Yesterday, Instagram (owned by Facebook) updated their app to include the ability to share 10-second videos and pictures that only last for 24 hours before disappearing. Called Instagram Stories, they're an almost exact replica of Snapchat stories. You can add emojis, text, and limit who is able to see each story that you share. Instagram rolled this out because they have been losing lots of users to Snapchat in the last few years. (They actually tried to buy Snapchat last year for 3 billion dollars, but Snapchat rejected the deal.) The format of Snapchat (non-permanent photos and videos) is incredibly popular with teens and young adults, which advertisers are looking to attract. To Instagram, the loss of users = the loss of $$$.
The question everyone's asking
So is Instagram the new Snapchat now? While Snapchat has fun filters, Instagram gives you the ability to share both your beautifully curated Instagram photos and your fun, off-the-cuff stories in one place. Instagram photos are in your feed, while Instagram stories are only visible when clicking on your Instagram profile picture. (See photo above.) And with 5x the amount of users that Snapchat has, Instagram gives you the ability to get more eyes on your stories.
The future of Snapchat
Only time will tell if Snapchat users are loyal enough to Snapchat to stick with the brand. Personally, while I love Snapchat, I would be ecstatic if Instagram became the default for photo and story sharing. I use Instagram much more than Snapchat, find the user interface much easier to manage, and would love to be able to streamline my social shares. At 25, I feel old on Snapchat. Also, Instagram has better built-in analytics and I have a much larger following there than I do on Snapchat. In one evening of using Instagram Stories I received more messages from followers responding back to my story posts than I do in a week of using Snapchat.
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Questions of the Day: Do you use Instagram and Snapchat? Which platform do you prefer? Do you see yourself continuing to use both in the future or migrating completely over to Instagram?
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