TikTok vs. Instagram: Which Platform Wins for Your Brand?

In this episode of Untamed Social, we dive into the ultimate social media showdown: TikTok vs. Instagram. With both platforms constantly evolving and introducing new features, how do brands decide where to focus their time and energy?

Joining us for her podcast debut is Tara Kay, one of our newest team members, as we debate the strengths and weaknesses of these two powerhouse platforms. From Instagram’s multifaceted features like Stories, Reels, and carousels to TikTok’s unparalleled reach and ease of going viral, we break down what makes each platform unique—and which one is best for your brand.

What we cover in this episode:

• Tara Kay’s love for Instagram and why she believes it encourages authenticity.
• Laney’s preference for TikTok, from its viral potential to its usefulness as a learning tool.
• How generational preferences shape platform usage and why these stereotypes don’t always hold up (spoiler: even Laney’s grandmother is obsessed with TikTok!).
• Instagram’s latest updates, including 3-minute Reels and the new rectangle feed layout—are they game-changers or too little, too late?
• Why brands need to tailor their content to fit the platform and focus their energy where it matters most.

Whether you’re an Instagram loyalist or a TikTok convert, this episode offers actionable insights into how to choose the right platform for your brand. We also share advice on how to test platforms, avoid burnout, and align your social strategy with your audience’s preferences.

Get ready for an honest, insightful, and fun debate about the ever-changing social media landscape. Tune in and decide for yourself: TikTok or Instagram—who gets your vote?

Transcript

Laney Goff: Welcome back to the Untamed Social Podcast, uh, and welcome to our guest today, Tara Kay, her first time on the podcast. How excited are you?

Tara Kay Otey: Hi guys, so very excited about this.

Laney Goff: So Tara Kay is, I'm trying to think, maybe not our newest social media manager, but you're new ish to the team. How, what's been, like four months?

Tara Kay Otey: It's been like five, maybe almost six.

Laney Goff: Okay, I was close, I was close.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah, right? Time flying.

Laney Goff: We're really excited because today we're talking about something, uh, actually there's a lot to talk about. There's been so much going on with social media the past couple of weeks with the TikTok ban and now Instagram's coming out with all of these new features, uh, at a time that they feel like is an advantage for them, obviously. Um, but we're going to talk about our preferred platforms, what social media we like to be on to consume content, create content, all of that. And the reason why I think this is important for brands is because a lot of times brands just think, oh, I need to be everywhere. But the truth of the matter is, is that you got to go where your audience is. And you have to understand why your audience likes that platform. And also if you enjoy consuming content on that platform. So, TK, if you had to choose, what would be your number one social media platform?

Tara Kay Otey: Instagram. I feel like I feel like i'm a little bit in the minority here. I feel like everyone's kind of like hopped on TikTok since, since it came out really. But um, I've always been an Instagram girl. Like, I feel like I'm probably a little bit more old school and old, old fashioned a little bit. So, like, I still like Facebook. I'm one of, like, the few. But.

Laney Goff: The few.

Tara Kay Otey: The few, I mean like all of us still have it, but like I like it still.

Laney Goff: I mean, you're right, I do have it, but like, I try my best not to go on there.

Tara Kay Otey: I know. I, um, it's funny. I took a really long time to get onto TikTok because, um, I was kind of like, no, I already have everything that I need here in Instagram. Like you have the for you page, which is basically the same thing as TikTok. And you have like, I mean, it feels like TikTok. I know there's some things that are annoying about it, like the fact that it's not consistent across the board, like when new features come out. It's, it's not the easiest to work with, but I think that as far as like time efficiency and user retention, like, Instagram wins out because TikTok, you know, it has short, addictive content, which is great if that's what you're looking for, but it can also lead to unproductive time on the app. So, um, because Instagram has like a variety of formats, like there's stories, reels, static posts, the for you page, everything. Um, it has more intentional engagement and I also think it encourages authenticity more than TikTok.

Laney Goff: What?

Tara Kay Otey: I know. Hot take!

Laney Goff: That's, that's a different perspective.

Tara Kay Otey: I know, I know. Well, okay, so hear me out. Like, with TikTok, it's all about virality like, and trends and everyone's, you know, you've got like the reactions on there, you've got all sorts of videos that are like authentic because they're raw and they're just like filming people doing their thing in the daily life, whatever. Um, but I think it's a lot more focused on trends and going viral than it is on actually being authentic to yourself. So.

Laney Goff: I mean, you're not wrong. You're not wrong. I wouldn't say I 100 percent agree, but there's definitely a difference with TikTok and Instagram, which, I mean, if you can't already tell, I'm a TikTok girl. Um, and I used to be that Instagram girl. Like, I was ride or die. And I changed, which we'll talk about later, but I think that TikTok is, it's a lot easier to go viral over there. It's a lot easier to get reach on TikTok. Instagram is the place like if you're a brand where you're gonna use it for conversions more than TikTok I definitely agree with that. But I think that TikTok has changed a lot especially over the past year with not just I mean I think it has this perception of it being trendy and like everything's a trend which there is that side of TikTok. But that's the side of TikTok that I'm on. I actually use TikTok a lot for like news and like pop culture updates and things like that. But I also do it for like how to's. I use it like in place of YouTube. So if there's something that I want to learn I'll go to TikTok and search for videos there other I mean, depending on what it is. Most of the time I'm going to YouTube depending on what it is. But a lot of times like I really like to play Animal Crossing, don't judge me. Okay! I get on my Nintendo Switch.

Tara Kay Otey: I love that.

Laney Goff: And it's like my mom time, and then I look at TikTok for like, how do people build certain things? And it helps me. So for me, I'm like, that's productive.
Tara Kay Otey: Right? No, I think TikTok definitely has a place. And like I'm not saying that like just because I love Instagram and I think that it is superior means, just kidding, sort of, but like I do think that they both serve different purposes. So as like a brand, it's definitely worth being on both, depending on the type of content that you have and depending on your brand itself. I mean, it may be that like TikTok just doesn't work for somebody or the Instagram just doesn't work for someone. But I think those are usually the two that like, they may not be, like, you may not have as much of a following on one or the other, but those are the two that you probably should have.

Laney Goff: Yeah, yeah, I do agree with that. I do agree with that. So. So you mentioned about how Instagram does have like a lot of features, which is so true, which is a huge turnoff for me personally, as a creator. If I'm going on into a platform and I'm having to post content, I just feel like Instagram is so much work in order to number one, get reach, which I already said, I think TikTok, it's so much easier to get reach, but they've simplified it. Whereas Instagram, I feel like keeps making things more difficult. Like, they want you to do everything. They want you to do stories. They want you to do lives, carousels, reels. Like, it's exhausting, in my opinion.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah. I mean, I, I definitely think that there's a lot more, because there are so many more options, it requires more work because of that, but, um, but I also think that you can, like, out of all of those different features, figure out what's, what works best for your audience. So, I feel like it just kind of depends if you're okay with just going for one type of content using TikTok, then there's that option. But what if your users, like the people who are really going to use your brand, who are really going to come to you, are the ones who check out their stories every single day? You know, I think that there's, there's more work that goes into it, but could potentially pay
off more than TikTok could. Just cause like, I mean, you could, you could be on TikTok and have a video go viral once, and no one knows your account still, you know?

Laney Goff: That is very true. That is so true.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah, like, I, yeah.

Laney Goff: I think, well, I think that a lot of brands, they, they look for that virality, but that's with any platform. Um, and there's that huge misconception that like, all I need is for one video to blow up and then my brand will be so successful. So all the products or all my services and that's just not the case on any platform. Um, but I think, and it's funny because when I look back and when I was that Instagram girl, like before I started working with Strella, that's how I got my start was Instagram. And because I saw success over there, then TikTok came about and I, everybody else was like, this is just for dancing. Like, nobody saw potential that you could have to run a business on it. And I was like, well, I'm not gonna count it out. So I tried it and it worked. And so then I saw how much easier it was to create content over there and I had to work really hard to convince people from Instagram to come over to TikTok to follow me over there because I just preferred to be on that platform. So there for a while I was, you know, managing both and then I started to see Instagram is just taking so much energy out of me. I can't do it anymore.

Tara Kay Otey: No, that's definitely fair, especially from creator's point of view. It is, it is hard to keep up with Instagram. But for a consumer's point of view, well, I don't know, I could see it going both ways. I, I just like, I think that you also just have more ability for storytelling because you have all of the different features. So you have like the nuances there.

Laney Goff: Like different options of like how to actually like some people. I think about, like, Rachel. Rachel prefers to, like, read blogs. I hate reading. I'd rather listen to a podcast. Do you know what I mean? So, like, you have some people who might prefer to read through an entire carousel and some who might prefer to watch a video of you just, like, giving the information. So, I, I will give that to Instagram, that they're, they appeal to both sides of it. But I do have a question. So this past week, Instagram came out and said that they're going to increase reels to up to three minutes. What are your thoughts on that? Would you, as an Instagram user, would you watch a three minute reel?

Tara Kay Otey: I-- I think depending on what kind of information I’m looking for, yes. Cause with some things, like, I mean, I look up a lot about cooking. I don't cook a lot, but I like to watch cooking videos and pretend like one day I will start cooking.

Laney Goff: Like you got a homestead and you're doing your thing. I got you.

Tara Kay Otey: Right. Right. So like cooking videos, I like, I love watching them, but I'm always like, oh my gosh, I got to pause it. Hold on. They're going way too fast. And I think that that would be one thing where like, if you have a cooking Instagram, whatever, then that's great. Cause then you can go into more depth on things. Um, and talk about like, I don't know why bread rises when you add this, you know, things like that. Three minutes still isn't like a ton of time to do that. Um, but I, it's, I mean, I know that like long form content in general is becoming a lot more popular. So I still kind of have some mixed feelings about it because generally if I'm watching videos and it's too long, I'm like, just scroll to the next one. But I'm starting to like see more of a of the need for long form so I feel like it's just kind of a transition that I'm going to go through over the next few weeks and months with that.

Laney Goff: Well, I think you're right too because I remember when TikTok did that. And at first I didn't really think anything of it like when they first said okay three minutes I was like, oh, whatever it's three minutes but then
when they kept increasing it and it was like 10 minutes and then it's 30 minutes like you, you're like keeps going up and you're thinking like I'll never watch a 10 minute long TikTok video. That's crazy and now I find myself sitting for 10 minutes watching an entire video on TikTok.

Tara Kay Otey: Right, right.

Laney Goff: I just feel, but I do feel like, you know like, Instagram should have done this so long ago. What I, I don't know what took them so long to get here. I mean everybody else that does short form video content has met the goal of three minutes or more and it's like Instagram, where have you been? Like you should have done this so, so much earlier.

Tara Kay Otey: I know there's some things like also with how over this last week, how they changed everything from the squares, um, in the profile feed grid view to rectangles. I'm also like, why did it take so long? Because I don't think anyone really likes looking at, like, I think it looks so much better with the rectangles now than with squares. It's much more aesthetically pleasing. Like, that's what Instagram is all about.

Laney Goff: You know what though? That's actually opposite of what I've heard from a lot of instagram users is that they prefer the square grid. That they're like, the traditional Instagram. Why would we go to rectangle?

Tara Kay Otey: I'm just apparently all about these hot takes right now, so.
Laney Goff: You really are, you're blowing my mind today.

Tara Kay Otey: I know. I mean, I could see, like, if you've curated your feed, like, to look an exact way, and then now that they've switched it.

Laney Goff: Exhausting. Another thing that Instagram has done to cause you to do more work.

Tara Kay Otey: But be loyal!

Laney Goff: You do have that going you, TK. So, so, um, okay, so I mean you don't have to say how old you are, but I'll just say how old I am. I'm 36 and so.
Tara Kay Otey: Yeah, I'm 30. We'll just go ahead and tell everyone.
Laney Goff: So I know that like, you know, we're not exactly like super close in age, but probably out of everybody on the team, like you and I are the closest in age. It's we've either got Gen Zers or we've got people in their forties. And so I, for us, I feel like, okay, like this is a really good match. Because a lot of times people think, well, it's generational. So typically it's, um, older Millennials and, um, Gen X. Is that the? Yeah, Gen X. That's on Instagram it's Gen Z and younger Millennials on TikTok. And we're so different.

Tara Kay Otey: We're reversed. I mean, we're both millennials, but like.

Laney Goff: Right, right. Yeah. So I find that interesting, but also important for brands to know, because I do think there are a lot of misconceptions. Like my grandmother, she's 75. I hope doesn't watch this because she's gonna be like I ain't 75 but my grandmother is religiously on TikTok. She buys stuff from TikTok shop all the time. She loves TikTok so much and so I just feel like there is that still that misconception with TikTok that it is just young people shaking it on TikTok.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah, yeah.

Laney Goff: And that's really not the case anymore. I feel like.

Tara Kay Otey: Mm hmm. Yeah, I think, um, I think it used to be that it was more divided, but as time has gone on, and as like, Gen Zers are now getting older, and I don't even know what came after them. I know there's something like, it's um.

Laney Goff: Oh, alpha, alpha after Gen Z? Alpha.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah, uh, yeah, right, right. And I'm like, I don't even know what they're gonna be doing soon. But I kinda feel like it's all just like this generational mess now. That I don't, I don't think that there's, I mean, there definitely still is like, it's skewed more toward, TikTok is a little bit of a younger audience, I think usually, but like obviously your grandma's proving me wrong. So.

Laney Goff: Go get it grandma.

Tara Kay Otey: Right like I want to meet your grandma.

Laney Goff: She's something else. But I think like overall, like the point of this discussion again, just being that obviously as social media experts and, and to help brands succeed on social media, we're never going to say choose one over the other. I mean, that would be crazy of us but I do think--
Tara Kay Otey: You're right, I agree I agree.

Laney Goff: I do think though that it is important to decide okay, which one are you going to invest more energy into because if you look at Instagram and you look at TikTok, let's say that you're making video content, the video content that you make, it needs to work with that platform. So talking head videos do really well on TikTok. They don't do as well on Instagram. And so for me, I think, okay, well, if I'm trying to save time, but still be active and present on both platforms, I have to decide which one I'm going to put my energy into, is it going to be a talking head video that's going to perform well on TikTok that I just repurpose over onto Instagram or the opposite. So I think that brands really need to understand if you're limited on time, which is the number one thing that people come to us for is because they're like, I don't have time. I can't stay consistent. Then you really have to understand which one you prefer and what your target audience prefers because—

Tara Kay Otey: 100%.

Laney Goff: TK doesn't like to, you know, buy products off of TikTok.

Tara Kay Otey: I know, right? I'm like, um, no, that's a, that is so important because it would, it's really easy. I think to get burned out making social media content and just like going all in on both would be exhausting. Like you would not have time to run your business if you are only focusing on creating content. And I think like, I mean, we've had some clients that like they have asked us to be on a certain platform, or to manage their account on a certain platform that just doesn't do as well. And it's just not worth keeping it on that platform. Um, so…
Laney Goff: X.

Tara Kay Otey: Yes, X especially, right?

Laney Goff: We’re just hating on all of them today.

Tara Kay Otey: I know, poor X. I mean, kind of, but I don't know that I feel that bad for them, but, um, but it is super important. I think like part of it is kind of trial and error, figuring out like what's doing better, what gains more traction. But obviously like, it takes a few months to figure that kind of information out. And at the same time, I think it's something to like really deep, dive deep into what your brand is, because some brands I think just may not fit very well. Like their content, whatever they, anything they can come up with to post may not fit on one platform or the other. Um, Like if you only have like super polished stuff that is meant for TV and you don't want to put that on social media. Like there's just so many kinds of things like that happening which, you know, we've seen that before.

Laney Goff: Yes. Yes, we have. Yes, we have. But yeah. And I think also like I was doing an interview today about like the TikTok ban and how brands can prepare and all of that. And he had asked me, you know, um, are there any platforms that like brands should really keep their eye on? And maybe consider like posting more to or if they're not posting at all. And I was like, to be honest, like the number one thing that you can do is to consume content on every platform to see what you like, because whatever you like, it's likely that your target audience is also going to like to consume that type of content. There's, there's definitely a relationship there between the two, that correlation. So I feel like if you're somebody who prefers to consume content on Instagram. You likely will prefer to create content on Instagram rather TikTok or X or Bluesky, whatever you want to pick. We're not even putting Facebook in the mix.

Tara Kay Otey: Yeah. I'm not taking it personally.

Laney Goff: Well, I will say I do forgive you for being an Instagram fan. We can still be friends.

Tara Kay Otey: Thank you I appreciate it. I mean there's so much good there. And it's so pretty. I just love the aesthetic. I love everything about Instagram.

Laney Goff: I do love a good grid, you know what I mean? Like looking at a grid and it's really pretty. I'll give you that. I like that a lot.

Tara Kay Otey: There is something grounding. Like I know this sounds weird, but there is something grounding about having like that home page like a home profile and a home news feed I mean, I know TikTok has that too, but it's just it's just not the same. So…

Laney Goff: I'm just gonna start texting you Tiktok's from now on to force you to start to like it.

Tara Kay Otey: Hate that no, it's fine. TikTok's are fine. Okay.

Laney Goff: Just kidding. Anyways, I hope that, uh, number one, I hope that you had a good time on your first episode, TK.

Tara Kay Otey: I did. Yeah, this was great. We should, we should talk, uh, we should debate more often.

Laney Goff: We should. I don't know if they'll have us back together. They're like--

Tara Kay Otey: They might not.

Laney Goff: Don't pair Laney and TK together.

Tara Kay Otey: Like, never mind. We don't want to watch that.

Laney Goff: But I also hope that this was helpful at least for somebody to understand like where their time and energy should be put and, and what those differences are in the platforms that, that audiences like to consume. But otherwise, that's it. That's all we have for today. It was a pleasure.

Tara Kay Otey: It was indeed.

Laney Goff: All right. See you guys later.

Tara Kay Otey: Bye.

Laney Goff: Bye.