Social Media Crossroads: Picking the Right Platform -
Facebook v/s Instagram

Facebook: Beyond Friendship

Facebook started as a way to connect with friends but has become much more. This social media platform for business is not just for keeping in touch; you can also find news, comment on posts, and share different things.

According to the Statista report, Facebook is the seventh most valuable brand worldwide

This shows that despite nearly 20 years since its inception, this social media platform for business remains an undisputed giant in social media.

You can create a personal diary of events, and share photos, videos, and links. You can also show your approval by clicking "like." Facebook is mainly for connecting with friends and chatting with them through Messenger. You can check out the guide to running successful Facebook campaigns here.

Best Facebook Features

1. Facebook Cards: Collaborating with Moo.com, Facebook offers unique marketing with printed cards showcasing business profiles, cover photos, and contact details.

2. Pages to Watch: Monitor up to five competitor pages, tracking weekly new likes to stay informed.

3. Invite Email Contacts: In the 'Admin' panel, use the 'Build Audience' tab to invite email contacts to like the business page, with a limit of 5,000 invites.

4. Messenger for Business: Enables consumer questions and notifications about defective products during shopping. The latest update supports sharing 360-degree photos and HD videos, providing opportunities for video makers.

5. Video SEO Importance: Stressing the need for video SEO for higher rankings and increased visibility on platforms like YouTube.

Instagram: Beyond Visuals

Instagram started as a phone app for sharing pictures and videos. Now, with this social media platform for business, you can also post stories that last for 24 hours, sharing special moments. Instagram is popular for businesses, brands, and famous people because it's great for engaging with interested users, even more than Facebook.

Indeed, as per a SproutSocial study brands having less than 10,000 followers achieved the highest conversion rate, reaching 2.6%.

Additionally, according to GWI's latest study, most social media users, specifically 62.4%, utilize Instagram to follow or research brands and products. Moreover, for boosting your Instagram presence, check out this guide.

Best Instagram Features:

1. 3D Avatars: Meta introduced 3D avatars for users in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

2. Chronological Feed Order: Instagram now allows chronological feed viewing.

3. Link Stickers for Stories: All users can now use link stickers in stories.

4. Desktop Wall Updates: Users can now update their Instagram walls through the desktop.

5. Instagram Shopfronts: Users can add their website URL for a shopfront.

6. Instagram Ads: Advertising through Facebook Ad Manager to boost views, engagement, traffic, and conversion rates.

7. Geofilters: Users can share their location with Geofilters, currently available in selected places, useful for business marketing.

10+ Key Differences Between Facebook & Instagram

1. Active Users:

According to the Statista report for the second quarter of 2023, Facebook boasted a monthly active user base of 3.05 billion.

In contrast, as per Statista's report, Instagram has approximately 2 billion monthly active users, indicating a substantial disparity in user base.

Hence, a larger audience social media platform for businesses like Facebook implies greater sales potential, making it the preferable choice for quantity-oriented goals.

2. Marketer's Favorite:

According to the Hootsuite study, 91% of organizations have a Facebook presence, a richer feature set, and a higher adoption rate contribute to its dominance among marketers.

In contrast, as per a BusinessDIT report, approximately 200 million businesses globally are active on Instagram, constituting 90% of businesses using this social media platform for business growth.

3. Customer Type:

A recent study found that millennials comprise nearly 50% of Facebook's user base, with over 49% falling within the 25 to 44 age range.

In contrast, social media platform for business such as Instagram saw the highest usage among people aged between 18 and 34.

4. Engagement:

Instagram outshines as the best social media platform for business than Facebook in user engagement with posts garnering significantly more likes.

While Facebook may secure an average engagement of only 0.07%, Instagram, with its diverse post types, excels with engagement rates exceeding

• 1% - 0.71% → Regular posts,
• 1.26% → Carousels,
• 0.59% → Photos,
• 1.23% → Reels

Making it businesses' preferred platform for customer interaction.

5. Attraction of Viewers

Instagram's instant attraction sets it apart, offering a visually appealing experience with immediate access to posts upon opening the app.

In contrast, Facebook, a social media platform for business presents a variety of content, including stories and different post features, making Instagram's visual appeal and streamlined interface a preferred option for capturing user attention.

6. Post Structure:

Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing app branching out to video content through Reels. Strictly visual content and text-only posts are not allowed.

While Facebook combines visual content with text, allowing users to share images, digital lookbooks, videos, and text individually.

7. Social Media Games:

No gaming feature is available on Instagram. On the other hand, Facebook offers a game feature for users to play games directly on the platform.

8. Desktop and Mobile Optimization:

Instagram is a more mobile-friendly social media platform for business; posting can only be done from a mobile device.

On the other hand, Facebook, a social media platform for business is equally functional on both desktop and mobile devices, allowing users to share posts seamlessly from either.

9. Link Sharing:

Instagram does not allow clickable links in post descriptions; they are limited to placing links in the account's bio.

In contrast, Facebook, a social media platform for business, supports clickable links in post descriptions, allowing direct sharing of articles or links on the followers' news feeds.

10. Business Account Bio:

Instagram, a social media platform for business is limited to a character count (150 characters) for bio; only one clickable link is allowed.

In contrast, Facebook offers more options for a comprehensive business bio, including business description, business hours, address, contact information, and links to the website and Instagram.

11. Distributing Information

Facebook's paid advertising remains highly effective, especially for reaching older audiences and directing traffic to external sites.

In contrast, Instagram, a social media platform for business excels in direct customer engagement and building brand identity, making it particularly effective for younger demographics.

12. Video Marketing

Over 81% of marketers use Facebook for video marketing due to its broad adoption. Versatile content and external link support enhance engagement beyond the platform.

On the other hand, Instagram, chosen by 91% of marketers, excels in video marketing, especially among the youth. Emphasizing direct engagement and creative expression, Instagram's videos foster a connection with the target audience.

13. Functionality:

Instagram centers on images and videos, emphasizing capturing moments. It's primarily for engagement and brand building.

On the other hand, Facebook is more informational, focusing on text-driven content. Facebook Pages offer details about companies, such as business hours and events. Profiles on Facebook take longer to create due to their detailed nature.

10 Bonus Tips for Facebook Marketing

• Facebook's age requirement of 13+ fosters a youth-centric platform.
• Direct ads toward the active teenage user base for effective marketing.
• Keep the company account updated with engaging content.
• Craft a concise "About Us" section for a clear business identity.
• Ensure uniformity in cover photos, posts, and call-to-action elements.
• Create audience-specific organic posts.
• Diversify content with various multimedia formats.
• Prioritize timely responses to messages.

5 Bonus Tips for Instagram Marketing

• Focus on your brand's unique audience qualities.
• Craft engaging captions and photos to tell a compelling brand story.
• Run interesting contests for increased engagement.
• Partner with popular influencers or micro-influencers in your niche.
• Utilize Instagram ads to target your specific audience.

Instagram Vs. Facebook: Which is the Winning Play for Your Business?

Ultimately, if you see there's no need to pick Instagram Vs Facebook. With many individuals active on multiple social media platforms, favoring one over the other doesn't mean missing out on a substantial portion of your target audience.

So, to decide which social media platform for business to leverage, we’d say to tailor your strategy for each.

Because at last →

• More marketing = more visibility
• More visibility = more relatable
• More relatable = more trust

So, did you enjoy reading?

Worry not, we’ll be back again with something more exciting.

Till then keep building your brand on the social media platforms and stay connected with Cronbay Technologies for more such updates.