Snapchat vs. Instagram vs. Facebook: Which “Story” is the Best for You

Frenik Labs' Blog: Social Media Marketing Insights

“Stories” are a feature found in popular apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and most recently Facebook, that allow users to post customizable content separate from their usual feed or photo stream for a brief time period. For most apps, this time period usually lasts for 24 hours before disappearing, encouraging all “Story” viewers to frequently check in on their favorite app users in order to view relevant photos and videos. Each app also includes a set of filters and stickers to personalize stories in a unique way for every post. Depending on how you use social media, some of these apps’ “Story” features might suit your online persona better than others. This quick guide will help you determine which “Story” is the best for you.

Choosing best ‘Stories’ platform depends.

Snapchat still boasts the largest amount of facial recognition filters and often times creates filters to promote popular events, social movements or holidays.

 

Snapchat

Snapchat was the first of these apps to introduce a story function, known as My Story. Snapchat still boasts the largest amount of facial recognition filters and often times creates filters to promote popular events, social movements or holidays. The app also includes multiple geofilters depending on where the user is snapping from. However, compared to Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat has the lowest reach for a majority of users. Most Snapchat user accounts are private, meaning people only share their Stories with an inner circle of contacts. As opposed to Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat users mainly add people they are closer to and on a more personal basis with, making My Story content more casual, direct and candid. Users’ content on Snapchat stories is often times content that people don’t intend to share with the general public.

 

Instagram

Instagram “Stories” generally have a higher reach than Snapchat as users tend to have more followers and public profiles on the app. Instagram Stories encourage users to create more engaging content by allowing other users and locations to be tagged. Stories are also great platforms for social campaigns and promotions through real-time location stickers. One of the most differentiating features of Instagram Stories is the “Boomerang” function, which allows users to post a quick moving video short that continuously replays and rewinds. Lastly, Instagram uses geographic tracking features to promote stories for towns and cities, allowing users to tag themselves, others or nearby businesses in the local Story.

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Facebook:

 

“STORIES ARE ALSO GREAT PLATFORMS FOR SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS AND PROMOTIONS THROUGH REAL-TIME LOCATION STICKERS.”

 

Facebook is the most recent app to debut a Stories feature. The most differentiating feature of Facebook Stories is that they can only be viewed twice within a 24-hour window. Rather than a supplement to an app’s content feed, Facebook Stories were designed with the intent to be completely separate feeds than a user’s daily news feed. Content posted in Facebook Stories should be brief visual medium that stands out from regular news feed material. The most interesting aspect of Facebook Stories is that pages can have their own stories, such as businesses and events. These Stories could potentially reach a larger audience than Instagram depending on the user, as Facebook is often the main source of social media engagement for businesses like restaurants and stores. Facebook may be the best “Story” platform for you if you have more friends on the platform than followers on either Snapchat or Instagram.