Instagram and YouTube are the giants in social media marketing and have no worthy competitor insight, so it will suffice to say that to get your business on the map, you will have to be using one or preferably both of them. Influencer marketing has risen to be a billion-dollar industry. Instagram boasts of more than 1 billion users and YouTube has a strength of 1.9 billion. But the number of users is not enough to determine the ideal platform for you.
So for all of the business peeps out there who wish to know the best method for social media marketing, we have given you sufficient information about both Instagram and YouTube, letting you make the decision that suits your brand best. When you are done with this article you will have a better idea of selecting the perfect platform for you.
Instagram: Pros and Cons
Instagram has the highest rate of engagement across all other social media platforms. With its features like photos, IGTVs, and reels, Instagram has grown its user-base with its versatility.
Pros:
- It is easy to grow on Instagram if you are skilled in your niche. The Instagram algorithm will recognize your potential audience and once you amass a good following, you will start appearing on their explorer page. You can buy instagram followers for your profile to get desired growth on instagram.
- It is simple to create content for Instagram once you get the hang of it. With editing becoming easier with filters, reels and IGTV are short-form videos that are trending now.
- Easily searchable keywords are a huge bonus. With the right hashtags and engagement, it is easier for people to find your account. People even follow hashtags which make it more likely that your content can be discovered. Increase your engagement on instagram by buying instagram likes for your posts.
- The comfortable-yet-chic vibe on Instagram motivates you to be more creative and finds ways for you to showcase your products in a cool way.
- Instagram constantly updates its app with new features being added that make it a more hands-on site for marketing your business
Cons:
- Every age group won't be comfortable on Instagram. It largely caters to a young adult audience who may not be the target audience for every brand.
- There is too much content already on Instagram, so you will have to post at least once a day to get even close to the top.
- Instagram is a visual treat, so unless your brand has aesthetically pleasing photos or glamorous shots, it won't be able to make much of a mark on Instagram.
- The algorithm can be messy and not always cooperate with your vision. It means that it focuses on targeting a niche at a particular audience should they show any interest in it and often good content is lost as it seeps through the sieve.
YouTube: Pros and Cons
YouTube is great for those businesses that would flourish well with a long-form video format. With over 1.9 billion active users, YouTube has greater visibility and is a more generation-friendly option.
Pros:
- It is very easy to manage a YouTube channel. The uploading process is simple enough and even searching for a video is easy if you type the proper keywords in the search box.
- It has free hosting, courtesy of YouTube itself. Any small business owner would be happy with the low-cost investment required on YouTube as the last thing you would want to worry about is paying another site to host your content.
- It is easy to be discoverable on YouTube. If you link your website in the video or the description box, you will observe an increase in web traffic that can hugely help you get ahead in business.
- If your product requires any tutorials or is capable of being reviewed, you can reach out to other YouTube influencers and ask them to market your product. It will drive a substantial amount of traffic to your website, through fairly simple means.
- With the long-form videos, you can find more ways to be creative about your products, whether you include a sketch or video animation, getting the users more interested in your business.
Cons:
- YouTube has mastered the art of keeping its viewers engaged on YouTube, so sometimes even if you provide the links, the user may get distracted with “related videos” and be sucked into the YouTube black hole.
- Low ad revenue is a big con of YouTube, as a lot of time goes into preparing long-form videos which is, in turn, a victim to the pricing set by YouTube.
- There is a huge lack of customer support as YouTube has become very complacent due to its rise in the social world.
- There are many rules, so YouTube can decide whenever your content is approved or not and even take it down very quickly.
Conclusion:
While we have summarized the essential points you would need to know, the best choice for you depends upon the product you are offering and the type of audience you are targeting. If you are just starting, Instagram can give you a quicker response and drive-in customers. You can always opt to invest in YouTube marketing later on when you already have a fan base. However, if you think that the audience on YouTube would better appreciate and increase your business, it is good too.