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Instagram or Facebook: Why Not Advertise With Both?

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Are you looking to take your business to the next level with marketing, but not sure how? Are you contemplating between Instagram and Facebook? Why not choose both? In a single month, over 3 billion people have used a Facebook service (Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, or Messenger). Are you wondering how to tap into this market? In this article, we’ll explore the differences between these two social media platforms. Read on to discover why you should be incorporating both platforms into your marketing strategy. 

At a Glance: Benefits of Advertising on Instagram and Facebook

Instagram

  • Highest engagement rate of all social media platforms
  • Extremely popular among millennials

Facebook

  • Largest user base of all social media platforms
  • Lowest cost per click
  • More flexibility in ad types, content, and linking
  • Unlimited linking per post
  • Desktop integration
  • More types of ads
  • Share product pages

Instagram

If you’re looking for better engagement for your brand, Instagram is the clear winner. Instagram produces a higher engagement rate per post on Instagram. That means potentially more comments and likes on your posts than Facebook. 

For example, in the study by Newswhip, Victoria’s Secret had an average of 2,078 likes per post on Facebook. They had an average of 283,030 on Instagram. They found that Instagram is better able to get the user to take action while scrolling than on Facebook. 

Another study examined Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. They looked at 2.4M tweets on Twitter, 0.6M posts on Instagram, and 1.6M posts on Facebook. They found 1.44B engagement on Instagram, 130M engagement on Twitter, and 424M engagement on Facebook. 

Facebook

When you’re creating your social media marketing strategy, you might think to go with Instagram due to a higher engagement rate; however, Facebook has its pros as well. There are different factors that go into engagement, and depending on your brand, you could find a larger audience on Facebook. 

When comparing Facebook and Instagram, Facebook has a higher reach than Instagram. It also has a larger user base and age groups. If you’re not targeting a specific age group, then Facebook is for you. 

Facebook is also better for distributing information. On Instagram, you can only add one link to your bio. You can’t share links to your blogs through photo captions. On Facebook, you can share product pages and unlimited links to your blogs. If you’re looking to promote your blog, then Facebook is a better option. 

In 2019, Facebook had 2.45B average monthly users with a $7.26 average revenue per user. Make sure that when you’re creating your social media marketing plan, you factor in how many people are on mobile devices. Mobile ad revenue for Facebook is currently 94% of total ad sales. That’s an increase of 92% from the previous year! It’s imperative that the site you link to is mobile-friendly. 

Facebook did announce that they’re working to make sure people see more from their friends and family, and less from ads. Another insight to keep in mind is that 2/3 of Facebook users say they visit a local business page on Facebook at least once a week. 

Instagram Vs. Facebook

Whether someone logs in from their laptop or mobile device, Facebook tends to be the same. You can easily get to messenger from multiple devices and check activity. Facebook is great for optimization, whether it’s mobile, laptop, or desktop usage. 

Instagram doesn’t do as well when it comes to a desktop experience. There are certain limitations users experience when they’re logged in through a web browser. You can’t watch Instagram stories, edit current posts, or easily upload photos from a desktop. 

Instagram is largely for a mobile audience. The audience that you have on both mobile and desktop devices can be found on Facebook. Either way, ensure all of your content is mobile app-friendly, especially on Instagram. 

Facebook Ads Vs. Instagram Ads

On Facebook, there are numerous ads to choose from for your business. You can choose from:

  • Carousel Ads – Show up to 10 videos or images in 1 ad
  • Collection Ads – Video or cover image with product photos
  • Image Ads – Image and message
  • Video Ads – Video, recommend using subtitles
  • Slideshow Ads – Motion, sound, and text
  • Facebook Instant Experiences/Canvas Ads – These are mobile-optimized ads
  • Offer Ads – Offer promotions and discounts
  • Lead Generation Ads – Collect users’ information
  • Event Response Ads – Promote events
  • Page Likes – Increase your audience to your Facebook page
  • Boosted Posts/Post Engagement Ads – Share information about your business

Instagram doesn’t allow as many options when it comes to ads. Your options are:

  • Video Ads – Show your product with videos
  • Photo Ads – Show your product with images
  • Carousel Ads – 10 videos or images in one ad
  • Stories Ads – These are full-screen ads where you can share videos and photos

Don’t write Instagram off just yet, since stories ads do pretty well — in fact, Instagram stories are used by 500 million users every day. Also, on Instagram, 90% of accounts follow a business. You’ll also find that 1/3 of the most viewed Instagram stories are businesses. You can also see that 50% of businesses on Instagram will create at least one story per month. 

Facebook Vs. Instagram Cost

The average CPC (cost-per-click) when using Facebook ads is $1.86. The average CPM (cost-per-thousand-views) is $11.20. This can vary based on competition and ad quality. Businesses that have high competition will see higher CPCs as well as those who have poor-quality ads.

The difference in price has to do with user interest. Social media tends to be used more for leisure. If someone sees an ad for a cool t-shirt, that falls under fun, compared to an ad for a lawyer. Instagram ads are a bit less but comparable, and remember, have a better engagement as well. 

Comparing Instagram Vs. Facebook for Businesses

When you’re comparing Instagram and Facebook, don’t trust people who tell you to pick just one. When you combine them both into your social media marketing strategy, you can increase your results  — just make sure to correctly target your audience when creating ads. 

Are you ready to take your business to the next level and increase engagement? Contact us today for a free consultation so we can help you come up with a winning social media strategy. Learn how we can help you grow and protect your brand!

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