TikTok Analytics vs Instagram Insights: How They Differ

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Carolyn Howell

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2024

TikTok 101

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Your social media analytics allows you to measure your performance on different platforms. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have analytics tools that let users track their progress. However, these two analytics tools are different. Therefore, there are often discussions about TikTok Analytics vs Instagram Insights. 

TikTok’s analytics pay better attention to video performance. On the other hand, Instagram’s insights place more focus on engagement and followers. While they offer standard information on engagement rates, reach, and views, read this post to see their differences. 

A person holds a smartphone that displays the Instagram Insights page.

How To Use TikTok Analytics

While quite similar, TikTok’s analytic feature functions in quite a different way than Instagram’s insights. For people unfamiliar with the app, its analytics can be confusing. Also, you can only use the feature on your TikTok business account. So, how do you use this feature?

If you’re using the TikTok mobile app, here is how to use analytics:

  1. Open the TikTok application and sign in with your details. 
  2. Tap the profile icon at the bottom right corner of the screen to open your profile. 
  3. Choose Analytics from your options, and the site will immediately open the page. 

You can also use the platform’s analytics from your desktop browser. This option offers a more comprehensive view of your information. 

Here is how to use analytics on the desktop site:

  1. Visit the TikTok website on your browser and log into your account.
  2. Hover over the profile icon and choose Business Suite from the options. 
  3. The site will then take you to your profile’s Analytics section.

You can browse your engagement information and other performance details there. Since TikTok focuses more on short-form video content, its analytics mainly cover video views and other content-related information. 

A tablet displays several social media apps, including TikTok and Instagram.

How Instagram Insights Works

Instagram Insights offers a more encompassing picture of your performance. The feature provides engagement, awareness, and audience metrics. However, you must have a business account to use Insights. 

But how does this tool work, and how do you use it?

  1. From the homepage, tap the profile icon to visit your profile on the Instagram app or website.
  2. From your profile, tap the menu option at the top right corner of the screen.
  3. Choose Insights from the options that will appear.
  4. Under the overview section, tap a specific metric to view the details. 

This page provides access to your content summary, audience overview, top posts, and other information. You can also use a preset or custom timeframe to view your insights. Overall, it offers a broader picture of your growth and presence on the app.

A computer screen displays a social media analytics page.

TikTok Analytics vs Instagram Insights: How They Differ

TikTok and Instagram are some of the most popular social media platforms among young people. While they cater to a similar audience, they are also quite different. For instance, their analytics differ in many ways. 

So, here is how the TikTok and Instagram analytical data vary from each other:

1. They Track Different Key Metrics

These two social media platforms have analytic tools that track different metrics. TikTok analytics allow you to monitor views, comments, likes, shares, and engagement rates. On the other hand, Instagram Insights tracks reach, engagement rates, impressions, and click-through rates. 

These metrics help you understand what content resonates with your followers on both platforms. Remember that TikTok and Instagram audiences look for different kinds of content. So, their analytics offer information about your most popular posts based on the most crucial factors. 

This is a key factor in the TikTok vs Instagram debate. Since many businesses run their operations on these platforms, tracking their growth is usually crucial. Tracking more metrics on the app means they’d get the bigger picture regarding their performance. 

2. Unlike Instagram, TikTok Focuses on Video Performance

The focus of these platforms’ analytic tools is another factor that differentiates them. TikTok focuses better on your video performance. This means you can see how many views, comments, likes, shares, and general engagement they get. 

On the other hand, the Instagram analytics feature pays more attention to your followers and overall engagement. In this case, your impressions, click-through rate, engagement rate, and follower growth are more prominent. 

Ultimately, these social media apps have focused more on areas that better align with their user base. This means that users on TikTok generally pay more attention to their video content than their counterparts on Instagram. 

Then, Instagram users prioritize growth and sales conversions before their content performance. While all these factors go hand in hand, their differences become more glaring as you use them. That is why some prefer TikTok over Instagram for their marketing campaigns.

3. Instagram Analytics Is a Bit More Comprehensive

If you’d prefer a more comprehensive analytics tool, Instagram is the way to go. While TikTok also offers one that covers all its essential metrics, it shows only a few. TikTok segments its analytics into the overview, content, followers, and live sections. 

The overview section provides a basic summary of your activity. It shows your content engagement, follower information, and live stream metrics. Scrolling to the other pages reveals comprehensive information about your followers and content engagement. 

Instagram Insights encompasses your reach or awareness, engagement, and audience information. These sections cover areas surrounding your reach, content interactions, and audience demographics. 

Since you can share different post types on Instagram, the platform also provides different metrics for each. 

For instance, you can analyze the number of Story and Reel views differently. In the same way, it segments your Reel shares and post shares, showing their separate numbers. 

Because of all these different post types and metrics, the Instagram Insights feature is quite complete. This difference accounts for why some people with online businesses favor Insta’s Insights page over their competitors. 

4. TikTok and Instagram Analytics Track Performance Differently

While IG and TikTok analytics allow users to track their performance, some differences exist. Tracking your performance on TikTok involves measuring your video views, likes, shares, and comments. This allows you to refine your content to suit viewer preferences better.

On the other hand, measuring your performance on Instagram exceeds tracking post engagements. It involves evaluating your follower growth, reach, and impressions. This helps to discover how many people have seen the post and taken action. This is one major talking point in the TikTok vs Instagram analytics discussion.

Since the goal is to reach your target audience, you can always discover the posts that attract people better. Then, you can optimize and replicate such posts to get better results. Analytics are crucial since you aim to reach more people and generate sales for your social media marketing campaign.

A person holds a tablet displaying a bar chart.

Does TikTok Have Better Analytics Than Instagram?

The choice between Insta and TikTok analytics depends on your goals and activities. While businesses mostly use these features, these tools only track their growth and performance over specific periods.

Since that is out of the way, does TikTok have better analytics than Instagram? For some users, the TikTok analytics tool offers all the needed features. Since it allows users to monitor their insights and metrics, people still find it extremely useful. 

The TikTok analytics first shows your account overview. This overview contains your video views, profile views, likes, shares, and comments. Under the follower tab, it shows your total and net followers and your audience insights. 

On the other hand, users who are more into Instagram may argue that its Insights offer a better value for the money. Of course, it also allows users to keep up with their key metrics. In fact, Instagram Insights are quite more comprehensive than those of its counterpart.

Remember that while TikTok analytics pay more attention to video performance, Instagram’s covers far more than that. It covers reach, impressions, content interactions, saves, and shares. It also covers the number of shares on your Instagram Reels, Story views, and watch-through rates. 

In terms of engagement, Instagram analytics shows engagement rates, accounts engaged and reached, and live interactions. It also shows your peak concurrent viewers, the accounts you reach during a broadcast, and your most engaged hashtags. Hashtags help track user-generated content (UGC) related to your brand.

Other metrics include your followers, audience growth over specific periods, demographics, and traffic. User preferences are usually quite different. However, both TikTok and Instagram analytics provide the information you need regarding your activity on both platforms. 

A smartphone displays the Instagram app on the screen.

Why Analytics Are Important on TikTok and Instagram

Analytics are crucial when running a marketing campaign on TikTok or Instagram. Besides helping to track your performance, you may wonder why this feature is essential on these platforms. Since they are only available on creator and business accounts, they are necessary for various reasons.

First, analytics help optimize your content strategies on TikTok and Instagram. Details like engagement and audience demographic info help you decide how to curate your content. This way, you can always understand which content attracts your target audience

Analytics also help you measure the effectiveness of your Instagram or TikTok campaign. The information available in your analytics can help you make better decisions to improve your performance. You can also understand audience behavior from your analytics. 

Analytics are also quite helpful in tracking your performance over a specific period. To better understand your progress, you can determine your TikTok and Instagram growth and engagement rates. 

Analytics are also crucial to driving business results. The feature helps you make informed decisions on product launches and content partnerships. As a result, you can drive business growth and success for your brand on these platforms. 

A smartphone on a white surface displays the TikTok logo.

Done Checking Your Analytics? Grow Your TikTok With High Social

After getting insights and analytics, growing your audience is necessary. So, High Social offers an excellent option for users looking to attract organic followers without breaking a sweat. Getting your TikTok Analytics vs Instagram Insights helps grow your profile.

But this growth agency helps you build an authentic community without using fake followers or bots. You must visit the site and sign in to use this growth service. Then, describe the type of audience you need on the basis of demographics, location, gender, and age.

High Social will then promote your content to that audience. People who find your content interesting will follow your profile. As a result, you’ll attract high-quality followers who are interested in your content. So, begin your TikTok growth now!

TikTok 101