Are you using social media strategies in your digital marketing plan? If not, you’re leaving money on the table. Instagram and YouTube are two leading platforms marketers leverage to promote their products and services and build awareness in their target market.
Both YouTube and Instagram offer benefits and drawbacks. This post unpacks the differences between Instagram vs. YouTube for marketers.
Which Platform Offers the Best Exposure for Brands and Companies?
YouTube or Instagram? Where do companies and brands funnel their marketing budget? Both platforms have unique aspects that benefit any digital marketing strategy.
Using YouTube ads to promote your brand or products is more of a shotgun method to your marketing strategy, while Instagram provides more of a sniper-style approach. How often have you seen a YouTube ad displayed before a video that has nothing to do with the product or service?
The ad manager on Instagram allows you to laser-target your audience, giving you more value for your marketing budget. While that’s important, YouTube offers a better deal for brands looking for influencer-supported marketing strategies. For instance, sponsoring podcasts and vloggers is a popular strategy on YouTube.
Is There a Downside to Instagram?
Instagram is a great way to get your product posts huge amounts of exposure. The downside is that the Overton window on Instagram is short, and “Stories” remain up for 24 hours before being deleted. Marketing on Instagram requires a consistent flow of content to the platform to remain relevant to your target market.
Who Works with Instagram Influencers?
Instagram marketing is popular with brands looking to sponsor influencers in their target market and niche. It’s ideal for promoting products using a visual medium. Brands in the fitness, lifestyle, travel and fashion industries get the best value from this platform and sponsoring Instagram influencers.
Why Do Brands Work with YouTubers?
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, behind its parent company, Google. If you’re looking to produce long-form content with detailed descriptions of products and services, YouTube offers you the best bang for your buck with your marketing strategy.
Brands and companies realize the importance of investing in YouTube channels and sponsoring other YouTubers in their target market. Content on YouTube benefits from a longer Overton window, meaning your video will get better reach and remain relevant for longer than it will on Instagram.
Is There a Downside to YouTube?
YouTube is a long-form content site, while Instagram is geared towards short-form content. While the “Shorts” feature on YouTube is somewhat popular, it pales in comparison to the traction Instagram Stories and Reels receive.
It’s more challenging to track your analytics on YouTube since you can’t use third-party apps for the task. Instagram’s suite of analytics tools for business accounts offers an excellent way of tracking the performance of your content strategy on the platform.
Who Works with YouTubers?
Beauty, gaming, and tech-focused companies and brands are most active on YouTube. If you’re targeting the 18 to 54-year-old demographic, YouTube offers an excellent platform for building your online business.
Instagram Vs. YouTube – The Verdict
So, which platform do you go with for your digital marketing strategy? The reality is the best marketers and influencers use both. Instagram is a great tool for funneling users to your YouTube channel for extended content.
YouTube is a great tool for cross-promoting your Instagram, giving you more options for monetizing your digital strategy. If you don’t produce long-form content, YouTube offers you its ‘Shorts” feature as a similar platform to “Reels” and “Stories” on Instagram. Analyze your campaign goals and choose the right platform to complement your digital strategy.
