A robust social media presence is a requirement to be relevant in today’s mobile-centric economy, and the most successful businesses are dedicated to meeting their customers where they are – on social media. As each social media platform tests out new methods of sharing content, some marketing professionals are stumped. For example, Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories seem quite similar at first glance. Users will endlessly contemplate content, filters, and captions because each post serves as a building block for their personal brand. You need to use Instagram for that. This age demographic is an indicator of the different purpose each platform holds for its users: sharing content, connecting with friends, or interacting with brands and celebrities. A Marketer’s View: Instagram Stories Vs. Snapchat Stories From a marketing perspective, the primary difference between the two is which consumers are using the platforms and how. Because Snapchat doesn’t allow users to permanently post photos or videos to their profiles, it boasts a far more transactional and transient style of communication. The public nature of Instagram posts also offers opportunities to engage current and potential customers in campaigns that rely on user-generated content. It can be difficult to create enough content when brands need to be active and relevant across all channels all the time, but one of the most powerful tools in your marketing toolbox is the content created by your most passionate customers.
A robust social media presence is a requirement to be relevant in today’s mobile-centric economy, and the most successful businesses are dedicated to meeting their customers where they are – on social media. However, it can be challenging to understand the nuances between platforms, since each caters to a specific demographic and promotes a certain style of communication.
As each social media platform tests out new methods of sharing content, some marketing professionals are stumped. For example, Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories seem quite similar at first glance. How can each opportunity be maximized, and what are the most effective methods of leveraging each site?
This quick guide breaks down the differences between Instagram Stories vs. Snapchat Stories and outlines best practices used by social marketing masters.
The Basics: What Are Stories?
Posting to social media is a big commitment. Users select pictures and videos to make available for all of their friend and followers to see, and anything posted to your profile stays there forever unless you delete it. Users will endlessly contemplate content, filters, and captions because each post serves as a building block for their personal brand. But what about those day-to-day events that you want to share with friends, but don’t require a permanent post? Enter the concept of the “story.”
Stories were first rolled out by Snapchat and later added to Instagram’s feature set in an effort to make sharing daily happenings easier and more spontaneous across social media. Through Stories, users can post a series of photos or videos that document an entire experience from start to finish. They serve as a sneak-peak into the life of a friend, celebrity, or influencer. Because Stories disappear after 24 hours there is less pressure to carefully curate a perfect forever-post. Stories seem much more relevant and real because they tend to be posted right in the moment they’re taken.
Snap -vs- Insta: Similar features, different audiences
It seems that every time Snapchat or Instagram come out with a new feature, the other isn’t far behind, which can make differentiating the two platforms even more difficult. Both platforms offer a variety of tools to change the look and feel of a photo you pull from the camera roll, but Snapchat opened the door to the art of creating entertaining stories with its version of the “filter”, which uses augmented reality to superimpose a wide variety of…
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