This week Instagram announced Instagram Stories, an oh-so familiar feature from that “other” platform we all know and love to use. Today I want to explore the main differences between Instagram and Snapchat Stories and which platform finishes first when marketing your business and or brand.
THE NUMBERS
When comparing Instagram to Snapchat, Instagram has more than twice the amount of users than Snapchat (500M vs. 150M users to date). The fact that Instagram has a cool 500M users and has been around longer means a business is likely already marketing to a solid follower base and the content posted via Instagram Stories is getting a ton of exposure.
LESS WORK
Instagram made it super easy for business marketers. Really, there is no promotional weight that needs to be lifted to market the content in a business’s story. Once a business posts a story, it goes straight to the top of their follower's feeds. Goodbye to the days where a business is working toward directing their Instagram followers to follow them on Snapchat. It’s more likely that Instagram users will view more story content if it’s under the same roof as other content they like to view.
Additionally, it’s one less place for a business to worry about posting to. Instead of posting an Instagram, then heading to Snapchat to film a story, you can now keep it one place, and that place (Instagram) likely contains a larger amount of viewers. A business is not necessarily excluding their SnapChat followers either as most brands were trying to get all of their Instagram following to go and follow them on Snapchat. The majority of followers that a business has on Snapchat are the exact same people following along on Instagram. Sure, Instagram stories have less filters to choose from (but A+ in branding for that Instagram-colored filter…) and they lack geo-tags, but for marketers, those aren’t necessities, they are more for fun pictures and videos that you send to your BFF…
EASIBILITY
Remember how it wasn’t the best experience to search for Snapchat users? Instagram’s search is much more refined and user friendly. If a user wants to find a brand and follow their Instagram Stories all they have to do is simply search for that brand’s Instagram account, when they follow they get the articulated and well-thought out Instagram posts AND the more detailed, live(ish) story content.
BETTER FOR BRANDS
If we are being honest, Snapchat has never been that brand friendly. It was difficult to log in and out of separate accounts and there were no real brand perks for maintaining a Snapchat account. Instagram Stories have made it easier for brands to utilize Snapchat functionalities in a place where they already manage a brand account and a place where followers already exist. Not to mention, Instagram makes for a much better engagement platform, users can comment on Instagram posts and brands can engage back. Snapchat, didn’t make it easy for consumer engagement. Lastly, with Instagram Stories a business can filter who sees their stories. This opens the marketing door to many businesses that have age restrictions like alcohol brands.
Instagram has 500M users while Snapchat comes in at 150M users making Instagram a better platform for reach-ability
Instagram Stories make posting video content easier with a 2 for 1, posting Snapchat-like stories and Instagrams in one location under one application
Instagram’s Platform makes it easier for users to find you and follow you and in turn, a higher chance of story views
Snapchat is what you use for fun to share with your friends, Instagram is how you easily market your business and engage with your followers
If you’re a brand or have a business, Instagram Stories are a great way to up your social media marketing game