One of the trickiest things about planning influencer campaigns is deciding which social media platform to use.
You’ve heard many conflicting opinions about which platform is best for going viral, gaining followers, and boosting brand recognition and sales. And since influencers are on every platform, how do you know which to choose?
Today we’re looking at Instagram and YouTube. There isn’t one right answer as to which is better, so it’s important to know the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Instagram and YouTube: By the numbers
Before we dive in, let’s take a look at some key stats for Instagram and YouTube.
Instagram stats you should know
- Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users, putting it behind YouTube and Facebook.
- There are 171.7 million active Instagram users in the United States. That’s second only to India, which has a whopping 412.85 million active users. India is by far the most popular country for Instagram users.
- Among adults on Instagram, 52.7% are male and 47.3% are female. However, in the US, 55.4% of Instagram users are female.
- The most popular age range for adult Instagram users is 18-24 which represents 31.3%. That’s almost tied with the 25-34 age range (31%). In third place is the 35-44 age range (16.4%).
- Adults in the US spend an average of 33.1 minutes per day on Instagram.
Youtube stats you should know
- Globally, YouTube has 2.53 billion monthly active users, which is more than Instagram’s 2 billion but less than Facebook’s 3.07 billion.
- YouTube’s top three countries are the same as Instagram’s, according to YouTube advertising data. India is #1 with 419 million active users, while 253 million come from the US and 144 million from Brazil.
- The gender split among YouTube users skews male. 54% of users are male, while 46% are female.
- The most popular age range among adults on YouTube is 25-34, with 21.3% of users being in that age range. The second most popular age range is 35-44 (17.5%), and in third place is 18-24 (15.5%).
- Youtube users in the US spend an average of 48.7 minutes per day on the platform.
Instagram vs. YouTube: a head-to-head comparison
| YouTube | ||
| 2 billion | Monthly active users | 2.53 billion |
| Short-form & long-formVertically formatted (9:16)Live, Reels, Posts, Stories | Types of video posts | Short-form & long-formVertically formatted (9:16) and horizontally formatted (16:9)Shorts, standard YouTube video |
| IG Stories last 24 hours | Ephemeral posts | YouTube discontinued stories |
| Yes | Image posts | Slideshow videos only |
| 18-24, with 25-34 as a close second | Most popular age group | 25-34 |
| TravelFashion/BeautyHealth & wellnessPets/AnimalsMusicFood/Beverage | Top industries | GamingB2B/TechFashion/BeautyTravelDIYFood/Beverage |
| Limited to Story Swipe-ups, DMs, and bios | Hyperlinks | Available for video descriptions, comments, and About page |
| Users can post a variety of types of content | Greatest advantage | Videos can keep gaining views for years after being posted |
| Yes | In-app shopping | Partially; products can be tagged in videos but users must go to the seller’s site to purchase |
Key differences between Instagram and YouTube influencers
Instagram and YouTube have important differences that can affect how you choose between them.
Instagram influencers are known for…
Still photos and carousels
On Instagram, users can post still photos, carousels, and graphics. Still photos are great for a lot of things, especially fashion, makeup, and art. Carousels can include text for people to read, which is useful for brands that want to educate the audience on a topic through written content organized into slides and bullet points.
Ephemeral content
Instagram is a convenient place to post short updates and quick, spontaneous thoughts This is true for regular posts, but even more so for Stories, a feature YouTube doesn’t have. Stories are an example of ephemeral content because they disappear after 24 hours. As a result, Instagram works well for content that catches trends or promotes flash sales.
YouTube influencers are known for…
Vlogging
YouTube is great for vlogging, which is especially popular with lifestyle influencers. While vlogs can be done on Instagram, YouTube vlogs are longer and more elaborate and in-depth. Watching a YouTube vlog lets viewers almost feel like they’re actually there with the influencer living their life. So if you think your brand’s products would fit in well with a lifestyle vlog, choose YouTube.
Evergreen content
YouTube content can get discovered years after it was made, unlike on Instagram. Instagram content tends to be short-lived. If the content doesn’t get many views within two days, it won’t be discovered unless someone goes to your page and scrolls through it. But on YouTube, the algorithm promotes some videos that are months or years old. So when it comes to evergreen content, YouTube is the place to go.
Also being on Instagram
Influencers whose main platform is YouTube may also have an Instagram account… but influencers whose main platform is Instagram aren’t as likely to also have a YouTube account. That’s because creating content for Instagram tends to take less time than creating long-form YouTube videos. So a YouTuber may be willing to have an Instagram account as an additional thing on the side, but an Instagram influencer may not necessarily want a YouTube account (unless they’re just reposting Reels as Shorts).
What Instagram and YouTube have in common
YouTube and Instagram may be different, but they’re starting to overlap more and more. Social media platforms are always trying to compete with each other, so they add new features that are similar to other platforms, causing them to gradually start to become less different from each other.
Short-form video
A good example of this is YouTube Shorts, which are similar to Instagram Reels (which are similar to TikTok videos!). Instagram Reels can be repurposed as YouTube Shorts, since both are short-form vertical videos. There are even some YouTube influencers who focus on Shorts so much that they rarely or never make long-form videos.
Long-form video and livestreams
YouTube isn’t the only long-form video platform around. Some people post long-form videos on Instagram, not just short-form. Livestreams can be done on both platforms too, although there are some differences. (Instagram livestreaming is only available on mobile, while YouTube livestreams can be done on mobile and desktop, and livestreamers on YouTube can connect external hardware to enhance production quality.)
In-app shopping
Both platforms have built-in shopping features. Instagram lets users discover, save, and purchase products without leaving the app. YouTube lets creators tag products in regular videos, YouTube Shorts, and livestreams. Users can browse the products without leaving the app, though they have to purchase on the seller’s site.
Google search indexing
Content on both platforms is discoverable on Google search. YouTube video descriptions are indexed on Google, meaning that people searching on Google can find your video in their search results. On Instagram, public posts from professional accounts can show up in Google search results. This means having the right SEO keywords can help more people see your content.
How to decide: Key questions to ask
What’s your goal? Every influencer campaign should start with a goal. Maybe your goal is to increase sales of a specific product or introduce your brand to a new type of audience. Always put yourself in the audience’s shoes: Imagine them seeing and engaging with your influencer content. Thinking about this can help you plan what type of content you want and how that content can help you reach your goal.
What’s your budget? Instagram content is likely to cost less than YouTube content since YouTube content often takes more time to create, and may possibly require pricier equipment. If you’re paying an influencer to create a long-form video on YouTube, you’ll have to have more room in your budget than if you’re paying for a photo or story shoutout on Instagram. (That said, follower count and other metrics also have a big impact on influencer rates.)
What’s your timeline? It’s important to be realistic about the amount of time it will take for an influencer to create content. If you want an influencer to promote something that’s seasonal or is a limited-time offer, Instagram is probably the way to go. Long-form videos on YouTube can take a while to make, plus the influencer you’re working with is also busy creating other content that takes up their time.
What type of content best fits your products? Think about what type of content would best show off the products you’re trying to promote. If long-form videos with a high production quality would be the best fit for you, work with YouTube influencers. If you want a story shoutout or carousel of still photos or text, go with Instagram. But if you want short-form videos, you could do that on both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
When to choose Instagram influencers
Choose Instagram influencers for your next campaign if you’re promoting something that doesn’t need a long explanation, or something that’s trendy or temporary.
For example, if you’re a snack brand, you could have an influencer make a short video about why your snacks have superior taste and ingredients. If you’re a jewelry brand, you could work with an influencer who posts a still photo of themselves wearing a piece of jewelry and announcing a flash sale. If you’re a brand that likes humor, you could work with an influencer to create funny content that catches onto a trendy meme.
When to choose YouTube influencers
Choose YouTube influencers for your next campaign if you’re promoting something that benefits from a longer explanation that shows off the product’s many features, or something that’s evergreen and timeless, able to stay relevant many months into the future.
For example, if you’re a hotel, you could work with a travel vlogger who makes a video about fun things to do in a certain location, and they could show off the cool things about your hotel. If you’re a dog food brand, you could work with an influencer who makes content about dogs, and they could make a dog training video and include your brand’s food. If you’re an electronics company, you could work with a tech review influencer who gives a detailed analysis of one of your products.
Final verdict: Can you use both?
If you’ve been wondering about Instagram vs. YouTube influencers and you don’t know which to choose… who says you have to choose?
Since both platforms come with different advantages, working with influencers on both can multiply your results. You can repurpose content from one platform to another, like repurposing Instagram Reels as YouTube Shorts or taking a long-form YouTube video and turning a clip of it into an Instagram Reel.
Okay, maybe your budget says you have to choose. Pick one platform based on the type of content that would be the best fit for your brand. If long-form, long-lasting videos would be good for your brand, work with YouTube influencers. If you want to promote flash sales, trendy content, or still photos, Instagram influencers are the better choice.
There’s no need to stress about which platform to pick. Influencers on Instagram and YouTube can boost brand exposure and sales. No matter what you decide, the most important thing is to wow your audience – then they’ll know your brand is what they’ve been waiting for.
