Reels vs Tikok

Throughout the years, many marketing giants have used the spirit of friendly competition as a tool to boost their sales. Think Coke vs Pepsi, Apple vs Samsung, Taylor vs Katy— everyone loves to hate the opposite team! In today’s ever-modernizing world, it’s no surprise that the next biggest rivalry would be technology-based: Reels vs TikTok. You might ask, what’s Reels? And what’s TikTok? Many would argue that they’re just two faces of the same coin. But luckily for you, in today’s post and in my newest course, Reels For Beginners, I’m here to help answer that question and highlight what sets them apart. TikTok TikTok, the app owned by ByteDance, is a force that has taken the world by storm. What once started as an app for teens to post quirky dances and lip-synching challenges is now a powerful tool for spreading information, and more importantly: marketing. TikTok’s interface is fairly straightforward, although the inner workings of its algorithm are still a mystery to be solved. However, earlier this summer, President Trump announced his plan to ban the app, causing a flurry of panic across TikTok. While many began to worry about what this meant for their following, some saw this as a business opportunity— and in came Reels. Reels A newcomer in the ring, Reels is a feature released by Instagram in an attempt to monopolize the TikTok crisis. Instagram itself has been a social media powerhouse for a decade now. However, its features were quite basic until the platform began adding components that were suspiciously similar to its competitors. In August 2016, Instagram released Stories, which had the exact name and format as Snapchat’s. Two years later, IGTV was unveiled— which conveniently followed the same model as Facebook’s Facebook Live feature from 2016. Given this pattern, it was merely just a matter of time before another one of Instagram’s features was “inspired” by another app. Still, both Reels and TikTok are impressive interfaces in their own right. Let’s get into the breakdown of each of their components.

Time is of the Essence

Videos on Reels are limited to 15 seconds, while TikTok offers a 15 second or 60 second option. At a first glance, you might decide that the longer time limit outweighs the shorter one. But in this case, less is more. The average adult attention span has been estimated to be between 8-12 seconds, so sticking with the 15 second option might be in your best interest. Of course, a minute-long video is a great way to get into more detailed topics, but just be sure to keep your audience engaged.

The World Wide Web

Reels has been available for users in France, Brazil, and Germany, while the US, the UK, Japan, and Mexico have only recently been given access in August. TikTok, while more popular than Reels, has been banned in India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, and even the US Military. This has been largely due to privacy concerns surrounding the app. Restrictions on certain countries should have little effect on smaller local businesses within the US, but if you are planning to go global with your brand influence, it is definitely important to take these bans into consideration.

Why Not Both?

While some users have voiced their complaints about issues with Reels (given its relative newness), many influencers were quick to realize the importance of not putting all their eggs in one basket. Most were willing to put up with minor glitches within Reels after realizing how Reels could help drive traffic to other platforms, like YouTube or Twitter. After all, many social media stars who rose to fame using Vine would not be relevant today had they not expanded their horizons. So what do you think? While it’s easy to fall into the trap of the “one or the other” mindset, as an entrepreneur, I see this rivalry as an opportunity to dominate two internet platforms. As an extra bonus, I’m offering a limited time discount on my Reels For Beginners course to help guide you along the way. It’s important that you give both apps a chance before forming a final opinion, but remember— the more the merrier!

Reels vs Tikok