There are many social networks small business owners can use to market their business beyond Facebook and Twitter. But it can be hard to keep track of them all when it feels like a new platform is being created every day.

If you’ve already used Snapchat for marketing your business, you may be wondering whether you should switch over to Instagram Stories. Instagram Stories was rolled out in August 2016, making it one of the latest major features in social media.

Are you wondering whether you should be using Instagram Stories instead of Snapchat? Or are you unfamiliar with these social networks in general?

Now is the perfect chance to find out whether Snapchat or Instagram Stories is right for you. Here is a bit more insight on two of the most popular social networks, and how you can apply them to your small business marketing strategy.

What Does My Target Audience Use?

Before jumping on any social network, you have to know whether your target audience is actually composed of users of the network in question.

• According to the Pew Research Centre, 28 per cent of online adult users are on Instagram, mostly in the 18 to 29 years old range
• 7 out of 10 Snapchat users are millennials, and 30 per cent of American teens use Snapchat
• 50 per cent of new Snapchat users are over 25 years old, and the uptake rate is growing twice as fast
• According to a MediaKix study, 60 per cent of American smartphone users are on Snapchat, mostly between 13 to 34 years old

Snapchat Basics

Snapchat allows users to take photos and videos up to 10 seconds, and then post them to their “My Story” feed or send them privately to friends. This content disappears after 24 hours.

Businesses in a specific location or event companies can also take advantage of Snapchat’s geofilter option ($5.00 per 20,000 square feet or 1,858 square meters) to attract users.

Snapchat features:

• Geofilters created for users in a specific location
• Memories feature that allows users to upload photos and videos from their mobile devices and store or share them
• Time, temperature, speed, colour and face filters
• Drawing and emoji features

Instagram Stories Basics

Like Snapchat, Instagram Stories allow users to create photos and videos (up to 10 seconds) that are visible for 24 hours. However, there are no emojis or filters yet, and you aren’t able to send content privately to people you follow.

Instagram Stories features:

• Upload photos or videos taken in the last 24 hours
• Drawing features

If you’ve already built a community on Instagram, but you aren’t using the Stories feature, consider the type of content you’ll post on both your newsfeed and Stories.

Save your beautiful photos and longer form video for your Instagram feed, and then your quick, real-time action posts for Stories.

Choosing the Right Social Network

Small business owners should create an account and follow people and their activities. It’s important to do this before posting content on a social network they’re new to.
When you think you may be ready to dive in, think about these questions. They’ll help you decide between using Snapchat or Instagram Stories for your business:

• How is using the social network or feature going to help you reach your business goals, whether it’s by getting more customers and clients, more website hits, direct engagement or sales?
• How will the content you post lead to those conversions?

No Matter Which You Choose…

Social media is a long-term game, so it’s necessary to test and measure the content you post for visibility and engagement. There are also custom website links that can show you whether people are visiting your landing pages.

No matter which social network you choose, always remember to have fun, measure and engage!