markets, Gen-Zers will potentially flock to Reels. 

However, TikTok is still heavily populated with younger audiences, and Instagram with slightly older ones. Ultimately, it is content creators who make each platform what it is and everything will come down to their “main” social channel. For Influencers who are already well-established on Instagram, it makes much more sense to focus on Reels, as they don’t have to build their followings again on another platform. Conversely, creators who became big (or bigger) on TikTok, will likely focus on this app instead of moving to Reels.

One important thing to keep in mind, though, is that these channels are so similar for content creation that content can be easily repurposed from one platform to another. So, influencers and users will likely be present on both, at least for now.

For brands that want to tap into the short-video content format, it’s important to define thoroughly not only the demographics, but the exact persona they want to target, in order to assess whether this type of persona is more active on TikTok or on Instagram Reels.

TikTok enables discovery much more than Instagram Reels

TikTok’s discovery mechanism is distinct from other social media platforms because it surfaces strangers’ content first. The app’s algorithm works to push to users the content that they will likely appreciate, no matter whom the content is coming from. Users are there to be entertained.

On Instagram, content is much more focused on a friend/follower network. In fact, users can choose whether to publish their Reels publicly or privately. So, discovering new content and new creators is secondary on this platform. Audiences are on Instagram to check what their friends, family and favorite influencers are up to.

For this reason, UGC and viral content are more likely to happen on TikTok. These virality possibilities added to the popular content themes shared on the Chinese app mean that brands have much less control over their image and message. TikTok is a buzz-led platform, and users will own the brand’s message, and do what they feel is worthy of buzz with it. If brands feel they can accept this trade-off and let go of editorial control, then TikTok is definitely a channel to consider.

Advertising is possible on TikTok, but not yet on Reels

It’s important to take into consideration the fact that, as we currently stand, brands can run ads on TikTok with a business account, but advertising on Reels is not possible yet, as Instagram is seeking to build a Reels community first before rolling out ad formats and sponsored content tags.

This means that, for now, brands have better opportunities to go beyond their organic reach on TikTok. The good news for the ones who want to be active on Reels though is that, despite having to rely on organic results only, the platform seems to be having a ramp-up period, as users are seeing somewhat more successful results, with higher video views numbers. 

All in all…

There’s no right or wrong. Both TikTok and Reels are amazing channels that offer endless content and engagement possibilities for creators and brands. These underlying differences between them will help you understand which one should be your focus. In the end, it all comes down to your target personas, the way you want to communicate your message, and the control you have over your brand image.

One thing we know for sure is that, if Facebook can replicate the success of Instagram Stories with Instagram Reels, it will put a ton of pressure on TikTok to maintain its growth. 

Interested in how you can leverage these platforms in your next marketing strategies? Take a look at our past experience and