Instagram Vs Facebook Advertising: Which Is Better?

It can be difficult to know which platform you should advertise on, particularly when you’re a smaller business with a limited budget.

When you consider that ‘out of 5.3 billion global Internet users, 3.71 billion people use at least one Meta app every month’, it’s clear why more and more businesses are choosing to advertise with Meta platforms, Facebook and Instagram.  

If you’re wondering whether Instagram or Facebook advertising is better for your business, we’re here to help.

There are many factors that you will need to consider before choosing your advertising platform, and it’s worth noting that every business is unique. As such, what might work for one small business, might be the wrong advertising strategy for another. 

That said, some considerations you'll need to bear in mind when choosing a platform for advertising include, but are not limited to:

1. Your advertising goals
2. Your target audience 
3. The content you produce 
4. The industry and niche you’re targeting 

1. Your Advertising Goals

When determining which platform is better for advertising, you will first need to determine your advertising goals as a business. 

Advertising goals will differ from business to business, as every business is unique. Perhaps your goal is centred around engagement, or maybe you’re looking for more conversions. 

While features such as Instagram Shopping can be great for eCommerce businesses, Facebook’s Targeting feature allows you to be incredibly specific in who you target with your ads.

Which advertising platform is right for you will also largely depend on your industry as well as your audience, and this information will inform your goals. 

That said, the most effective way to determine which platform is best for your business and its goals is to measure ad performance and review analytics.

2. Your Target Audience 

Another important consideration to bear in mind when choosing between advertising platforms is your target audience. 

The demographic of Facebook and Instagram is relevant here. For instance, In 2021, an estimated ‘84% of US Millennials are active users of [Facebook]’, making them the largest audience.

On the other hand, as of 2022, ‘the majority of Instagram’s audience are Millennial or Gen Z users’, emphasising the reach Instagram has with the younger generation.

By comparing the demographic of each platform to the demographic of your target audience, you will be able to gain a better understanding of who your audience is and which advertising platform you should be using to target them. 

3. The Content You Produce 

Another consideration to bear in mind when weighing up advertising platforms is the type of content you produce. 

While the platforms offer the same content formats, such as single media posts and carousels to name a few, there are differences you should be aware of.

For instance, on Instagram, there are specific Call-To-Action buttons that you can attach to your advertisements, as links are not clickable. On the other hand, Facebook allows you to add multiple clickable links, helping you to direct prospective customers to specific pages.

It’s also worth noting that Facebook is better suited for copy-heavy content, whilst Instagram is a more aesthetically pleasing and visual platform.

Regardless of the social media platform you choose, to get the most out of your ads it’s essential that you align your content with the advertising goals you set out. 

4. The Industry & Niche You’re Targeting 

Lastly, you will need to take the industry and niche you’re targeting into consideration. 

It might be that your industry has a stronger online presence on Instagram than it does on Facebook. In this circumstance, it might be more cost-effective to opt for Facebook ads as there would be a lesser social media presence in terms of your niche and thus less competition. That said, this is only worthwhile if your audience actually uses the social media platform in question.

Additionally, some businesses are better suited to certain platforms, so this will depend on what your business offers. As I’ve already mentioned, in spite of the competition, Instagram is often considered a good option for eCommerce businesses selling products, emphasised by the fact that ‘more than 130 million people are using the Instagram app for shopping’.

By establishing the industry presence and weighing up the competition, then, you will be able to get a better feel for the advertising platform you should be using as a business.

I hope that this article has given you a better idea of how to determine which advertising platform is better for your business.

We are Aura Ads, an ecommerce ad service designed for D2C eCommerce brands. We help clients sell more online and grow at scale with our bespoke video and static creative delivered on a monthly basis. Find out more about our services on our website or, for more tips and tricks from our experts, head over to our blog page.

Written by Jemima Thomas for Aura Ads.

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