From the moment Instagram unveiled Reels, the internet has been relentlessly comparing it to TikTok. Now, with the arrival of Reels ads, their rivalry has intensified. So, which ad platform reigns supreme: TikTok or Reels? To settle the debate, ad design platform Creatopy conducted a head-to-head experiment. The findings might surprise you!
TikTok vs Reels ads: The initial hypothesis
Creatopy’s PPC team and Social Media Manager speculated that TikTok, renowned for its high engagement and rapid growth, would emerge victorious. While both Instagram and TikTok boast a staggering one billion monthly active users, TikTok achieved this milestone in a mere five years, compared to Instagram’s 7.7 years. “Given TikTok’s remarkable success, evolution, and viral nature, I anticipated the ad would perform better on their platform. However, I must confess, Instagram holds a special place in my heart among all social media platforms,” shared Andreea Mehedin, Creatopy’s Social Media Manager.
A closer look at the experiment setup
To ensure accurate results and clear conclusions, Creatopy meticulously controlled the variables:
- They ran identical 15-second product videos on both platforms, maintaining consistency in goal (reach), ad copy, daily budget, total spend, location targeting, and timeframe (September 14 – October 5, 2021).
- A custom frequency cap was implemented to prevent ad fatigue, ensuring viewers wouldn’t grow tired or irritated by repetitive ads.
- Targeting focused solely on interests (excluding retargeting of users who had previously interacted with ads): specifically, users aged 25 to 44 with expressed interests in education, technology, or apps.
A detailed breakdown of the setup can be found in the table below:
| TikTok | Reels | |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Reach | Reach |
| Daily budget | $50 | $50 |
| Total spend | $1,000.28 | $1,011.01 |
| Landing page | https://www.creatopy.com/ | https://www.creatopy.com/ |
| Location | United States | United States |
| Age | 25-44 | 25-44 |
| Custom frequency cap | 1 impression/2 days | 1 impression/2 days |
| Ad copy | Wondering what Creatopy is?   #meetus #addesign #addesigntool #collaboration #designautomation #creativeteams #creatopy #createatscale #brandkit | Wondering what Creatopy is? #meetus #addesign #addesigntool #collaboration #designautomation #creativeteams #creatopy #createatscale #brandkit |
| CTA | Learn more | Learn more |
Important note: At the experiment’s outset, Creatopy’s TikTok account had a negligible following, having been created just days prior. Conversely, their Instagram account boasted 5.5k followers. While this discrepancy didn’t appear to significantly impact the results, it’s worth acknowledging.
And the winner is…
Instagram takes the crown!
| TikTok | Reels | |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 199,477 | 389,298 |
| Impressions | 228,537 | 604,350 |
| Cost/1,000 people reached | $5.03 | $2.60 |
| Clicks | 28 | 36 |
| CTR | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| CPC | $35.72 | $28.08 |
| CPM | $4.38 | $1.67 |
Instagram Reels ads surpassed TikTok ads across all metrics:
- Reach and impressions: Instagram Reels reached an impressive 389,298 users and garnered 604,350 impressions, while TikTok reached 199,477 users and generated 228,538 impressions. The cost per 1,000 people reached for Reels was significantly lower at $2.60 compared to TikTok’s $5.03.
- Clicks: The Reels ad attracted 38 clicks, outperforming TikTok’s 28 clicks. It’s important to highlight that TikTok Ads Manager doesn’t differentiate between link clicks and ad clicks, unlike Facebook Ad Manager, which provides a separate count for each.
- Costs: Although both platforms had relatively high CPC and CPM due to the high impression count and low click count, Instagram Reels remained more cost-effective, with a CPC of $28.08 compared to TikTok’s $35.72 and a CPM of $1.67 versus $4.38. Greater reach at a lower CPC and CPM? A resounding yes!
- Conversions: Neither platform yielded conversions, but this was expected as both campaigns prioritized brand awareness over conversions.
- Audience: Analysis of the top US states for impressions revealed California, Texas, Florida, and New York as the top four for both platforms. This finding aligns with population distribution, as these states are the most populous. For a closer examination, the table below presents the top five states for each platform:
| TikTok | Impressions | Reels | Impressions |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 53,556 | California | 114,318 |
| Texas | 29,907 | Texas | 56,153 |
| Florida | 13,796 | Florida | 39,543 |
| New York | 12,038 | New York | 36,902 |
| Ohio | 8,098 | Pennsylvania | 21,090 |
Considering these findings, Instagram Reels confidently claims victory in this experiment, surprising those who anticipated a TikTok win. While TikTok has demonstrated impressive and consistent growth, Instagram clearly remains a force to be reckoned with. Speaking of Instagram’s prowess, be sure to explore these 19 creative Instagram Reels ideas.
Important caveats
While drawing conclusions is crucial, it’s equally vital to acknowledge their limitations. Here are some caveats to bear in mind:
- Age demographics: The contrasting age demographics of the two platforms may have contributed to Instagram Reels’ success. TikTok’s largest age group is 18-24, while Instagram’s is 25-34, according to Sprout Social. Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence, notes that Instagram’s user base is steadily aging. Consequently, targeting users between 25 and 44 provided a larger potential audience on Instagram.
- Content tailoring: Employing the same video across platforms can be a cross-channel advertising pitfall. Unless conducting a specific test, it’s crucial to tailor ads to each platform’s unique characteristics and audience.
- Business uniqueness: It’s essential to remember that results can vary. This experiment declared Reels the winner for this specific ad and Creatopy’s audience. Different ad types, setups, and timeframes could yield different outcomes. Experimentation is key to determining the optimal platform for your business.
- TikTok’s impact: In the spirit of fairness, it’s worth noting that running the TikTok ad significantly boosted Creatopy’s first-ever TikTok video—a more casual and relatable post uploaded shortly before the ad—garnering over 100k views.
Key takeaways from the TikTok vs Instagram Reels experiment
The primary takeaway is clear: never underestimate a platform until you’ve tested it firsthand. Whether you’re venturing into TikTok, Instagram Reels, or any other social media platform, rigorous testing is paramount (it’s a cornerstone of our paid media strategy!). Embrace experimentation and enjoy the journey! You can see Creatopy’s full write-up and infographic of the experiment here. To further your knowledge, explore our comparative analysis of TikTok vs Facebook ads and learn how to effectively implement TikTok ads targeting.