Snapchat vs. TikTok: What’s The Difference?

There is no doubt that social media apps have taken the world by storm. These days, almost everyone is using social media platforms in one way or another. Whether for personal branding, entertainment, or business marketing, social media platforms have emerged to become an unavoidable stage to attract attention.

But Snapchat and TikTok are two masters gaining the most attention in today’s world. But, unfortunately, many think that both these apps are identical, which is not true. So the question is, what is the difference between Snapchat vs. TikTok?

This is what we are going to find out in this article as we proceed ahead. So let’s get into the topic right away:

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is one of the most popular messaging apps on the internet. Millions of users use the app around the world. Reggie Brown, Bobby Murphy, and Evan Spiegel at Stanford have created the app.

The main concept of the app is disappearing photos and videos. If you have used Snapchat, you know that a photo or video can only be viewed once or twice. These photos or videos are known as snaps. Also, it has disappearing messages. The messages get deleted after the user has read them.

Along with that, Snapchat offers some cool filters that let you click funny pictures or videos or snaps and share them with your friends. Also, for brands and celebrities, Snapchat has a Discover section where they can advertise their content.

What is TikTok?

TikTok is also one of the rising social media apps out there. It has its origin in China, and it acts as a video-sharing platform. It is owned by ByteDance. the app. The app allows its users to post short videos of between 3 seconds to 1 minute. In addition, users are allowed to create videos on any topic like educational, dance, comedy, and others.

TikTok emerged as a new app when China-based app Douyin and Musical.ly merged in 2018. And in 2020, the app crossed over 2 billion downloads.

Moreover, the app has also been banned in several countries, including India and Pakistan.

Snapchat vs. TikTok: What’s the difference?

• Snapchat is more of a privacy-centric app, while TikTok is a video-sharing platform pretty much like YouTube. On one side, Snapchat is only limited to sharing time-limited photos and videos and text messaging. But on TikTok, users can post their videos and share them with the world.

 

• Snapchat has existed since 2011, and it has been a decade. On the other hand, TikTok is a completely new platform, and it was launched back in 2016 only. Also, if you compare the recent stats, as of 2021, Snapchat has about 293 million annual users. On the other hand, TikTok has about 1.1 Billion users worldwide. 

 

• You can use Snapchat for private conferences. But on TikTok, you can host a mass conference and connect with many users using its live feature.

 

• As a video-sharing platform, your TikTok videos can be viewed by anyone, anytime and as many times as they want. But since Snapchat is more of a privacy-centric app, photos or videos can be viewed once or twice. Also, if you post Snapchat stories, they can only be viewed 24 hours.

 

• According to Statista, as of the second quarter of 2021, Snapchat had about 293 million daily active users globally. On the other hand, TikTok only has 15.06 million daily active users globally using Android devices.

 

• TikTok helps you to establish your brand and connect with your fans. Many influencers are posting videos on it to get more exposure on TikTok along with other platforms. However, on Snapchat, you don’t get that large exposure.

Advantages Of Snapchat

Shows Urgency:

Snapchat snaps are meant to disappear after 24 hours. Some may consider it a major flaw. However, snaps were designed to have a short lifespan to create a sense of urgency.

Different marketing agencies are using snaps to promote their products or better. 

For instance, one can share behind the scenes and let their followers know what happens in their business. They can also use snaps to tease for any upcoming products or features. 

Moreover, you can also run promotional offers, which are only valid for 24 hours. And as Snapchat users know that the snaps will disappear, they would always want to look at the snaps. So it does help in recalling the users.

Location:

Another cool feature of Snapchat is that it has locations. Snapchat Scanners is a new feature that allows others to find out your location.

They will use their phone to calculate where you are and then send the information back to the server. After that, the scanner will send your phone’s location back to its server, and it will pinpoint your location within a few feet. 

Advantages of TikTok

Large User Base:

One of the main advantages of TikTok is that it has a large user base. The stats come from a leaked TikTok B2B pitch deck of October 2020, where it is said that the TikTok app was reaching 732 million monthly active users globally.

It is a platform where you can share your content and grow your brand or a company’s brand. Unfortunately, there are too many TikTok influencers already there who have been doing it flawlessly.

Becoming popular on TikTok is pretty easy. Also, thanks to 800 million monthly active users, it will not take much time for you to get popular. You can buy views on TikTok to grow your brand rapidly.

Funny Content:

Another cool part of TikTok is that it offers funny content. Even not just funny, you can find content on a lot of different topics. TikTok is filled with crazy content which can make any user hooked to it.

Also, brands are using TikTok for their promotion. For instance, brands ask TikTok influencers to endorse their products. Also, they run ads on the platform to get more exposure to TikTok.

Snapchat Vs. TikTok: Which Platform Wins?

Snapchat and TikTok are both two different platforms. However, both of the apps offer you a wide range of features and tools.

However, it comes down to what purpose you are willing to use on any of these platforms. For instance, if you are just a regular user who wants to chat with your friends or family, then Snapchat helps.

It puts you in a secure place where you can only add people you know and share snaps with them. But yes, you can also create a private account and connect with fans and grow your brand.

Snapchat has many features for the marketers like story advertisements, story polls, and others. This allows marketers to generate revenue or promote their brand.

On the other hand, TikTok can be used as a YouTube alternative. You go to the app to get entertained. Also, if you are a marketer, then there are many options to market your product. 

For instance, you can run TikTok ads, short video commercials that appear on a user’s feed. Also, it offers you tools to target users based on age group, gender, and region. 

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

How to become a top influencer on TikTok?

Becoming a TikTok influencer isn’t as hard as it might seem. However, you will need to focus on your creativity and rely on TikTok’s algorithm. In addition, you have to do your best and create engaging content to get followers.

You have to post videos regularly on the platform, which is highly engaging and entertaining. To get inspiration, you can look at the top TikTok creators or your competitors.

Is Snapchat or TikTok more popular?

According to Statista.com, as of July 2021, TikTok has about 732 million monthly active users. In comparison, Snapchat is far behind the chart having 514 monthly active users.  

Which one is better, TikTok or Snapchat?

It depends on what purpose you are choosing to use a social media app. However, Snapchat happens to be more versatile. It allows you to click photos and videos using a bunch of funny and cool filters. Also, its despairing videos and texts are a plus point for many users. On the other hand, TikTok allows you to create videos with filters and music which you can share with people across the globe.

Conclusion

I hope you have understood Snapchat vs. TikTok’s main differences. But, in the end, I would say that both platforms are meant for different purposes. And as a user or marketer, you need to pick a platform that meets your needs.