
TikTok is having a second. Whether or not you employ the app already or have noticed TikToks shooting up on different social platforms, it’s transparent that TikTok isn’t simply any other fleeting pattern. It’s right here to stick.
But it’s simple to peer how any individual now not conversant in TikTok (ahem, your boss) would possibly brush aside it as a Snapchat reboot. Worse, they may think content material from Snapchat will also be repurposed on TikTok.
The 2 platforms percentage an identical options (and sure, an identical audiences) however their price choices are solely other. TikTok is a video sharing app for brief clips set to tune whilst Snapchat is a photograph and video messaging app targeted on ‘Tales’ and different short-lived codecs. Each and every platform gives distinctive tactics to connect to audiences if used the proper manner by means of the proper form of emblem.
Should you’re now not certain the place your emblem suits in – or if it even suits in in any respect – you’re in the proper position. Underneath is an easy information that highlights key variations between TikTok and Snapchat along side very important issues for manufacturers having a look at both app as a possible advertising channel.
At a look…

Introduced: 2011
Core options: Video and picture seize, Tale introduction, textual content and video chat, digital camera filters, light-weight modifying equipment, AR ‘Lenses’, Uncover tab, (Snapchat-native content material protecting consumer pursuits and subscriptions), Snap Maps
U.S. demographic: Essentially Millenials, with 78% of web customers elderly 18-24 at the platform. More or less 61% of Snapchat customers are feminine and 38% are male*
Who customers apply: Buddies, celebrities, publishers
Day by day lively customers: 218 million globally*
Overall downloads: 75 million globally* in 2019
Earnings: $561 million in 2019*
Some manufacturers the usage of Snapchat: Taco Bell, Paramount Footage, Warner Bros., Burberry, Goal, MTV

Introduced: 2017 in China, 2018 the world over
Core options: Video seize, robust modifying equipment, clear out results, introduction activates (reactions, hashtag demanding situations), sound library, ‘For You’ web page (TikTok’s algorithm-based discovery feed)
U.S. demographic: Essentially Gen Z. 41% of customers are between ages 18-24* and 27% between 13-17. Roughly 60% of TikTok customers are feminine; 40% are male.
Who customers apply: Content material creators, celebrities, manufacturers
Day by day lively customers: 41 million gobally*
Overall downloads: 738 million globally* in 2019
Earnings: $176.nine million in 2019
Some manufacturers the usage of TikTok: Chipotle, E.l.f. Cosmetics, Wager, ESPN
The fundamentals: TikTok
What it’s. TikTok is a abruptly rising video-sharing app that introduced in 2017 by means of Chinese language tech corporate ByteDance. In October 2018, TikTok used to be probably the most downloaded app within the U.S. and reached a report 1.five billion downloads globally on the finish of 2019.
The way it’s used. Customers create and submit quick, looping movies set to TikTok’s large library of tune and sound bites – incessantly with humor or skill as the point of interest. TikTok isn’t essentially where for critical lifestyles updates or connecting with buddies. As an alternative, customers depend on TikTok for leisure and apply creators with high quality content material. Not unusual TikTok movies come with choreographed dances, lip-syncing, hashtag demanding situations, response movies, and cringe-worthy content material.
Target audience. The app has abruptly grow to be a Gen-Z favourite, with 42% of customers between ages 13-16 actively the usage of the app. Customers create and submit quick, looping movies set to TikTok’s large library of tune and sound bites – incessantly with humor or skill as the point of interest.
Promoting. TikTok’s advert product continues to be in its early days. For now, promoting is simplest presented on a CPM foundation (value in line with thousand impressions) as TikTok’s self-service advert platform continues to be in beta. Advert gadgets recently to be had come with:
- In-feed local video advertisements
- Emblem takeovers (a full-screen advert that looks when a consumer first opens the app)
- Hashtag demanding situations
- Branded filters
- Topview advertisements (very similar to emblem takeovers however makes use of in-feed content material)
- Influencer emblem partnerships
READ: TikTok 101: A primer for manufacturers
The fundamentals: Snapchat
What it’s. Snapchat is a cell messaging app for sharing textual content, pictures, and movies with buddies. It introduced in 2011 below the basis of sharing pictures with a 10-second expiration, however has since advanced to concentrate on ephemeral video content material within the type of Tales and curated ‘Uncover’ sequence.
The way it’s used. Snapchat gives some way for customers to stay alongside of buddies, related information, and in style tendencies. A large draw is the power to seize ephemeral content material and post it as a Tale for fans to peer and have interaction with for as much as 24 hours. Snapchat has been making an investment closely in AI and AR features (or ‘Lenses’) to present manufacturers and customers extra immersive inventive talents – like object scanning, try-on results, and 3-D setting interactions.
Target audience. The platform is hottest amongst millennials and recently claims round 218 million day-to-day lively customers (DAUs).
Promoting. Snapchat gives a spread of promoting choices thru its self-serve advert platform, from usual Snap Advert gadgets that seem between tales to advertisements that use branded filters and AR lenses. Snapchat additionally has an e-commerce part with shoppable advertisements, customized concentrated on, and a local checkout characteristic.
READ: Advertising Land’s unique information to Snapchat
TikTok and Snapchat: Content material comparability
The promoting questions: Which platform is easiest for my emblem?
What’s your goal? Each TikTok and Snapchat be offering top-of-funnel alternatives for manufacturers to connect to audiences. In particular, TikTok will also be efficient for using consciousness with user-generated content material (UGC) within the type of emblem demanding situations, reactions, or filters.
Whilst there are alternatives for manufacturers to make the most of UGC on Snapchat, the platform is best for sharing fleeting lifestyles moments and surfacing related content material that the consumer would possibly care about – like unique sequence or Tales.
Plus, Snapchat’s shoppable and local checkout options could be a large draw for retail manufacturers (particularly D2C). The platform additionally has a hang over TikTok with extra mature promoting choices, whilst TikTok’s use for manufacturers continues to be a lot more experimental. Don’t anticipate finding quick luck advertising on TikTok, particularly because it’s pushed by means of customers who price humor and fleeting tendencies (which would possibly now not paintings for all manufacturers).
Imagine your target market. Are they younger and stuffed with untapped meme power? Glance to TikTok. Tiktok customers need a virtual enjoy that’s original, homegrown, and downright entertaining. It’s a part of the explanation why reactions and emblem demanding situations have taken off at warp pace. As an alternative of status by means of and staring at social play out from a distance, TikTok customers are diving in head-first to go away their mark in close to real-time, and types can lean into that natural content material introduction procedure.
Since Snapchat continues to be a house for the Millenial era, manufacturers at the platform can seize extra typical, mainstream pursuits. As a complete, manufacturers with audiences that skew more youthful will have to more than likely be experimenting with each Snapchat and TikTok.
Take into accounts the content material. Should you’re desirous about growing high quality content material with a standard emblem message, Snapchat is most likely the simpler channel. Manufacturers can get inventive with Snapchat’s AR and Lens features whilst nonetheless providing integrated (“swipe-up”) options for a extra immersive consumer enjoy. TikTok content material isn’t fascinated by aesthetics or how excellent one thing appears, which makes it each a problem and alternative for manufacturers. To achieve success on TikTok, a emblem’s content material wishes resonate with younger customers whilst providing the power to have interaction with it.
Emblem makes use of circumstances
TikTok x Chipotle Mexican Grill. Chipotle’s first viral TikTok problem kicked off in Would possibly 2019 after a buyer filmed a video doing a lid turn, which Chipotle then posted to Instagram. The submit racked up over 1,000,000 perspectives, prompting the logo to show to TikTok to ask consumers to attempt the lid turn trick for themselves with a branded hashtag problem. The #ChipotleLidFlip problem won over 104 million perspectives, 111,000 video submissions, and over 59,000 individuals all through the marketing campaign.
TikTok x e.l.f. cosmetics. Make-up emblem e.l.f. additionally discovered viral luck with TikTok’s hashtag problem structure. With over three million natural perspectives of the #elfcosmetics hashtag on Tik Tok, the logo evolved its personal problem to have interaction with the creator-driven neighborhood. The emblem commissioned a made-for-TikTok tune monitor for its #eyeslipsface marketing campaign, prompting customers to exhibit their e.l.f. make-up appears set to the tune.
Snapchat x Most sensible Gun: Maverick. In December 2019, Paramount Footage introduced an AR-driven UGC marketing campaign with Snapchat’s Cameos characteristic, through which customers may upload inventive components to their photographs with virtual overlays used to advertise the movie. Snapchat customers who have been considering seeing extra promo content material from the movie had the way to watch all of the 2-minute trailer.
Snapchat x Coca-Cola and McDonalds. Snapchat launched “Snapchat Scan” in December 2019, and McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have been the primary manufacturers to leap on board. The characteristic gives image-recognition so customers can scan trademarks to liberate AR lenses and content material. With Coke and Mcdonalds, customers merely needed to scan the packaging on their meals or beverage to achieve get right of entry to to unique branded lenses. It’s a key instance of ways manufacturers on Snapchat can have interaction customers by means of mixing inventive content material with components of the bodily global. In keeping with Snap’s product advertising supervisor Carolina Arguelles, “the usage of Scan on this manner gives such a lot of chances for manufacturers – from growing a laugh, shareable moments, to sharing product knowledge or providing a digital trial.”
Further sources
Desire a deeper dive? Take a look at our guides for TikTok and Snapchat beneath.





