In a surprising turn of events, Instagram has emerged victorious in the battle for new app downloads, overtaking its rival TikTok last year. The Meta-owned platform’s strategic push into short-form video content has proven to be a game-changer, with Instagram’s total app downloads growing by an impressive 20 per cent to reach 768 million, making it the most downloaded app globally. On the other hand, downloads of TikTok, owned by ByteDance, saw a modest increase of just 4 per cent, reaching 733 million over the same period.
The data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower indicates that Meta’s IG is effectively targeting new users, a key focus for CEO Mark Zuckerberg who views the growth of TikTok as a significant threat to his social media empire. In response, IG introduced the “reels” feature in 2020, allowing users to share short video clips, a move inspired by TikTok’s success in engaging Gen Z consumers with viral video content. Abraham Yousef, senior insights manager at Sensor Tower, noted that Instagram’s adoption has outpaced TikTok’s in recent years, driven by the popularity of its reels feature alongside traditional social media functions.
While Instagram has been successful in attracting new users, TikTok’s explosive growth seems to be slowing down for the first time since its launch in 2016
While IG has been successful in attracting new users, TikTok’s explosive growth seems to be slowing down for the first time since its launch in 2016. Instagram now boasts 1.47 billion monthly active users, with a 13 million increase in the final quarter of 2023, compared to TikTok’s 1.12 billion active users, witnessing a decline of 12 million in the same period. However, TikTok continues to excel in user engagement, with users spending an average of 95 minutes on the platform, compared to 62 minutes on Instagram.
Analysts point out that IG has managed to retain existing users by integrating short-form videos into its platform, providing influencers with a lucrative space to monetize their content. While TikTok initially gained popularity for its algorithm-driven content recommendations, Meta has invested heavily in AI to enhance its recommendation system. Additionally, Instagram has benefitted from ByteDance’s policy of allowing users to share TikTok-watermarked videos on other platforms, boosting its visibility.
Despite Instagram’s recent success in app downloads, ByteDance’s TikTok has seen growth in ecommerce through TikTok Shop, generating significant revenues through in-app purchases. The competition between the two platforms continues to intensify as they vie for user attention and engagement in the ever-evolving social media landscape.
