Short videos are quickly becoming an effective tool to market your business, particularly if you are targeting the Generation Z or Millennial demographics 😉
With “as seen on TikTok” becoming the new “as seen on TV”, the benefits of this new form of marketing are becoming clear.
TikTok, however, is no longer the only platform for bitesize videos.
Instagram has launched Reels for a while now, its own take on the format. With Instagram itself already being a well-established platform used by businesses across the world, it is looking like a viable competitor for TikTok: but which platform is better to market your business through?
TikTok vs Reels
The most immediate difference between TikTok and Reels is video length.
Both limit users to very short videos, but while TikTok allows users to record videos up to 60 seconds long (and longer videos recorded outside the app can be uploaded), Reels limits users to videos of 30 seconds.
TikTok includes a wide variety of filters and effects to jazz up your videos, while Reels is limited to the filters already used on Instagram Stories and has fewer effects.
Filters and effects are also not separated on Reels, as they are on TikTok, meaning you are only able to choose one per video.
TikTok also offers more in-depth analytics and insights, allowing you to measure in detail how your video is performing. Reels has the benefit of Instagram’s native analytics, but does not provide anything extra.
However, while in-app analytics are useful, software like our own CPV Lab Pro can be used to supplement analytics if they are found lacking – CPV Lab Pro comes with a powerful set of analytics tools designed to give businesses unmatched insight into the patterns and behaviours of potential leads and customers.
And, this is an inside tip ;), the new Version 9 comes with TikTok API integration, which means you can use server-to-server tracking for your TikTok campaigns using their API.
Paid advertising is an invaluable resource for businesses on social media: TikTok offers both advertisements and sponsored content, and personalizes its advertisements to specific user feeds. This personalization means that users are shown ads which TikTok’s algorithm deems more relevant to their interests, making targeted marketing easier.
Reels, however, recently introduced advertisements to the platform. Like TikTok, these ads are delivered to users they are most likely to be relevant to.
Summary
| TikTok | Reels | |
| Video Length | up to 60 sec | 30 sec |
| Video Effects and filters | variety of filters | limited filters already used on Instagram |
| Separated filters and effects | separated | not separated (one per video) |
| Analytics | yes | yes |
| Paid advertisements | yes | yes |
Having launched in the second half of 2020, Reels is still a comparatively new platform, and Instagram promises more is to come.
However, while businesses should keep an eye on Reels – and could make the most of it if they already have a presence on Instagram – TikTok’s larger array of features makes it the current winner for short video marketing.
Ok, but how about using TikTok in affiliate marketing?
Read this article and find out how you can take advantage of TikTok in your affiliate marketing campaigns.