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Instagram vs Facebook: Which Social Media Platform Is Best For Your Business?

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Mika, Staff Writer

Friday, 7 May 2021

When you’re planning your social media strategy, you might be wondering which platform you should focus on. Instagram and Facebook are two of the big players when it comes to social media networks for businesses, but which one is best for your brand?

In this article, we’ll explore the similarities and differences between Facebook and Instagram, helping you to decide which social media network you should be focusing on in your strategy.

Facebook for business

With 2.8 billion active users across the world, Facebook is arguably the biggest and most popular social media network. Launching in February 2004, Facebook has transformed the way that we use social media and revolutionized online communications over the past 17 years.

If you’re looking for the highest potential reach, Facebook is usually the platform of choice. In fact, over 200 million small businesses are currently using Facebook Pages to promote their businesses to customers across the globe.

Instagram for business

Launched in October 2010, Instagram brought a new dimension to social media networking with its photo and video sharing platform. The platform now has over 1 billion users across the globe, with its users enjoying sharing visual content with their followers.

An estimated three-quarters of US businesses currently have Instagram accounts, and there are 25 million business profiles registered on the network across the world. With over 200 million Instagram users visiting at least one business profile a day, Instagram is a great place to promote your business.

Facebook vs Instagram: The differences

The key difference between Facebook and Instagram is how the social media networks are used. Facebook is largely an informational channel, with content usually in the form of text which is often accompanied by a supporting image or video.

When you visit a business’s Facebook Page, you can find out its opening hours, address, phone number, and website. This makes Facebook a great source for information, thanks to its detail-driven approach.

On the other hand, Instagram is about capturing the moments. That’s why Instagram is strictly based on images and videos. You can’t post to Instagram without sharing a photo or video.

If you want to find out a business’s opening hours or telephone number, you won’t be opening Instagram, because Instagram is focused on engagement rather than detail. That’s why Instagram is so effective at building your brand and increasing your following.

Facebook vs Instagram: The user demographics

You’ll need to factor in the user demographics when you’re considering which social network is best for building your brand. Instagram users are typically younger than Facebook users, with 18-29 the most popular age range for Instagram users. In fact, two-thirds of those aged 18-29 use Instagram.

Instagram is also highly popular with teenagers, with 72% of US teens having an Instagram account. A recent poll revealed that almost three-quarters of US teens say that Instagram is the best way for brands to reach them with new products or promotions.

If you’re looking to target a younger age demographic with your social media marketing, Instagram is the place to be.

On the other hand, Facebook is most popular with adults aged 25-34, with this age bracket making up around a third of Facebook’s user base. The gender demographic favors males when it comes to Facebook, in contrast to Instagram’s slightly more female lean.

A large proportion of Facebook’s users are professionals, with 82% of college graduates using Facebook. In addition to this, 75% of online users who have an income of more than $75,000 per year have a Facebook account. This makes Facebook a great place to target young professionals who have a steady income.

Which Social Media network is best for your brand?

The social media platform which will best suit your brand will be dependent on several factors. This includes the product or service that you’re offering and your target audience. Ultimately, you need to find out where your target market is hanging out and use that platform to target them.

If your brand is aimed at teens and young adults and has a low purchase value, you’re probably likely to find success on Instagram. Your target audience will see photos and videos of your product and be quickly converted to make a purchase.

However, if your product or service is of higher value and requires a lengthier decision-making process, you’ll probably find more success on Facebook where the focus is on the detail. This is where you’ll find professionals with higher salaries who may be more willing to pay a higher price tag for your products or services.  

Hire a Social Media Manager on Bark

If you need help choosing the right platform for your social media marketing, you should consider hiring a social media marketing manager. They can help you to create a social media strategy, which includes which platforms would be most effective for promoting your brand.

Your social media manager will create a content calendar for your business and regularly monitor the progress of your campaigns to give your brand the best chance of success.

If you’re ready to hire a social media manager to increase your engagement and build your brand, you can hire a social media expert on Bark. 

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