Will Instagram become like Tik Tok?

What began with simple dances and challenges has now become one of the most downloaded apps ever. In addition to the trend factor, the social network is now also backed by a lot of money and influence. According to Bloomberg, the app had around 1.6 billion active users worldwide in the first quarter of 2022 alone. This corresponds to growth of almost 28% compared to the previous year.

After a failed educational app in 2014, Chinese developers Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang came up with the idea for Musical.ly - an app in which 15-second videos can be enhanced with filters, emojis and music and then shared. Within a very short space of time, they developed a network that quickly enjoyed rapidly growing user numbers - after just two years, there were already 140 million users. In 2017, Musical.ly was then purchased by Chinese internet technology company ByteDance (Beijing Bytedance Technology Ltd.) for a price of between 800 million and one billion US dollars. The Musical-ly users were taken over by ByteDance for the evolution of the network. ByteDance had developed the comparable app Douyin at the same time - but this was only intended for the Chinese market. To ensure success on the international market, the two apps were merged and launched in 2017.

TikTok is a platform on which videos and photos can be posted and live streams can be started and viewed. These thrive on topical hashtags, challenges and advanced AI functions that deliver the most relevant content without users having to give explicit signals to determine their interests. Like Musical.ly, the platform is characterized by short smartphone videos, which were initially 15 seconds long, but can now be up to 60 seconds long if they are created in the app. Other videos can be up to 60 minutes long. In line with the platform's motto "Make every second count", users can edit their content with effects, filters and music. The influence on the development of national and international music charts is massive. Many songs and artists that end up in the charts became known through the social network's short videos. The target group is primarily teenagers and people in their early twenties.

How the platform works

The application can be downloaded via the Appstore or the Google Play Store. When you open it for the first time, all functions are explained step by step. Registration is only required to create your own content. Each time you open the application, you will land on your individual "Home" page. Here you are shown content from users you follow ("Follow me") and content that might be of interest to you ("For you") - similar to the display in the Instagram app. Via the "Discover" navigation point, the TikTok algorithm suggests potentially relevant content from other users that you can browse through. The content can be marked with "I like", commented on and the profiles can be followed.

Back in July 2021, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced extensive changes to the app. The focus should no longer be on sharing photos, but even more on videos, recommendations and shopping.

The platform only made a comprehensive update available to a test group in May. It is still unclear to what extent the content will be rolled out for everyone and when this will happen. However, some aspects of the update are already active for the majority of users. Although the testing of increased full-screen content was initially discontinued after widespread criticism, the app wants to continue developing in the direction of a video platform. However, the new algorithm will probably result in photos becoming significantly less important in the future and being replaced even more by video formats, but they should not disappear completely.

Here is an overview of the most important new features of the latest Instagram updates (until February 2025)

• The corporate identity has been revised: The app now appears in a new design, with a new font and a new color gradient for the logo. You can see what this is all about and what it now looks like here.

• New layout for the feed: After receiving a lot of criticism for a full-screen test, the increased display and preference for posts in 9:16 format has been reversed. Instead, the number of recommendations has been temporarily reduced for an optimized feed. For carousel posts, the number of slides below the post is displayed as dots.

• New layout for the profile feed: The square grid layout of the profile feed has been the platform standard since Instagram's invention. In response to increasing competition from Tik Tok and content in portrait format, however, this is now changing: since January 2025, Instagram has also been testing a 3:4 format for the feed.

• Reels have become interactive and longer: Reels can now be up to 90 seconds long and contain interactive stickers such as polls and stickers (similar to Stories). Additional audio and sound functions are available to help create new content.

• Stories: The story bar at the top of the screen disappears until you actively scroll back. You now have to actively swipe forward for the next story instead of just tapping as before. Stories are also longer and can now last 60 seconds instead of 15 seconds.

• Grid editing feature: This feature allows you to pin your three favorite posts from your account so that they are displayed at the top of the grid and no longer disappear at the bottom. The pinned posts appear below the profile biography and offer the opportunity to present important topics and events prominently above the chronologically sorted content.

• Posts can be accompanied by music: Background music can now be added to both photo and video posts. When creating a post, you can search for the desired song in the Instagram music gallery and select it for the post.

Instagram has also been testing the SuperSync feature for some time, a function that allows added images and videos to be played automatically to the selected music. This makes content creation particularly easy. The feature has already been in use on Tik Tok for some time and is to be adopted 1:1. There is not yet an exact date for the roll-out, the test phase is still ongoing. You can find out more here. On allfacebook.de you will find further exciting developments on the platform as a "live ticker".

Advertise on Tik Tok

Trends develop incredibly quickly on TikTok, not only for dances, challenges and music, but also for products. Influencer marketing or TikTok ads can become a profitable tool in the marketing mix for companies. International companies with a young target group in particular can reach a large number of users via this channel. The ads work via videos; the design of ads as images has no relevance on this platform. Ads are created in the Tik Tok Creative Center, and the setting options are very similar to those of the ad manager for Instagram and Facebook Ads. The platform also provides the Tik Tok Editor for post-processing the ad content.

How much of your own content you need to place an ad

There is no fixed requirement on Instagram and Tik Tok as to how much of your own content you need to have on your profile in order to be able to place ads. However, campaigns are most successful if you already have a community that knows and trusts you. High-quality, original content is important for high-quality ads, but without an expressive account and community, it is generally not enough. Our tip: If you are just starting out with social media, concentrate on organically building and expanding your account. Establish a thematic focus, interact with followers and publish interesting posts to build trust in your brand. We have summarized which formats you can use for your posts in our article Instagram image sizes and video formats. You can then place additional ads at a later date. If you are unsure when the right time is to use paid ads, we will be happy to assist you as marketing consultants.

Since 2020 at the latest, music has increasingly been used on Tik Tok and Instagram as lip-syncing, dance challenges or background soundtracks. The selection is now huge and millions of songs are available. The algorithm is said to increasingly play out reels, Tik Toks and other posts with certain trending songs, which can provide free reach. However, there are legal requirements to be observed in order to avoid legal consequences due to performance and copyright infringements and violations of GEMA guidelines. GEMA unites composers, lyricists and authors of musical works and, as a collecting society, represents the claims of its members internationally in the event of copyright infringements. Reason enough to take a closer look at the subject of music in order to avoid conflicts.

What copyright law says

According to copyright law, the use of music for private accounts is usually permitted, as the platform has acquired corresponding licenses from the major music labels. However, the situation is often different for commercial use. The music option is usually only available to a very limited extent. If you want to use music tracks with your company account, it is important to know which regulations apply and when. According to the terms and conditions, Tik Tok does not ensure that you automatically receive the necessary rights. You should therefore be well informed about the legal situation. We have summarized a brief overview for you.

General conditions for the use of music on Tik Tok and Instagram

• Since 2021, Tik Tok has agreed on license agreements with the major music labels, and the use of these songs is legal
• the regulations mean that performers receive remuneration for their works
• third-party works should be thoroughly checked and permission obtained before publication
• If in doubt, ask your legal advisor to avoid legal consequences

Since you cannot ask GEMA for permission for every music title in case of doubt, you should either consult your legal advisor or fall back on copyright restrictions. In addition to caricatures, parodies and "pastiches" of works in accordance with Section 51a UrhG (humorous or mocking treatment of a piece of music), this also includes the quotation of a work in accordance with Section 51 UrhG (content-related treatment). You should decide on a case-by-case basis and use license-free music if necessary.

What happens in the event of copyright infringements

• You may be threatened with a warning letter
• A declaration to cease and desist may follow
• You can expect claims for damages

Of course, this information does not replace professional legal advice or a legal examination of the individual case.