Instagram, a visual-centric social media platform, quickly gained popularity with its user-friendly, minimalist interface since its launch in 2010.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has identified TikTok as a significant threat in recent years. In 2022, he stated that the user attraction of rival apps like TikTok was “growing very quickly.”
The rapid rise of TikTok has certainly caught the attention of Meta’s leader, Mark Zuckerberg. Photo: AP
However, in 2020, Instagram “copied” and introduced Reels, a short-form video feature that scrolls similarly to TikTok. This was seen as Meta’s strong response to the “attack” from ByteDance’s rival. According to the latest figures from 2023, Instagram saw a global download of 767 million, a 20% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, TikTok had 733 million mobile downloads, a 4% increase.
According to Mark Shmulik, an analyst at Bernstein, Instagram successfully retained its existing users by embracing short-form videos.
The introduction of Reels saved Instagram from falling behind TikTok, which consistently ranks among the top “most downloaded apps worldwide.”
This could be attributed to Instagram’s vast existing user base and the integration of Reels directly into the Instagram app, eliminating the need for a separate download like TikTok.
According to The Guardian, Instagram surpassed TikTok to become the most downloaded app worldwide after emulating its rival and launching Reels. This move helped the app regain its position lost to the Chinese competitor.
TikTok still boasts a higher number of active users, with an average daily usage of 95 minutes.
As per 2023 data from Sensor Tower, Instagram has nearly 1.5 billion monthly active users, while TikTok has just over 1.1 billion. However, TikTok has more engaged users, spending an average of 95 minutes on the app daily compared to 62 minutes on Instagram, as of Q4 2023 data.
Although Instagram outperformed TikTok in some aspects, both platforms continue to fiercely compete in the online short-form video space. The success of each platform relies on various factors, including features, interactivity, and user attraction.
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