Social media usage statistics indicate that more than half of the world’s population uses it regularly. This makes it vital to any successful digital marketing strategy.
The average social media user spends about two hours every day on various platforms.
Let’s look at two social media platforms that have taken the world by storm, TikTok and Instagram.
Which one is the best to reach your target audience? Which of these platforms will gel with your brand?
Image: Pexels.
Inception and Ownership
TikTok was first released in 2016 by the Chinese corporation ByteDance. In China, TikTok is known as Douyin.
The platform consists of 15-second to 10-minute user videos in genres like comedy, dance, pranks, tricks, and entertainment.
Instagram is an American social networking platform founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Launched in 2010, Instagram was an instant success and was purchased by Facebook Inc. only two years later. Instagram is now part of Zuckerberg’s “Metaverse”.
Instagram is popular among the Millenials and older Gen-Zers and stats on the final quarter of 2021 shows they maintain almost 2 billion active users worldwide. This number continues to grow.
As a Digital Marketer, you can create an Instagram business profile for your brand which provides you with precise metrics for your profile and posts. There is also the option to plan Instagram updates using third-party apps.
It is a great visual tool for showcasing your goods or services through images or videos. You can also share a variety of other media on the app including stories, reels, live videos, and longer-form movies on IGTV.
TikTok
TikTok is arguably the fastest growing social media platform in 2022. The average TikTok user in the US is between the ages of 10 and 29 and over 60% of the users are between the ages of 16 and 24. Therefore, TikTok is an ideal platform for a business with a young demographic.
Image: Shutterstock.
Creating Sales Funnels
A sales funnel is a process that prospective buyers will go through before making a purchase.
The sales funnel process typically consists of:
- Top Of Sales Funnel
- Middle Of Sales Funnel
- Bottom Of Sales Funnel
Top Of Sales Funnel :
In this stage of the sales funnel, strategies are geared toward building brand and product awareness. Your content needs to increase your number of followers and provide value and education.
At the Top of the Funnel, a marketer may use a TikTok influencer to promote products or services. When an influencer's followers see them endorse a product, this will establish a connection between them thus creating trust between their followers and your product.
A typical advertisement can't assist you with this.
Another affordable strategy for top-of-funnel lead generation is TikTok advertising. This is because the platform isn’t flooded with advertisers, unlike Instagram.
When using Instagram, reels are the best route to the Explore page; a tried-and-true method to increase your following. Nine out of ten Instagram users watch reels weekly, making them the best way to organically increase your brand’s following.
Targeted Instagram advertising is the fastest method of boosting brand visibility. Insta Ads have the potential to reach 1.2 billion individuals. That is 20% of the over 13-year-old population of the planet.
Middle Of Sales Funnel:
The best place to utilize your newly acquired following is in the middle of the sales/marketing funnel. Demonstrate to your audience how your product is the answer to their problems. Depending on your industry, the approach you use will vary significantly.
TikTok: Most social media algorithms, if not all, reward content that sparks discussions. More people will see your message as long as it generates more buzz. Interact with users in the comment section to spark conversations.
It helps to encourage a following from other platforms like YouTube and Instagram. You can link your Instagram or YouTube accounts on TikTok, and these accounts will appear as separate icons next to your follow button on your profile.
Instagram: Create content with your partners for an influencer marketing campaign and use it on your own profile. You can also use photo or carousel posts to showcase your products.
To make your Instagram post look less sales-y, try including related goods from companies you work with and as a bonus, the tagged brands are more likely to share it.
Bottom Of Sales Funnel:
This is the final goal of your marketing efforts. This is the phase of the buyer's journey when potential customers have heard of you, they like what you have to offer and are thinking about purchasing from you.
TikTok: With the help of its partnership with Shopify, TikTok is currently testing the app's functionality to include online purchases. If you run an eCommerce business, you’ll need to request access to this feature.
Instagram: Over the past few years, Instagram has made significant investments in social commerce solutions. This will streamline the bottom stage of your funnel.
These are the main shopping tools for Instagram:
- Checkout on Instagram for 100% in-app purchases (currently available only in the US)
- A link in your Instagram bio to your website, campaign landing page, or both
- Shoppable posts in your grid
- Product stickers in Stories
- Product Collections
- Live Shopping events
- The Shop tab on your profile
Image: Shutterstock.
TikTok and Instagram have enormous global reach which offers ample opportunities for Digital Marketers. While both platforms are great for brand awareness, it’s important to note that one or both may not be the best option for your business.
If your goal as a Digital Marketer is to build brand awareness and drive conversions from a target audience, then Instagram would be your best platform. TikTok is great for building brand awareness and recognition while targeting a younger demographic.
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