Here we go again! I have become the resident Snapchat vs. Instagram researcher here at BIGfish (see blog post one and two) and every time a new feature is added, I lean more toward preferring Instagram. I know, I’m shocked too!
Snapchat has disappointed me recently. I am NOT a fan of its decision to give people the option to view a Snap for an unlimited amount of time. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of Snapchat? If you give a person an unlimited amount of time to see what’s going on in your picture or video, you might as well send it to them in a text message. Am I right? The app did add some cool new features like the eraser tool and the ability to draw with emojis. But are all these tools/features taking away from what Snapchat was meant for? I definitely thought Snapchat was way more fun when it was a simple shoot and send platform. But maybe that’s just me. (Downloads are down 16% so clearly, some people agree with me!)
Instagram is slowly becoming the go-to app for everything photo related. With the addition of the new filters (yes, they look a lot like Snapchat filters), it’s making the need for the two separate apps a thing of the past. Instagram is starting out small with eight filters but is sure to roll out more in the future. Another feature Instagram rolled out was the ability to add hashtags to your story. This gives you another opportunity to become part of a bigger conversation. And once again, just like Snapchat, you can also shoot videos in reverse. Don’t get me wrong, Instagram still has a lot of work to do if they want to edge out Snapchat but, in my opinion, they are definitely on their way.
I get it, Instagram is “copying” Snapchat, but they are doing it effectively. With Snapchat’s user downloads decreasing and Instagram steadily growing with over 700 million daily users worldwide, it’s clear Instagram is doing something right.
So who is winning the battle? I think it’s a tie. Instagram is headed in the right direction with stories but when it comes to one-on-one sharing, Snapchat takes the cake. Will my thoughts on this matter change by the next Instagram vs. Snapchat post? Most likely. Stay tuned and let us know what you think in the comments or by tweeting us @BIGfishPR.