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Instagram VS TikTok for Brand Deals: Which Is More Effective for Your Business?

In 2024, deciding between Instagram and TikTok for brand partnerships is a crucial choice that can significantly impact your digital marketing strategy. With Instagram Reels and TikTok’s viral videos offering distinct opportunities for influencer marketing, which platform aligns better with your brand’s goals? 

This article explores the 7 key differences between Instagram and TikTok for brand deals, focusing on areas like audience demographics, engagement rates, content formats, and ROI (Return on Investment) from each platform. 

Additionally, we’ll compare the effectiveness of Instagram influencers versus TikTok creators, examining which social media channel can boost brand visibility, foster authentic connections, and drive higher conversion rates for your specific campaigns.

7 Key Differences Between Instagram and TikTok for Brand Partnerships

Comparison Table
Feature TikTok Instagram
Monthly active users Over 1 billion globally Over 2.3 billion globally
Primary content format Short-form videos Long-form videos
User demographics Predominantly Gen Z (16-24) Users aged 25-34 years old
Algorithm focus Content discovery based on user interactions and interests Content lands through followers' accounts first, with explore section recommendations
Content creation tools Extensive in-app editing features, filters, and a vast music library Comprehensive editing tools, filters, and integration with external apps
Ad options In-feed ads, branded hashtag challenges, top view ads Feed ads, story ads, shopping ads, reels ads
E-commerce integration Emerging features like TikTok Shop Established shopping features with in-app checkout
Influencer marketing Emphasis on authenticity and viral trends Focus on curated content and established influencer partnerships

1. Audience

TikTok’s Gen Z VS Instagram’s Millennials

When comparing TikTok and Instagram demographics, one key difference you could start with is audience distinctions. TikTok has a significant Gen Z following, with an estimated 48.3 million users expected by 2024, and the most interaction coming from younger viewers, specifically those aged 18 - 24.  (Source: Backlinko.com)

TikTok Global Users by Gender and Age:

Age Group Female Male
18 - 24 years 20.9% 17.5%
25 - 34 years 17% 15.5%
35 - 44 years 8.1% 7.5%
45 - 54 years 4.3% 3.7%
55+ years 3.1% 2.4%

On the other hand, Instagram offers a larger demographic, leaning towards slightly older individuals, as 35% of its users are between the ages of 25 and 34.

Both platforms show a relatively balanced gender contrast, however Instagram has a slight majority of female users. (Source: Datareportal.com)

Instagram Global Users by Gender and Age:

Age Group Female Male
18 - 24 years 39% 33%
25 - 34 years 35% 31%
35 - 44 years 18% 16%
45 - 54 years 6% 5%
55+ years 2% 1%

Projected Gen Z Users on TikTok and Instagram (2019 - 2025)

Year TikTok Instagram
2019 19.8 million 26.1 million
2020 29.5 million 29.5 million
2021 37.3 million 37.3 million
2022 41.4 million 41.4 million
2023 45 million 45 million
2024 48.3 million 48.3 million
2025 48.8 million 48.8 million

Both Instagram and TikTok offer many advantages for brand partnerships due to differences in user demographics, content formats, and engagement styles.

Instagram: Emphasizing Aesthetics

With its broader age range, especially popular among millennials, Instagram suits brands with a diverse customer base who emphasize aesthetics.

Its static posts, Stories, and Reels support polished, visually curated content, which is ideal for brands focused on fashion, beauty, lifestyle, etc.

Instagram’s slower-paced aesthetically pleasing feed keeps content visible longer, fostering sustained engagement and loyalty. Additionally, e-commerce integrations including product tags and in-app shopping, make it effective for driving direct sales, benefiting brands seeking high ROI from conversions.

TikTok: Content Authenticity

On the other hand, TikTok’s mainly Gen Z audience create a fast-paced, trend-driven space where content feels more genuine and informal. 

Its powerful algorithm pushes even lesser-known brands to new audiences through the “For You Page,” which can quickly expose content to a viral status. 

This rapid engagement style makes TikTok ideal for brand awareness and trend-based campaigns that leverage humor, storytelling, and relatability.

Although TikTok is more focused on driving hype than direct conversions, growing in-app shopping features are enhancing its e-commerce potential.

The Choice Depends On Your Brand's Goals

Whether it's sustained engagement and sales conversion or quick reach and trend-driven awareness, together, both platforms provide complementary strengths for a well-rounded brand strategy.

2. Content Format

Instagram’s Polished Aesthetic

Successful Instagram brands often maintain a consistent, polished aesthetic to align with their curated image, often using a well-planned marketing strategy. 

On this platform Influencers and brands focus on high-quality, visually appealing content that fits the overall look and feel of their feed. 

TikTok’s Creative Entertainment

In contrast, TikTok prioritizes trends, with content focusing on humor, entertainment, and relatability. 

Brands on TikTok are more flexible, adapting quickly to viral trends without worrying about maintaining a curated aesthetic. The emphasis is on interaction and creativity.

Instagram

Image-Centric: Instagram focuses heavily on high-quality images and aesthetically pleasing content. This includes static posts, carousels, and branded product shots.

Reels: Instagram Reels (currently up to 3 minutes) mimic TikTok-style short videos, but often focus on trends or tutorials with viral sounds.

Stories: Temporary, interactive, and engaging content that lasts 24 hours. Great for exclusive promotions, polls, and brand interaction.

Captions & Hashtags: Captions can be long, allowing for detailed storytelling, personal reflections, or promotional messaging. Hashtags can be crucial for discoverability.

Longevity: Content has a longer lifespan, especially on the feed. Older posts can still drive traffic through the Explore page or when users visit profiles. 

Reels and Stories provide temporary content options, but static posts or carousels remain prominent.

For reference, these are Instagram’s different content formats: A reel, story and post.

TikTok

Video-Centric: TikTok exclusively supports dynamic video content (currently up to 10 minutes). The platform thrives on viral trends, challenges, and consistent user interaction.

Images: While engagement with TikTok slideshows saw an initial boost when the feature was launched earlier this year, video content remains the sole monetizable option on the platform, making them a less preferred format for creators.

Native Features: Videos on TikTok include using filters, effects, and in-app editing tools, but focus on a more casual approach than instagram when it comes to tone and style.

Stories: TikTok provides a similar Stories feature as Instagram, but its popularity strongly resides on its short viral videos. Stories are available but aren’t widely used compared to its rival.

Captions & Hashtags: TikTok captions are typically short and to the point, often paired with hashtags to improve discoverability when getting content onto someone's "For You Page”.

User-Generated Content (UGC): TikTok emphasizes UGC through duets and stitches, making it easier for brands to encourage community participation.

Longevity: Even though TikTok videos have a higher virality potential, its algorithm prevents content from being viral for too long, making it short-lived.

For reference, these are TikTok’s different content formats: A video, story, and image slideshow.

Consistency and Aesthetic Appeal: Choosing Instagram Partnerships

If your brand thrives on a polished, curated look with a focus on long-lasting content, Instagram is likely the ideal platform. 

If your brand values a polished look and long-lasting content, Instagram is likely the better fit. Additionally, partnering with someone who also models their social media identity through a cohesive , curated feed can benefit you when repurposing content.

Best for: Brands focused on luxury, fashion, travel, beauty, or any industry where visual quality and a cohesive brand image are key.

Flexibility and Real-Time Engagement: Choosing TikTok Partnerships

To reach a trend-focused, highly interactive audience, TikTok offers a dynamic platform to quickly engage followers through UGC and dynamic, original content ideas.

It provides an energetic setting for brands that want to capitalize on trends and immediate user interaction. 

Best for: Brands in fast-moving industries like tech, entertainment, gaming, and those targeting Gen Z or Millennials who value authentic, genuine content.

3. Ad Options

Choosing TikTok or Instagram depends on your campaign's goals. 

Here’s a breakdown of the main distinctions between Instagram and TikTok ads to help you choose the platform that best aligns with your goals:

Feature Instagram Ads TikTok Ads
Ad Formats In-feed ads, Stories, Explore, and Reels ads. Reels ads are particularly popular for video content, having 3x more engagement than images. In-feed ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, Branded Effects, and Spark Ads
Targeting Instagram ads use Facebook’s Ad targeting to reach potential buyers while other platforms use cookie-based advertising, limiting you to a specific browser or device. The largest segment of Instagram's ad audience is made up of users aged 18-24. TikTok Ads Manager allows you to target users based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. As of 2024, TikTok reaches approximately 1.081 billion adult users every month.
Audience Engagement Large user base with over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram Ads can reach up to 20.3% of the global population. Highly engaged, younger audience, especially among Gen Z. TikTok ads reach 17.9% of all internet users aged 18 and older. Branded hashtag challenges typically deliver a return on ad spend (ROAS) between 2.5x and 5x for 90% of campaigns.
Creative Tools Provides basic editing tools for Reels and Stories. Only business accounts can use licensed music, limiting some creative options. More extensive editing and creative tools, including a vast music library, AR effects, and filters that encourage more engaging and viral content.
Cost The average cost stands at $3.56 per click and $7.91 per 1,000 impressions, but may vary depending on your brand's products. TikTok ads start at $10 per 1,000 views, with a minimum campaign spend of $500.
Best for Brands with a wide demographic reach, especially for visually-driven products and those requiring precise targeting. Also good for established brands seeking a consistent platform. Brands targeting Gen Z, small businesses looking for high engagement, and those interested in creative, fast-paced content. Works well for experimental and performance-based campaigns.

(Sources: https://www.socialpilot.co/instagram-marketing/instagram-stats, https://manychat.com/blog/instagram-ads/, https://www.socialpilot.co/tiktok-marketing/tiktok-statistics) 

Let’s look at a successful Instagram Ads case study:

Nivea Mexico’s Video Ads (H4)

Nivea Mexico accomplished its goal to strengthen its brand and increase market visibility by exclusively using Reels Ads to promote its Nivea Clinical deodorants.

By creating "short, fun, and fresh" video ads the brand achieved 7.8 points increase in standard ad recall and 2 points increase in purchase intention of the product, which showcases how combining interactivity with targeted ads on Instagram can strengthen brand connections.

Let’s look at a successful TikTok Ads case study:

Pikoya's TikTok Ad Campaign (H4)

Pikoya's ad campaign on TikTok was a big success, boosting engagement, cutting costs, and delivering high returns. The campaign saw a 14% rise in click-through rates, a 12.5% drop in cost per acquisition, and a 24% jump in return on ad spend, proving it met its goals. 

TikTok’s Creative Challenge helped Pikoya connect with its audience and showed that the platform is great for companies looking to get the most out of their social media budgets.

4. Analytics: Instagram Remains A Favorite

Both Instagram and TikTok provide extensive analytics to help you identify what to improve, enhance, or omit in your content strategy. The key is to align each platform's data with your campaign goals. Are you aiming for short-term, high-impact campaigns, or are you focused on fostering long-term, curated partnerships?I

Instagram Analytics: Tracking Long-Term Campaigns

Instagram allows brands to monitor key metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement rates, click-throughs, and even conversions. Its detailed insights make it easier for businesses to track long-term campaigns and fine-tune their strategies.

TikTok Analytics: Tracking Short-Term Performance

While improving, TikTok analytics are more targeted towards short-term, video-driven content performance. The platform focuses on metrics like total and average watch time, the percentage of views from the "For You Page”, and user interaction data from followers and non-followers alike. TikTok offers unique insights into the viewing behavior of its predominantly younger user base, allowing brands to capture viral moments with short-lived, high-impact content. However, Instagram remains a favorite among marketers due to its broader user base, more detailed analytics, and better integration with long-term brand-building strategies. 

5. Pricing and ROI

When evaluating Instagram and TikTok for brand deals, both platforms offer unique pricing structures and potential returns on investment (ROI). TikTok tends to offer a higher ROI, particularly for brands targeting younger audiences and seeking viral, authentic engagement.

Why TikTok Outshines Instagram in Engagement Rates

Its organic engagement rate stands at 5.3%, which is significantly higher than Instagram’s average of 2.4%​.(Source: https://www.33rdsquare.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/)

Why is TikTok Effective in ROI?

  1. Authenticity: TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes content discovery and makes it easier for posts to go viral, even for accounts with smaller followings. 
  2. Engagement Rates: TikTok boasts higher engagement rates than Instagram. Encouraging frequent interactions through likes, comments, shares, and challenges. 
  3. Viral Potential: TikTok’s viral nature offers an opportunity for exponential reach. 

Even smaller creators can quickly grow their influence due to the algorithm's ability to expose content to a wider audience.

Why is Instagram Still Effective for ROI?

  1. Established Influence and Trust: Instagram has been a staple for influencer marketing, with many influencers having cultivated long-term relationships with their audiences. This trust often leads to high-quality engagement and more loyal followers, providing steady returns for brands​.
  1. Content Format: Instagram offers diverse content formats like interactive stories, reels, and posts which allow you to engage with your audience in multiple ways. Plus, the shopping feature makes it a great platform for brands with an e-commerce integration interested in direct conversions.
  1. Visual Aesthetic: Instagram’s polished visual-first approach remains valuable for brands focused on creating or maintaining a curated brand image. 

The platform’s grid and focus on high-quality imagery appeal to industries like fashion, beauty, decor and luxury, where polished content resonates with consumers best.

Which Platform Offers Better ROI?

The platform that delivers the best ROI ultimately depends on several factors:Target Audience Demographics: TikTok is ideal for brands targeting a younger audience (Gen Z), while Instagram provides access to a broader demographic, including millennials and older generations​.

Campaign Objectives: For fast-paced brand awareness campaigns, TikTok’s viral content can offer more immediate results. In contrast, Instagram’s features like shopping and long-term influencer partnerships may be better suited for sales-driven campaigns and building lasting brand trust​.Industry and

Niche: Certain industries may find better ROI on one platform over the other.Tech and gaming brands thrive on TikTok, where creativity and interactivity are celebrated.

Luxury or home décor brands, however, may perform better on Instagram, thanks to its emphasis on visual storytelling and high-quality, curated posts.

While TikTok provides higher engagement rates, viral potential, and its influencers tend to charge slightly less across most categories, making it a more cost-effective option for certain campaigns, Instagram remains valuable for brands aiming to build long-term relationships and foster brand loyalty, specially in industries where aesthetics and content curation are key.

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for influencer types across both platforms, which can help further guide decisions:

Instagram VS TikTok Influencer Pricing Strategies for 2024

Influencer Type Instagram Pricing TikTok Pricing
Nano-influencers (1K – 10K) $10 to $100 $5 to $50
Micro-influencers (10K – 100K) $100 to $1,000 $50 to $800
Macro-influencers (100K – 500K) $500 to $5,000 $300 to $4,000
Mega-influencers (500K – 1M) $2,000 to $10,000 $1,500 to $8,000
Celebrity (1M+) $10,000+ $8,000+

Depending on the influencer’s reach and platform, you can choose partners that align with your marketing goals while managing an efficient investment.

6. Algorithm and Discoverability

TikTok and Instagram both use powerful algorithms but differ in how they boost content.

Tiktok’s Algorithm: Interest-Based Engagement

TikTok’s algorithm is very effective at predicting interest-based engagement.

When you post a TikTok video, it automatically gets served to the For You Page (FYP) of users which would want to engage based on their interest, not necessarily your followers.

If it receives positive engagement, it’s further promoted to wider audiences. The platform also has a "Following" feed that doesn’t impact FYP recommendations.

Instagram’s Algorithm: Targets Followers First

On the other hand, Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes reaching followers first.

New posts first reach followers, and only if engagement is strong does Instagram push the content to a broader audience. This makes follower interaction critical for reach.

Key Difference: Discovery VS Engagement 

TikTok is ideal for discovery, allowing content to spread widely based on engagement alone. Instagram, however, depends more on a follower’s engagement; even small accounts with highly engaged followers often see better reach than accounts with larger, inactive audiences.

7. Engagement

Each platform offers unique benefits, so you can maximize impact by tailoring your content approach to fit each platform’s strengths.

Here’s a quick comparison to understand and leverage the engagement differences between Instagram and TikTok:

TikTok Engagement

  • Discovery-Driven: TikTok’s algorithm is designed to surface content based on user interests, making it ideal for reaching new audiences beyond followers.
  • Viral Potential: Content is first tested with a small audience on the For You Page (FYP); if engagement is high (likes, shares, comments), it’s shown to larger groups. This means even small brands or new accounts can go viral quickly if their content resonates.
  • Brand Strategy Tip: Focus on creating highly engaging, visually striking, and authentic content that aligns with trending themes. TikTok is ideal for experimental content and brand discovery.

Instagram Engagement

  • Follower-Centric: Instagram’s algorithm favors content from accounts that users already interact with frequently. This makes it more challenging for brands to reach new audiences without a strong follower base.
  • Reach Dependent on Engagement: Content first appears to a brand’s followers; if a significant portion engages, Instagram may promote it further, such as on the Reels feed. High engagement from followers is key to expanding reach.
  • Brand Strategy Tip: Build and nurture a loyal community by posting consistently high-quality, brand-aligned content. Utilize Stories, carousels, and Reels to drive interaction, which will improve reach among your current and potential followers.

Key Takeaways

  • TikTok is excellent for fast discovery and viral potential, especially those looking to reach new or younger audiences.
  • Instagram works well on cultivating deep, ongoing relationships with your followers, where engagement and loyalty drive reach over time.

How To Choose Between Instagram And Tiktok For Your Marketing Strategy

Set Clear Brand Goals

To make the most informed decision, consider these key questions:

  • What is my brand’s primary goal? If it’s to build a long-term, consistent presence, Instagram’s aesthetic and feed structure offer more continuity. For quick engagement and trend participation, TikTok’s interactive, video-driven platform is unmatched.
  • Who is my target audience? TikTok’s audience skews younger, while Instagram attracts a broader age range and often aligns with higher-income demographics.
  • What type of content can my brand provide? If your brand excels at creating visually polished images, Instagram is a natural fit. For brands that can embrace casual, entertaining videos, TikTok will resonate well.

Final Thoughts on Instagram VS TikTok for Brand Deals

In choosing between Instagram and TikTok for brand partnerships, align your decision with your brand's goals and audience. Instagram suits brands seeking polished aesthetics, sustained engagement, and sales conversions, making it ideal for industries like fashion and beauty. 

TikTok, with its viral potential and Gen Z focus, excels at driving quick, trend-based brand awareness. Together, these platforms offer complementary strengths—use Instagram for a consistent brand image and TikTok for high-impact, immediate engagement in 2024.

FAQs
Is It Easier to Go Viral on TikTok or Instagram for Brand Deals?
Which Platform has Better Ad Targeting for Brand Deals: Instagram or TikTok?
Do Instagram or TikTok Brand Deals offer Better Long-Term Results?
Which Platform Offers Better Options for eCommerce Integration in Brand Deals?
How do Influencer Costs Differ Between Instagram and TikTok for Brand Deals?

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