TikTok vs IGTV
If you have yet to watch an IGTV video or download the TikTok app, 2020 is the year to do it. Video content continues to reign supreme, and with IGTV and TikTok competing for top video content, it can be challenging to determine where to focus your brand’s social strategy.
The answer is both.
What is TikTok?
Newcomer TikTok hit 1.5 billion downloads in December according to a 2019 report from Business Insider, and is currently the third most-downloaded app, surpassing Instagram for downloads in 2019.
TikTok is known for its easily digestible, short-form content featuring viral challenges, dances, voiceovers, and comedy videos. Most importantly, TikTok boasts a predominantly Gen-Z audience, something Facebook can’t say for any of its top-performing platforms.
Is IGTV Instagram’s answer to TikTok?
One of Instagram’s most notable updates attempting to close the gap between IGTV and TikTok is the integration of IGTV to the “Explore” page. This feed of algorithmically suggested videos functions similarly to TikTok’s “For You” page. On both platforms, these pages are a hub for new content discovery, alongside a feed of content created by people you follow.
TikTok’s biggest stars receive the coveted “Popular Creator” checkmark, similar to Instagram’s verified users. Both feature live-streaming capabilities, allowing for authentic, in-the-moment content.
Here’s where they differ.
TikTok videos are limited to 1 minute in length, while IGTV videos must be at least a minute long and can be up to an hour. Due to the short length, TikTok is known for its viral content, thanks to its trending hashtag feature. Any video can go viral and make its way to the forefront of someone’s TikTok feed just by including the hottest hashtags of the moment. Hashtags have proven to be more effective in increasing discoverability on TikTok than they have on Instagram.
TikTok also offers in-app editing, with endless effects, soundtracks, and filters. IGTV videos must be edited in a third-party app or program and uploaded as the final product.
The biggest difference is the audience. Instagram has become a mainstay for millennials, while TikTok’s audience is majority Gen-Z.
Which is best for my brand?
Again, the answer is both. Here’s why.
IGTV allows brands and marketers to flex their storytelling muscle to reach a millennial or young adult audience. This can be done through interviews, DIY videos, reviews, testimonials, etc. For example, eyewear giant Warby Parker created their “Wearing Warby” campaign on IGTV, and features interviews with influencers, authors, and inspirational stories. There is an endless possibility of long-form video content for IGTV, but IGTV content tends to be more highly curated.
On the other hand, TikTok is key for reaching Gen-Z. Brands like Chipotle have utilized viral challenges and comedy to tap into this emerging audience. Their #GuacDance challenge coincided with Chipotle’s guacamole day, and urged TikTok users to create viral, short-form content about avocados. Sounds silly, but the challenge resulted in Chipotle selling over 800,000 sides of guacamole.