“My mom’s on Facebook” symbolized the declining use of Facebook by younger target groups such as Gen Z. However, thanks to the triumph of Instagram, a large number of younger users remained in the Facebook family of apps. But will it stay that way?
TikTok is Gen Z’s preferred social network
According to a forecast of eMarketer, then Gen Z in the USA will be more represented on TikTok than on Instagram in 2021. In addition, Instagram is growing most strongly in the 35 to 44 age group. So will “My mom’s on Facebook” become “My dad’s on Instagram”?
We’re talking about millions of people from the Generation Z target group on both TikTok and Instagram. In the US, according to eMarketer, the Gen Z target group on TikTok is 37.3 million people. There are 33.3 million people on Instagram. So Instagram doesn’t have to worry about the reach in Gen Z at the moment, but the development currently speaks for TikTok.
A look at Germany: TikTok vs. Instagram
Since the forecast refers to the USA, let’s take a look at Germany and the range potential. In order to create comparability, we define the age group to be 18-24 years. This is not the complete Gen Z, but in the TikTok Ad Manager, potential reach is only shown from the age of 18.
If you define the targeting for Germany purely according to the age group 18 to 24 years, TikTok gives a reach between 7.1 million and 8.7 million people. If you take the same targeting in the Facebook ad manager and only select placements on Instagram, you get a potential reach of 8.8 million people. So you can also see in Germany how much TikTok has caught up with younger target groups.
At this point it must be noted that these are range forecasts and not official user numbers.
Instagram already knows the situation from the past. When the Snapchat hype really got going back then, there was also talk of teenagers no longer using Facebook, but mainly using Snapchat. By adapting the story format, Instagram has put itself back into a new position and thanks to the creator and influencer offensive, younger users have been able to be quickly and long-term tied to Instagram in large numbers. Until now?
Why Reels’ success is so important to Instagram
What stories were then are now reels. Instagram has already invested a lot in the visibility of reels. Not only have reels got their own tab, the communication to creators is currently placing reels in the foreground more and more often. “Do you want reach on Instagram? Then make videos. Best of all, reels. “
Reels is about the success of the format itself, but it’s also about slowing down TikTok’s user growth. User: Inside should stay on Instagram and if you want to watch vertical short videos, you can now find it on Instagram and don’t have to go to TikTok.
Of course, the success of Reels depends on the content. This brings us to the second crucial component: Creators should make reels. Younger target groups follow influencers more often: Inside and out, they also interact more often with the published content. A new type of creator has emerged on TikTok, who are often on Instagram too, but TikTok is the decisive channel.
With TikTok, Instagram is getting a strong competitor in various areas. When used by the younger target groups and by creators. TikTok has positioned itself very well in a short time and the reactions from Instagram will follow ever faster and more intensively.
In addition to the battle for the creators, the battle for Gen Z has long broken out and both Instagram and TikTok want to win it.
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Blogger in Charge bei Futurebiz, Speaker, Author and Senior Digital & Social Media Consultant at the agency FOCAL POINT. Jan Firsching advises brands and companies on the development of digital and social media strategies. Zu Futurebiz Consulting
Blogger in charge at Futurebiz. Speaker, author and senior digital & social media consultant at the BRANDPUNKT agency. Jan Firsching advises brands and companies on the development and implementation of digital and social media strategies.
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