Facebook was founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and his fellow roommates, while Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Though the beginnings of the two networks were 6 years apart, both had the same goal of bringing people together. Since the goals were similar and both sites were thriving, Facebook acquired Instagram for one billion dollars in 2012. Since the two are owned by the same people, why would one advertise on both sites? Well, there is a difference between the two!
Demographics
Facebook’s users include 63% of people worldwide. Most adults log onto the platform for an average of 34 minutes every day. Not to mention, Facebook is most popular among senior adults. On a different note, 56% of Facebook users are males which makes the platform very versatile in its demographics.
Instagram’s demographics are a little different. Out of the one billion users monthly, 51% are female. Slightly higher than the more male dominated Facebook. Instagram also has an audience of 18-34-year-olds who spend around 30 minutes on the app daily.
Before choosing one or the other for advertising, think about your target audience. It’s possible you have potential customers on both platforms.
Management
Not only are the demographics different for the platforms, but so is the management for the ads. Though both can be managed through Facebook’s ad manager, there are some differences to note.
Facebook has more options when it comes to setting objectives, previews, and ad sets. There are many combinations resulting in different ads. For Instagram, it is much simpler. A few clicks and the ad is ready to go. Instagram makes it easier for companies new to social media advertising to get started.
Content
Alongside the differences in demographics and management is also a difference in content. Facebook and Instagram both allow advertisements with carousels (two or more scrollable images), single media (one image or video), or existing posts (posts you have already made). Where the two platforms differ is the ability to link in captions. Instagram does not allow links in captions, so the advertiser has to use a call-to-action button to link to anything from off site content to another Instagram profile.
Another difference is that Instagram requires a visual component, like an image or video, whereas Facebook can be just word-based content. Visuality is important for most advertising, especially on social media. With so much content being shared with the target audience, they are less likely to read everything, so a compelling image is needed to grab their attention and to keep it.
Overall, Facebook and Instagram are great places to advertise. With their differences in demographics, management, and content, it is important to consider the two independently rather than as one unit. With this independent thinking, a brand can better align their content placement with their preferred target audience.
Overwhelmed by the differences of Facebook and Instagram advertising? We love using social media platforms to the fullest at Momentum and can help you with the development of your social media advertising. Click here to request your free 30-minute consultation today.