Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Hey Snapchat, be flattered by Instagram’s release of Instagram Stories that by most accounts is a direct imitation of your platform. Since these platforms are attracting a LOT of attention, marketers must consider them as a tool in their promotional arsenal. But, how do you choose between Snapchat and Instagram Stories when you market a business? Let’s take a look at each of these social channels and what advantages they have for businesses.
What is it? Snapchat is a mobile messaging app released in 2011 where Snaps—photographs and videos that can be edited using overlays, stickers, filters and text—are used for instant expression. Snapchat Stories are a compilation of Snaps that appear in chronological order. Stories can be viewed an unlimited number of times for 24 hours and can also be saved if you’d like.
From Snapchat’s CEO, Evan Speigel:
Snapchat by the numbers:
What you need to know: If for no other reason than its popularity with the highly coveted millennial audience, brands should pay attention to this social media channel. However, there are other reasons savvy and even older users are jumping on the Snapchat ship including:
What is it? Instagram launched in 2010, and is a mobile photo and video sharing social media network. Instagram Stories were unveiled in August 2016, a feature that mimics the functionaltiy of Snapchat Stories where you can post photos and 10-second videos that only survive for 24 hours unless you save it.
Instagram by the numbers:
What you need to know: While nearly half of all brands are on Instagram, this number is predicted to grow to 70.7% by 2017 to make it one of the most popular social media platforms. This year, Instagram launched new business tools that aren’t available to regular accounts to make it more effective for businesses.
Social media is just another way to push content out to your ideal audience. You should always start by defining your social media goals and content marketing objectives to determine if Snapchat Stories or Instagram Stories (or any other social media platform for that matter) are where you should be to achieve them. Our strategic marketing experts will help you navigate these decisions to create a plan that produces results. Give us a call at 303-300-2640 or contact us online.
Have you taken the plunge to Snapchat or Instagram Stories? Which one did you choose and why?
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