Viral Nation Talent’s Director of International Talent explains Instagram’s dominance.
A survey carried out by the agency specializing in influencer marketing, Influency.me, showed that 70% of influencers chose the Instagram as your primary content creation network, followed by TikTok, with just 10% of the votes. Despite reigning as the primary choice for creators, Instagram is at a disadvantage when it comes to its monetization model. 28% of creators stated that the best financial return comes from Youtube and 27% chose TikTok, while 24% chose Instagram.
It is worth mentioning that Instagram, launched in 2010, is eight years older than TikTok, when it took the name of the former Musical.ly app in 2018. However, is this the only reason why the network is Meta be the birthplace of the vast majority of influencers? In the opinion of Fabio Gonçalves, director of International Talent at Viral Nation Talent, an agency specialized in Influencer Marketing, Insta continues to be the fundamental platform for many influencers due to its long stability and establishment as a visual content medium.
“Its intuitive interface and photo and video editing features make Instagram ideal for telling visually compelling stories, which is essential for maintaining and growing an audience. It must also be said that the presence of established brands and users’ familiarity with the platform have created an environment where influencers can build and maintain solid relationships with their target audience. Furthermore, we analyzed that Instagram followers are somehow more loyal to the creator than the platform itself. Such loyalty is not repeated on TikTok, for example, due to the way the algorithm works. Because videos go viral more frequently there, people follow, most of the time, because they have seen specific content, but end up not actually following the creator”, he explains.
The director believes that although TikTok has rapidly gained popularity and offers unique opportunities for reach and engagement, the app is still establishing itself as a mature marketing platform.
“Its monetization model may not be as robust as Instagram’s, but its highly viral nature and discovery algorithm offer incredible potential for rapid growth and massive exposure. However, many influencers still see Instagram as the foundation of their online presence due to its wide range of features and established user base,” he continues.
According to the professional, in addition to stability and a wide range of features, Instagram offers influencers a diverse platform to express their creativity and build a personal brand. There are a variety of formats, such as videos in the feed, stories and reels, that allow creators to connect with their audience in different ways, added to the fact that, on Instagram, there is a strong culture of collaboration and community between content producers. Tagging, sharing and mentioning features, for example, facilitate collaboration between creators, expanding the reach of their messages and attracting new audiences.
Another reason, this time shown by the same research, is data about the algorithm. When it comes to this, 53% of creators believe that the best network is Instagram, while TikTok received only 24% of nominations. The information supports the interviewees’ preferences and reflects how Instagram is still relatively transparent compared to other platforms, such as TikTok itself, where rules and criteria for reaching the public may seem more nebulous.
METHODOLOGY
The survey was carried out in the second half of 2023, using a form via email, social networks and advertisements to influencers, agencies, advisors and brands. There were more than 300 respondents.
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