Ping! You’ve got a notification. “Your friend Jackie just added to their story for the first time in a while.” And above that is a snap notification, “Snapchat (now), from Team Snapchat.” Being at work you really only have time for one, so….which do you chose? Keep your answer in mind as I bring you along the adventure of both platforms all the way to my answer.
First and foremost, no one can deny the huge similarities between Snapchats and Instagram stories. Those wondrous videos and pictures that your friends send with AR masks on their faces, filters that make them look glowing, messages floating around or hiding away in little corners, and on and on. And yes Snapchat came out with all of these features first, only to have it snagged by Instagram stories. But we’re consumers. We let courts and lawyers deal with patents and copyrights, while we decide with our usage what survives in the market.
So let’s look at the market! Data from Omnicore agency reports that there were 800 million monthly active users of Instagram compared to the 300+ million monthly active users of Snapchat in the year of 2018. Now that + from the 300+ could be an extra 501 million active users that would let Snapchat jump ahead of Instagram, but do you think it is? Well, let’s not forget that numbers can lie. Afterall, there is the nuance that Instagram is more than just it’s stories. Those 800 million people could be scrolling through pictures and neglecting Instagram stories altogether. So how many people use Instagram stories? Omnicore agency reports 300 million daily active users on Instagram stories compared to Snapchat’s 187 million daily active users. Oof, seems we care more about stories.
But those are just numbers, what about the people, the users, what are they saying about these platforms? Here is a quote from Gary Vaynerchuk that I think sums it up. “...It's fun to see Instagram become a major player [and] it's fun to watch things like SnapChat, and Vine, try to vie to be the next thing.” This quote may seem to only favor Instagram, but let’s take a deeper look. Along with Snapchat, Vaynerchuck mentioned Vine and Vine officially died on January 17th, but Snapchat, which is constantly being copied by Instagram, is still thriving. It still has 187 million daily active users. Instagram took from this platform because they realized it had something to offer and that is still true. So….what does it offer?
Well, younger kids, age 13-17, use it and Forbes breaks down why. Snapchat has streaks, Snapchat glasses, a map, tools experienced users know and which helps retain users on the platform. Snapchat also has no feeds crowding into a users sense of self or presence making it feel very private. Additionally, due to the lack of feeds and profiles, Snapchat steps away from the possible saturation of parents and older siblings crowding the space and invading this space for younger teens. But is this enough for it to be greater than Instagram in 2018?
The Snapchat redesign, the in your face ad blasts on snap, and the fact that more people are on Instagram, for me, gives it a no. The snap overhaul made it a chore to learn the new interface, which compared to Instagram’s way of slipping in new updates and tools which slowly lets you get used to new features on the interface you are used to making Instagram more appealing. On top of that, you get to choose what companies you want to follow on Instagram; Snapchat just throws it all on one page and slips in random videos amongst the snaps you’re watching. On that end, Instagram’s follow button is a great balancing tool that lets you select content from friends, influencers, and companies which YOU want to see. Snapchat has no balance option. Finally my main reason, I have more active friends on Instagram than Snapchat. If you remembered the scenario I mentioned, a notification on Instagram about Jackie’s story vs a notification on Snapchat from Team Snapchat, I chose Instagram because I get more notifications from Team Snapchat than I do from my friends. A vital part of social media is the friends you have on it. I’m 21 and my friends are more active on Instagram than Snapchat. So even though I’m at work, Jackie gets a quick glance from me.
Well, thank you for reading my answer. If you have 30 secs, feel free to email your age and what your answer is to il693@nyu.edu. In a week I’ll compile the answers and it’ll be mini-study of which of the two platforms is used more by which age groups.
Sources
Aslam, Salman Mughal. “Snapchat by the Numbers (2018): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts.” Https://Www.omnicoreagency.com/, Omnicore, 13 Feb. 2018, www.omnicoreagency.com/snapchat-statistics/.
Aslam, Salman Mughal. “Snapchat by the Numbers (2018): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts.” Https://Www.omnicoreagency.com/, Omnicore, 13 Feb. 2018, www.omnicoreagency.com/snapchat-statistics/.
Nield, David. “5 Reasons to Ditch Snapchat for Instagram, If You Haven't Already.” Field Guide, Fieldguide.gizmodo.com, 25 Mar. 2018, fieldguide.gizmodo.com/5-reasons-to-ditch-snapchat-for-instagram-if-you-haven-1823769483.
“Snapchat Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/topics/snapchat.
“Why Snapchat Is So Successful With Younger Users (And What Facebook And Instagram Can Learn).” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Feb. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/02/21/why-snapchat-is-so-successful-with-younger-users-and-what-facebook-and-instagram-can-learn/.
