The last several years have truly been the era of short-form video sharing platforms. From the launch (and fall) of Vine to the more recent explosion of TikTok, it’s proven to be the primary choice of entertainment for an entire generation. Coming hot on the heels of court testimonies from Big Tech, Instagram released their own version of a short-form video platform: Instagram Reels.
Spoiler alert: it’s practically a carbon copy of TikTok. However, it’s important to keep in mind that TikTok may not be around forever, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. So, which one is more worth it, Instagram Reels or TikTok?
What is TikTok, & what are Instagram Reels?
TikTok, a fusion of Chinese company Bytedance and the app Musical.ly, is a short-form video sharing platform where users can create 15- to 60-second videos of themselves lip-synching to music, comedy skits, original songs, and many other sounds. The app has launched many of its users into the entertainment industry, whether through popularizing their songs or art, or essentially creating new celebrities.
Instagram Reels are…well, pretty much the exact same thing, just on Instagram. Users can create 15-second videos (there’s no 60-second option) with a range of audio clips or with original audio. If your Instagram account is private, your Reels will only be visible to your followers; public accounts who create Reels may appear on the Explore page of the app, increasing the reach tremendously.
What’s all this talk about a ban on TikTok?
In early July, talk began amidst the Trump administration about a potential ban of TikTok in the United States. The President seemed to want to ban it altogether; however, on August 3, he made an announcement that TikTok would only be able to stay if it was bought out by Microsoft or another American business by September 15.
This is a pretty key piece of information, because it’s certainly no coincidence that Instagram released Instagram Reels during this time. It calls to question whether or not it’s worth beginning to utilize TikTok with such a threat of uncertainty; many people are panicking a bit about what will actually end up taking place.
Which of the two is truly more “worth it” at the moment?
At this stage, it really is a bit of a toss-up between the two. On the one hand, there is the possibility of TikTok disappearing soon, though of course it may not. Conversely, Instagram Reels are so new that it may be difficult to determine the potential success of using this feature.
TikTok does have a lengthier track record than Instagram Reels, and it’s been around longer to boot. Because of that, there are readily-available metrics that can help inform your decisions about what content to post. For these reasons, TikTok may be a safer bet – at least for now. It’ll really come down to whether or not one of the competitors gets taken out of the game next month!
Do you have a prediction about what will happen with TikTok? We’d love to hear it in the comments below. If your current marketing strategy just isn’t cutting it anymore, you’ve come to the right place. Reach out to our team of experts here at Blackwood Creative. We’re in the business of building remarkable brands – yours could be next. Contact us today!
