TikTok is a logical first choice if you want to reach new people with short videos. Instagram is a good fit if you want to combine photos, videos and contact with followers. What works better for your business depends on your audience and your goal. So first decide what you want to achieve, such as appointment requests. Compare them based on that, not just on views.
Below, you will find a decision guide and steps for testing both platforms yourself.
Choosing TikTok or Instagram: look at what you can create
Do not look only at the biggest app or your number of followers. What can you create regularly? If you enjoy taking photos, one choice is more obvious than if you can easily explain something in a video.
| Your situation | Logical first choice | What you can try |
|---|---|---|
| You can easily show something in short videos. | TikTok | Answer one frequently asked question in a video. |
| You have good photos and also want to share short updates. | Combine a clear profile with photos, short videos through Reels and temporary updates through Stories. | |
| You already receive questions and responses on one platform. | The platform where that happens | See which posts lead to a serious conversation. |
| You mainly want to sell more. | No clear winner yet | Compare orders or requests, not just attention. |
| You have little time. | Start with one platform | Choose something you can create regularly and set aside time to respond. |
These choices help you get started, but they do not predict where your business will achieve the best results. Do you also want to make longer videos? Read more about choosing YouTube or TikTok.
Finding your audience on TikTok or Instagram
A user count for the Netherlands or Belgium does not tell you how many potential customers you reach. Suppose you are a bicycle repairer in Ghent. Viewers from nearby are more important to you than thousands of viewers in other countries.
Look beyond age as well. “Young people are on TikTok and adults are on Instagram” is too simplistic a basis for your choice. Language, location and interests also matter.
This is how you find out where your audience is active:
- Ask your customers. For example, ask five customers where they look for tips or businesses like yours. Their answers provide clues, but not a complete picture.
- Search for your service and location. On both platforms, see what questions people ask in posts related to your work.
- See who responds to your posts. Are they potential customers from your region, or do they live too far away?
- Choose a suitable language. For a Belgian audience, consider whether you need Dutch, French or another language.
Can you view information about your audience in your account? Use it as well. If location or age is missing, do not guess that information yourself.
Reaching new people with TikTok and Instagram Reels
According to the comparison of TikTok and Instagram by Metricool TikTok is stronger at reaching new viewers with short videos. Instagram is stronger for staying in contact with followers. That picture from their data does not predict how your account will perform.
Can you clearly demonstrate something? Then you have a starting point for a short video. Think of a hairdresser showing how to dry curls. Start with the question or show the result immediately. You can explain more about your business later.
Fictional example: a bicycle repairer makes a video about a squeaky brake. He lets viewers hear the sound, names a possible cause and explains when the bicycle should be checked. This helps the viewer and shows what he knows.
You can test this idea on TikTok and as an Instagram Reel. Afterwards, do not look only at views. Did you receive questions relevant to your offering? Did people visit your profile? A view is not the same as a unique person or a potential customer.
Making contact through your Instagram or TikTok profile
After an interesting video, someone may want to know where you are located, what you make or how to book an appointment. Make sure your profile answers that.
The sales comparison of TikTok and Instagram by Omnifox emphasises being discovered through TikTok. According to that comparison, Instagram mainly helps when people are considering a purchase and want to get to know your business better.
Instagram is a good fit if you want to use different formats for this: a photo of your work, a short video, a temporary update through Stories and a private message. Such a private message is also called a DM.
On the platform you choose, make this information easy to find:
- What you offer and who it is intended for.
- Where you work or deliver.
- Examples of what someone can expect.
- How someone can ask a question or make an appointment.
A polished profile does not by itself prove that you are reliable. Provide concrete information and show an honest picture of your work.
Comparing advertising on TikTok and Instagram
Neither platform is the cheapest option for every business. A cheap click is of little use if nobody submits a request afterwards.
Decide in advance what you want to count: orders, appointments or serious requests. Use the same offering, a comparable audience, the same period and the same budget on both platforms. Keep advertising results separate from posts you do not pay for.
Fictional calculation example: you spend € 60 on advertising on each platform. You count only requests for the offered appointment and remove duplicate requests from your overview.
| Platform | Advertising costs | Requests | Cost per request |
|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | € 60 | 6 | € 60 ÷ 6 = € 10 |
| € 60 | 4 | € 60 ÷ 4 = € 15 |
So you divide advertising costs by the number of requests. In this example, a request through TikTok costs less. That does not mean that TikTok generates more sales. Also see how many requests become actual appointments. With zero requests, you cannot calculate a cost per request.
The calculation includes only advertising costs, not your working time. Determine in the same way for both platforms whether a request came through an advertisement. Do you not know where a request came from? Record its source as unknown.
Testing whether TikTok or Instagram works better
Compare a small series of posts with the same subject and offering. If you change the subject, offering and platform at the same time, you will not know afterwards what caused the difference in results.
- Choose one goal. For example, requests for a trial lesson. Write down in advance which request counts.
- Choose a realistic test period. For example, four weeks. This is a starting point, not a fixed ideal duration.
- Create a small series of comparable videos. Use the same subject and offering for each video on both platforms. Also keep the length, content and posting times as similar as possible.
- Ask for the same next step. For example, ask for a message with a question about the trial lesson on both platforms.
- Record results after the same number of days. Do not give one video three weeks to receive responses and the other only one day.
- Compare results and work. Count the requests that meet your goal. Also record how much time you spent creating, posting and responding.
Keep a simple overview with the date, subject, platform, views, relevant requests and your working time. Do not add likes, responses and messages together as if they were all different people. One person can take multiple actions.
The test provides an indication, not a definite answer. Your existing followers and the way your video is distributed also play a role. Therefore, do not choose based on a single video that performs exceptionally well.
Are you receiving little response on both platforms? Check whether your message is clear and whether the viewer knows what they can do next. Then test one change, such as a more specific question at the end of your video.
Using the same video on TikTok and Instagram
You can use the same original video on both platforms. To do this, save a version without a watermark or app text. Check whether you are allowed to use the footage, sound and music on both platforms. Permission within one app does not automatically apply in the other.
- Create one base video. For example, show how a product works or answer a question.
- Check the footage on both platforms. Make sure important details and subtitles remain clearly visible.
- Adjust the text accompanying your video if necessary. Mention your location if you are looking for local customers. Make clear what the viewer can do after watching.
- Set aside time for responses. Reusing a video saves work, but conversations on two accounts still take time.
Would you rather use little text with an Instagram photo? Then view ideas for Instagram captions consisting of one word: short texts below your photo. Do add an explanation if someone needs it to understand your offering.
After your test, choose the platform that produces relevant requests and that you can maintain. Are you already receiving questions from potential customers on one platform? Start there before dividing your time between two accounts. If you also publish your own content, our Instagram services includes packages for followers and likes. The product pages show the available quantities and prices.
