TikTok vs. Instagram: Where Do Gen Zers Want to Watch Long Videos?

Written By Debra Aho Williamson

January 16, 2024—Gen Zers prefer TikTok over Instagram for long videos. No, that's not a typo. I do mean LONG videos, not short ones.

The final research project I worked on at Insider Intelligence/eMarketer was a groundbreaking study of US Gen Z social media users. We didn't just ask them which apps they used and what activities they liked to do in social media. We asked them: "Which apps do you consider your go-to for social activities?"

I published the first overview report in September. And now, the next set of findings is out.

The latest report is a deep dive into how Instagram and TikTok compare for key Gen Z social activities.

The biggest surprise?

Gen Zers are way more likely to have used TikTok to watch long videos in the past month than Instagram.

What does this mean?

In its quest to out-TikTok TikTok, Instagram may have missed its chance to keep users entertained longer (and close the time-spent gap) by allowing users to upload long videos. Now that the short-video pendulum is starting to shift back (somewhat) to longer videos, Instagram will once again be stuck trying to outmaneuver TikTok.

Here are two more of my takeaways from this chart:

1️⃣ Instagram Stories are still a powerful draw for Gen Z.

Once upon a time, I predicted that Stories' usefulness was fading and that Instagram might do away with them. I'm not afraid to admit I was DEAD WRONG about that. Nearly 8 in 10 US Gen Z social users used Instagram stories in the past month.

Marketers need to keep Stories in their organic social plans if they want to reach Gen Zers. And Stories ads are still a powerful format.

2️⃣ Instagram Reels is catching up to TikTok.

There's only a 10-point difference in the percentage of US Gen Z social users who watched short videos on TikTok vs. on Instagram in the past month. This lines up with anecdotal evidence from the Gen Zers in my life, and it also lines up with public statements by Zuck and crew on Meta's past few earnings calls.

By now, marketers targeting Gen Zers need to have a fully formed Reels strategy. Don't put all your short-video eggs in the TikTok basket.

Debra Aho Williamson

Debra Aho Williamson is a dynamic analyst and market influencer known for her ability to spot shifts in consumer behavior that create tectonic changes in marketing strategies. As founder and chief analyst at Sonata Insights, Debra provides research and advisory services to businesses that want to break new ground and lead industry conversations about the transformative impact of AI on marketing and consumer behavior.

https://www.sonatainsights.com/
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