How Instagram Compares To Its Competitors

Not long after Instagram's launch, experts touted it as the best visual (photo-sharing) social media app for young people. However, while 67% of the younger generation (aged 18-29) still make up the user base today, the Instagram audience has diversified.

Moreover, while Instagram quickly grew in leaps and bounds, other social media platforms did as well. Facebook went from strength to strength, so much so that it bought Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion.

In 2025, Facebook is still a competitor to Instagram, but Instagram brings in more than $20 billion of Facebook’s annual profit. Does this mean that Instagram is superior to Facebook and all its other competitors?

Let’s see what the comparisons look like:

Instagram vs. Facebook

Instagram vs. Facebook is a tight race. Instagram’s core focus is on visuals. This means users want to see beautiful images, videos, carousels, stories, and more. Sometimes, this takes away from words, and there is a lack of CTAs, especially from a marketing aspect.

Facebook is the go-to for millions when they want to find business contact details and reviews. Facebook allows in-text links, whereas Instagram does not. And most businesses have an obligatory Facebook presence because most people search on this platform first.

However, this does not mean everyone’s marketing budget goes to Facebook alone. Many businesses only update the most essential business information on Facebook while concentrating on marketing on other platforms.

Instagram comes out on top for millennial audiences. Businesses also love marketing on this platform because this is where they find sales prospects ages 18-24, which is Instagram’s second largest demographic.

Facebook’s largest audience is also millennials, but its second-largest is aged 35-44. Facebook also has the biggest global audience. This is not surprising, considering it has been around for 20 years.

But thousands, if not millions, of these users are non-active. This is because they left the platform in favor of Instagram or TikTok. Moreover, after TikTok took the world by storm, Facebook usage dropped, while TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat thrived.

There is a lot more to compare between Facebook and Instagram. But, since content marketing can only succeed with the right audience, you need to choose the platform that works for your business. In this case, it is not about the superior social media app.

For instance, if your business is less visual and more information-heavy, Facebook will work for you. This is especially true if you market your products to an older generation.

If you market your content and business to an audience of 35 and younger, Instagram is the better option. You can also work with influencers on Instagram, instantly expanding your reach on the platform.

Instagram vs. TikTok

Instagram brings a lot to the social media table. Using the app, you can post single attention-grabbing photos.

You can create highly engaging stories. You can host live sessions on anything under the sun. You can create long videos and short reels. You can even design stunning carousels or add a couple of interactive stickers to your content.

Instagram makes social media fun because there are so many options to choose from.

Then there is TikTok. Originally named Musical.ly, TikTok exceeded all expectations after its release and peaked in 2020.

Despite reaching this peak, the app is still exceedingly popular worldwide. Even if it offers far fewer content format options. These include short videos, stories, and lives.

The primary difference between Instagram and TikTok is its audiences. In 2025, Instagram attracts large Gen Z crowds, while TikTok is mainly used by Gen X. You need to decide who your target market is and then use the appropriate platform for content marketing.

Also, TikTok and Instagram have exclusive pages for content discovery. Instagram’s Explore page allows users to find new accounts or hashtags related to content they want to see.

TikTok’s For You page is the first feed that appears when a user opens the app. This instantly allows people to discover new and exciting content.

To make the most of either platform, you must get your content on these pages. Keep in mind that marketing strategies to achieve getting on the Explore or For You page may slightly differ.

Overall, if you are part of the older generation (Millennials, etc.), using Instagram might be the easier option. To appeal to the TikTok crowd, you may need to hire a social media freelancer.

It is a lot more work to create content that people want to see on TikTok. That said, whatever works for you will work well if you put the effort in.

Instagram vs. X

Both TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) have some controversies surrounding them. For one, TikTok is on the verge of being canceled in the U.S., while many people are unhappy with how Elon Musk is running X.

In the meantime, as these issues swirl, both platforms still have their uses. X, for instance, has an audience of 24% of U.S. users, which tend to be between 18 and 24.

This means you can use the platform to market to this demographic. But, if you do, you should use real-time content like trending discussions and announcements. This is what appeals most to X users.

With Instagram, you have more opportunities to use long-form content. And there is ample room for CTAs, which is crucial for social media marketing.

The Future Of Social Media

Short-form video will experience even more of a boom in the future. If the U.S. bans TikTok for good, all eyes will probably turn to Instagram to handle the influx of users. Reels will have to stand in for TikToks.

However, this is all still hypothetical, even though TikTok has already been banned from government-issued phones, devices, and university Wi-Fi.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether Instagram will stand the test of time for your business. It is the best app to use if it caters to your marketing requirements. If you keep these comparisons in mind, you can make informed decisions about your social media goals.