Social Giants: How Does Instagram Compare to its Rivals?

Instagram is one of the world’s best-loved social platforms, and it’s a perfect fit for many an influencer marketing campaign. With over 500 million users logging into the app every single day, Instagram gives brands access to vast numbers of consumers.

Stats concerning Instagram’s numbers of users and engagement levels are hugely impressive, particularly when we look specifically at how businesses and brands are using the app. Instagram isn’t the only social networking service worth knowing about, however.

Other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, can also provide excellent results when integrated into digital marketing strategies. But how does the social giant compare to other similar platforms? Let’s take a look.

User numbers

Instagram only launched in 2010, but it’s got a phenomenal number of users. The social platform has 1 billion active users, half of which use the app every single day. That’s still not quite as many as Facebook, which currently has 1.56 billion active users, but experts have predicted that Instagram might soon take the lead. It’s been suggested that this will happen in 2020. Twitter is dwarfed by Instagram and Facebook, with 126 million active users. Twitter’s user count is growing though, with a 9% increase over the past year.

The audience

Instagram is the go to platform for brands wanting to reach millennials, and members of generation Z. Sprout Social reported that a whopping 72% of 13-17 year olds use Instagram, and 64% of 18-29 year olds are active users. Older demographics are far less likely to use the platform, with just 21% of those aged 50-64 using Instagram.

Facebook is another popular choice amongst the 18-29 age group, with 81% of those in this demographic using the social network. Twitter isn’t quite as well used by this demographic; just 40% of 18-29 year olds are using the platform. It’s also worth noting that Instagram appears to be used slightly more by females than males. Of its active users 39% are listed as female, and 30% as male.

Engagement

We all know that the vast majority of consumers have accounts on several different social platforms, and may well use every single one of them in a day. So, it might come as little surprise that research on engagement reveals quite similar optimum posting times for each app.

According to Sprout Social, the best possible times to promote consumer goods on Facebook are at 1pm on Wednesdays, and 11am on Fridays. Similarly, brands on Instagram receive the best engagement when posting at 11am on Wednesdays and between 10-11am on Fridays.

The optimal posting time for consumer goods does vary quite a bit depending on what the products are, though, and it’s also influenced by which demographic is being targeted. That’s why we always recommend that brands consider engagement research for their own particular industries, to best inform social strategies. Analytics tools can also provide beneficial insights into existing audiences.

Advertising

Facebook has long been leading the way in social media advertising, but since it took ownership of Instagram we’ve seen a massive surge in the advertising revenue of the photo sharing app. Last year saw Instagram bring in between $8 and $9 billion of advertising revenues. Facebook remains the biggest player for brands looking to advertise online, but this is likely to change over the coming years. Instagram is expected to account for a quarter of Facebook’s overall advertising revenue takings by the end of next year – so watch this space.

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Social networks play a key role in digital marketing strategies for brands all over the world, and are particularly useful to companies targeting generation Z and millennials. These demographics currently use social platforms the most, whilst also being the least likely to be influenced by traditional advertising.

Instagram is a hugely powerful platform for brands hoping to engage with new audiences and promote products in a personal way. It’s also particularly useful for those promoting products via influencer marketing campaigns.

If you’d like to find out more about how you can make the best use of social media for your brand, get in touch. We’re on hand to offer help and advice on all things Instagram, and guide you through the exciting world of influencer marketing. Give us a call today to get started.