TikTok vs Snapchat: Differences, Pros and Cons

Nowadays businesses of all sizes are constantly searching for effective social media platforms to promote their products and services and build a thriving community. While Facebook and Instagram have been dominant players in the field, emerging platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are gaining momentum. 

This comprehensive comparison guide aims to highlight the differences between TikTok and Snapchat, providing valuable insights for influencers and marketers to choose the most suitable platform for their marketing needs. 

TikTok Fundamentals 

TikTok is a popular video-sharing app launched in 2017 by ByteDance. It has gained worldwide popularity, especially in the USA, with 1.5 billion downloads by the end of 2019. TikTok focuses on entertaining users through short, looping videos, showcasing talents like dance, lip-syncing, and participation in hashtag challenges.  

It appeals mostly to the Gen-Z audience, with a significant user base in the 13-16 age group. Businesses can advertise on TikTok through branded filters, takeovers, top-view ads, hashtag challenges, in-feed native video ads, and influencer partnerships. 

Snapchat Fundamentals 

Snapchat, launched in 2011, is a mobile messaging app that has transformed into a multimedia platform for sharing visual and textual content. Users can share photos, videos, and text messages, as well as explore Stories and other ephemeral content.  

Snapchat offers features like 3D environment interactions, object scanning, and try-on effects, allowing users and brands to showcase their creativity. It primarily caters to millennials, with 218 million active users. Brands can advertise on Snapchat through shoppable ads, branded filters, personalized targeting, AR lenses, and Snap Ads. 

TikTok vs. Snapchat: What Influencers Need to Know 

Core Features

When it comes to creating compelling visual content, both TikTok and Snapchat offer a range of tools and features. TikTok provides video capture, filter effects, a sound library, impressive editing tools, creation prompts, and a personalized "For You" page based on algorithmic recommendations. On the other hand, Snapchat includes similar tools along with additional options like text and video chat, AR Lenses, Story creation, Discover tab, image capture, and Snap Maps. 

Type of Users 

TikTok primarily attracts celebrities, renowned brands, and content creators who contribute to the platform's vibrant and engaging content. Snapchat, on the other hand, has a user base consisting mainly of publishers who share a variety of visual and textual content. 

Demographic 

TikTok has gained significant popularity among Gen-Z users, with a majority falling in the age group of 18-24. It has become a go-to platform for the younger generation to express themselves creatively. In contrast, Snapchat is predominantly used by millennials who engage with the platform's unique features and content offerings. 

Active Users 

TikTok boasts 41 million active users globally, while Snapchat enjoys a larger user base with 218 million daily active users. Both platforms have garnered substantial attention and user engagement. 

Downloads 

TikTok has witnessed remarkable growth with 738 million downloads worldwide in 2019 alone. This surge in popularity highlights the platform's increasing influence and global reach. On the other hand, Snapchat recorded 75 million downloads in the same year, showcasing its sustained relevance and user appeal. 

TikTok vs. Snapchat: What Marketers Should Know 

Content Marketing 

For businesses targeting the Gen-Z population and operating on a limited budget, TikTok offers an ideal platform. With the ability to optimize video content through hashtags and keywords, businesses can attract their target audience and foster a community. 

However, TikTok has restrictions on directing traffic to external websites, limiting its effectiveness as a traffic-driving tool. On the contrary, Snapchat is well-suited for brands looking to promote newly-launched products through short, bite-sized videos. Snapchat's robust content-sharing capabilities enable businesses to drive online traffic to their websites, resulting in higher conversions. 

Marketing Opportunities 

TikTok presents lucrative opportunities for small businesses, as the platform's relative novelty allows for experimentation and creative freedom. Brands can test the waters and gain valuable insights before expanding their presence to other social media networks. Snapchat, on the other hand, is an excellent platform for mid-sized and large-scale companies.  

With its diverse advertising alternatives, Snapchat enables businesses to reach a broader audience and tap into its considerable user base. Moreover, unlike TikTok, Snapchat allows all business users to share links to their created content on websites, providing an additional avenue for driving traffic and engagement. 

User Base & Behavior 

Snapchat boasts 210 million active daily users, while TikTok enjoys an impressive user base of 800 million monthly users. Snapchat attracts a more evenly distributed user base in terms of gender, making it ideal for targeting a broad audience. In contrast, TikTok has a larger male audience, which can be advantageous for brands focusing on male consumers or specific niche markets. 

Exploring alternative social media networks 

Choosing between TikTok and Snapchat ultimately depends on a business's specific goals and target audience. Snapchat offers stability, wider usage, and a potentially better return on investment (ROI), making it suitable for reaching a broad audience 

On the other hand, TikTok provides a platform for experimentation, creativity, and deeper insights into Gen-Z behavior before expanding efforts to target millennials. Small businesses with limited resources can take advantage of TikTok's emerging market presence to build a brand following.  

Understanding the differences between these platforms 

TikTok and Snapchat offer distinct features, user demographics, and marketing opportunities for influencers and marketers. Understanding the differences between these platforms is essential for businesses to make informed decisions and effectively promote their products and services in the evolving social media landscape.