Only those who pay attention to these KPIs will succeed on Instagram and TikTok

• #Instagram
• #Marketing
• #TikTok

Have you ever wondered why your Instagram profile is stagnating while others are suddenly going viral? Or why your TikTok videos aren’t getting the views you want, even though you’re doing everything right? Did you know that over 500 million stories are posted every day on Instagram alone and that TikTok is the fastest growing social media platform? These platforms are gold mines if you know how to use them. But which social media KPIs should you really be looking at to maximise your success? In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Instagram and TikTok’s key performance indicators. We’ll show you how to measure them effectively and what strategies really work. Want to find out why your posts might not be performing well and how you can change that?

What are KPIs?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable values that help organisations track progress towards their strategic goals. In the context of social media marketing, KPIs are essential tools for evaluating the success of campaigns, making data-driven decisions and continually optimising marketing strategies. KPIs provide insight into various aspects of content performance, such as user engagement, content reach and advertising effectiveness. By measuring specific interaction metrics, KPIs help monitor performance and make adjustments to efficiently achieve set goals.

Why are KPI’s so important?

KPIs are essential for measuring and optimising the success of marketing strategies. They provide a clear, quantitative basis for evaluating performance and understanding the effectiveness of campaigns. By analysing KPIs, companies can optimise their marketing: Identify which strategies are working and which are not.

1. Make targeted decisions: Make informed, data-driven decisions to adjust and optimise campaigns. 
2. Maximise ROI: Increase ROI through targeted and effective measures.
3. Recognising trends and patterns: Identify and respond to behavioural patterns and trends within the target group.

A brief overview of TikTok and Instagram

TikTok has become one of the leading social media platforms in recent years. Originally launched in China as Douyin and then known internationally as TikTok, the platform has taken younger users by storm. TikTok features short, creative videos that can be enhanced with music, filters and effects. But what makes TikTok different? The answer lies in the way content is created and consumed. The platform is designed to encourage users to create short, engaging videos that can easily go viral. The ‘For You’ feed, based on a sophisticated algorithm, shows users an endless array of personalised videos tailored to their exact preferences. This results in high user engagement and huge reach for content that touches a nerve.

Target groups and user behaviour on TikTok

TikTok’s main target group is teenagers and young adults. Around 41% of users are aged between 16 and 24. This young audience is constantly looking for new trends and challenges, making TikTok the perfect platform for creative and innovative marketing strategies. But how do users behave on TikTok? Not only do they passively interact with content, but they also get actively involved by creating videos and participating in trends. The average time spent on TikTok is an impressive 52 minutes per day. Users open the app an average of eight times a day, showing how addictive and engaging the platform is. This provides a unique opportunity for brands to achieve high levels of visibility and interaction, provided they use the platform effectively.

Instagram at a glance

Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms. This social media platform is best known for its visual nature, with photos and videos taking centre stage. The platform offers a variety of features such as Stories, IGTV, Reels and Shopping that allow users to interact in a variety of ways. As well as being a platform for sharing photos and videos, Instagram is also a powerful marketing tool. With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram has a broad and diverse user base. The visually appealing nature of Instagram makes it ideal for brands looking to showcase their products and services in an aesthetically pleasing context.

Target groups and user behaviour on Instagram

Instagram’s target audience is diverse, with the largest user group being 18-34 years old. This age group is particularly affluent and brand-savvy, making Instagram an attractive platform for businesses. So how do users behave on Instagram? They spend an average of 30 minutes a day on the platform and regularly interact with content through likes, comments and shares. Instagram users appreciate high-quality, visually appealing content and are eager to follow brands that add value, whether through inspiring images, informative videos or exclusive behind-the-scenes insights.

What are the most important KPIs on TikTok?

Measuring the performance of your TikTok marketing strategy is crucial for success. What should you keep an eye on?

1. Views are the basic metric that shows you how often your video has been viewed. This number gives you an initial impression of how well your content is received by users. Higher view numbers mean that your video has a greater reach.

2. The engagement rate is a measure of how actively users interact with your content. It is made up of likes, comments, shares and follows, divided by the number of views. A high engagement rate shows that your content is appealing and encourages interaction.

3. Shares are a particularly valuable KPI as they show that TikTok users find your content engaging enough to want to share it with others. This can lead to organic distribution of your content.

4. Comments offer you insights into the opinions and reactions of platform users to your video. They are direct feedback and can help you to understand what is well received by your target group and what is not.

5. The growth of your follower count shows how many new users decide to follow your account. This is an indicator that your content is relevant and appealing, because they want to see more of you.

6. The average watch time shows you how long your video is viewed on average before most people scroll on. A higher average playback time shows that your video is maintaining attention and interest.

7. Hashtag Performance: The performance of the hashtags you use will show how effective they are in making your video more visible. Analyse which hashtags deliver the best results and use these insights to optimise future content.

8. Profile Views is an indicator of how many users view your profile after watching your video. This shows a deeper interest in your entire account and not just a single video.

And the most important KPIs on Instagram?

Measuring performance through KPIs is also crucial on Instagram. Here are some of the most important marketing metrics that you should not ignore:

1. Reach shows you how many individual users have seen your post. This is an important metric to understand how widespread your content is.

2. Impressions measure how often your post has been viewed. This helps you to see how often your content comes into view.

3. Engagement rate on Instagram is made up of likes, comments and shares, divided by the number of followers or the reach of the post. A high engagement rate means that your content is well received and encourages users to interact.

4. Likes are a direct acknowledgement of your content. They are a simple form of interaction that shows you that your contribution is liked.

5. Comments offer deeper insights and feedback from your followers. They show that your content stimulates discussion and encourages users to share their thoughts.

6. Follower Growth shows how successful you are at attracting new users. Steady growth is a sign that your content is appealing.

7. Story Views: The number of views on your Instagram stories tells you how many users see your temporary content. Stories are a great way to provide up-to-date and authentic insights.

8. Saves show that your posts are perceived as valuable and are saved for later. This is a strong indicator of useful and relevant content.

Comparison of KPIs: TikTok vs. Instagram

Reach and impressions

Both platforms offer similar metrics, but the way users interact with the content can vary. TikTok videos tend to go viral and achieve greater reach in a shorter period of time, while Instagram content is often viewed over a longer period of time.

Engagement rate

While the calculation is similar, the engagement rate on TikTok often shows higher values, as the platform is strongly designed for interactions and encourages users to actively interact. Instagram has a more stable and long-term interaction base.

Likes and comments

Likes and comments are crucial on both platforms, but TikTok tends to have quicker, more fleeting interactions, while Instagram users often comment more intensively and in more detail.

Follower growth

Growth on TikTok can be explosive and viral, while Instagram offers more steady and sustainable growth. However, both platforms require continuous engagement and high-quality content to attract and retain followers.

Average watch time and story views

TikTok attaches great importance to the average watch time, as it is an indicator of the quality and appeal of your video. Instagram Stories, on the other hand, offer insights into the interest in your temporary and often personalised content.

Hashtag performance

Both platforms use hashtags to improve discoverability. On TikTok, viral hashtags can generate large reach in the short term, while Instagram hashtags offer more consistent and sustainable visibility.

Which social media KPI analysis tools are recommended?

In order to effectively measure the performance of your social media strategies on TikTok and Instagram, the use of suitable analysis tools is essential. Which tools do we recommend?

• Hootsuite: This tool offers a comprehensive platform for managing and analysing your social media activities. With Hootsuite, you can monitor the performance of your posts on TikTok and Instagram, create reports and customise your social media strategy.
• Sprout Social: Sprout Social is known for its user-friendly interface and offers detailed analyses of engagement, reach and other important KPIs. It helps you evaluate the effectiveness of your campaigns and make data-based decisions.
• Google Analytics: Although not a dedicated social media tool, Google Analytics can provide valuable insights into the traffic and interaction of your social media campaigns on your website. It is particularly useful for measuring ROI and conversion rates.
• TikTok Analytics: TikTok offers an integrated analytics tool designed specifically for the platform. It allows you to monitor the performance of your videos, including views, engagement rate and follower growth.
• Instagram Insights: This tool is integrated directly into the Instagram app and provides detailed analyses of your posts, stories and reels. It helps you to understand the reach and engagement of your content and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion

Both TikTok and Instagram offer valuable KPIs to help you optimise your marketing strategy. The choice of platform depends on your specific goals and target groups. TikTok is great for quick, viral reach and dynamic content, while Instagram offers a more stable, visually orientated platform that aims for long-term interactions. By analysing and comparing the KPI’s of both platforms, you can make informed decisions and improve your social media strategies in a targeted manner. Support with the KPIs on your social media channels can be found here.