Facebook and Instagram are among the best social media platforms for a business to boost engagement, garner leads, and improve click-through rates (CTR). These platforms are beneficial with, differences worth considering. If you’re confused about which mega platform is better for your business, continue reading. This blog covers and compares the social platforms based on the following;

• Advertisement performance

• Advertisement cost 

• Branding

• Audience interactions 

An Overview 

Instagram- 

On one hand, Instagram is a tool for businesses to showcase their creative sides, and connect with a younger audience. Launched in 2013, it is a social media platform that engages its users in social networking. Owned by Meta Platforms, Instagram allows users a fun, entertaining, and educational experience where users have access to both a public and private account. Instagram's USP is short-form videos, and posts with location tagging that users can share amongst each other. Moreover, the platform has many filters for users to use at their discretion. 

Facebook- 

On the other hand, Facebook, owned by Meta, is an exceptional platform for a business to build a community, and grow a business. 2004, the year the internet exploded with likes, shares and hashtags, Facebook eventually grew from a social media platform to a marketing giant. Users can create, and switch between personal, and business profiles. Moreover, users can join/create communities, and connect directly via Messenger. 

The Comparison

1.  Advertisement Performance

Instagram 

Instagram ads perform well for the objective of sales owing to its younger audience- The Millennials, and Gen Z. If you are a trendy business, Instagram is the right place for you as it encourages people to share adverts among people and visit the advertiser’s website. Thus, increasing the business's CTR, and platform visibility. Additionally, the most popular adverts are native and video ads although, one must be cautious of native ads. Most users confuse native ads with normal posts and do not like being misled.

Facebook 

Facebook is a platform known for its success with advertisement conversations owing to its focus on building a community. If your business is looking to create leads and reach a wider audience, Facebook is the platform for you. Facebook caters to a wider demographic allowing your business to attract target audiences. Moreover, Facebook ads have clear impression, reach, and engagement objectives with compelling CTA’s. Landing pages and carousels are among the popular ad formats used.

2. Advertisement Cost 

Both Instagram and Facebook have two pricing models for ads- CPC (Cost Per Click) and CPM (Cost Per 1000 Impressions). Running campaigns on both allows users to define ad budgets which are either daily or lifetime budgets. 

Instagram 

On an average advertisers spend between $1 to $2 for CPC. For saturated industries like the Fashion Industry, advertisement is pricey- up to $5 per click. 

Facebook 

Ad campaigns range from $5-$500. Facebook is a widely used platform for advertisements where businesses invest in ads that go up to $3000 a month. Adverts are costly on Facebook but they are effective. 

3. Branding

Instagram 

Home to 1 billion active users, Instagram is best suited for businesses with youthful brands. Instagram connects the easily influenced younger generations with disposable incomes who are consumers throughout. Moreover, influencer marketing is a helpful strategy for businesses developing a brand on Instagram- Going Viral is crucial. 

Facebook 

Facebook works best for businesses with a mature audience that appreciates professional interactions. Moreover, Facebook is all about community building and is best suited for businesses to build long-term consumer relationships. 

4. Audience Interactions 

Instagram 

Instagram works best for businesses with a B2C model. Platforms like Instagram prioritize visual marketing and engagement with fun content like reels, memes, and other infographics. Fashion and Lifestyle brands perform well on Instagram.

Facebook 

Facebook works well for both B2C and B2B. According to Hubspot, there are 2.38 billion active Facebook users, 74% of whom use the platform for professional purposes. Businesses have access to a diverse audience. 

Conclusion

In my opinion, while both platforms have a good ROI, businesses must think about their goals as a brand. Furthermore, if a business wants more leads, Facebook is suitable but, if a business desires popularity in the eyes of a consumer, Instagram is the way to go.