Are Instagram and Snapchat copying TikTok with new features on their apps? If they want to continue to be successful, they certainly are.
In fact, it didn’t take long at all for the new features to be offered once TikTok took off. This new platform of social media has become a global phenomenon and challenges the rest for the domination of users’ attention.
Why Copy TikTok?
As far as social media goes, both Instagram and Snapchat are extremely popular and offer something that TikTok doesn’t. With this in mind, the question might be why these two platforms should copy a newcomer? The reason is simple, we love TikTok. Whether before the COVID-19 pandemic, during it, or once it’s passed us by, we love to see entertaining short videos that are fun and funny with people we know or celebrities we want to connect to. This is what TikTok brings to the market.
What has Instagram Added?
The new Reels feature of Instagram was added recently to give us something more fun and creative than the Instagram Stories feature. The Reels feature allows users to create short videos and set them to music. These videos can have augmented reality effects to make the experience even more fun.
Where Do the Instagram Reels Videos Go
Users of Instagram can post their Reels videos to their Stories where they will stay for 24 hours or they can put them on their feeds and allow them to appear on the Reels tab. Those who have public accounts can post Reels to the Explore tab where otherusers can find and watch these videos. The Explore tab offers a selection of trending videos by creators and other users.
Facebook Copies TikTok Too
Facebook owns Instagram, which means some of the features you see on one platform often show up in the other. Facebook created its own TikTok copycat feature called Lasso before Instagram had the Reels feature. While we don’t know for sure if Reels or Lasso will be an alternative to TikTok, many users are already taking advantage of these features to give users something more to enjoy when on social media.
Snapchat is Much Closer to TikTok
The various features of Snapchat make it the perfect place for games, augmented reality, and funny videos. The ability to add music to videos and a testof vertical navigation isnew personalized features that allow Snapchat to be more of a direct contender when pitted against TikTok. This means there might be a true social media war among users regarding which of these platforms will be the most popularfor users around the world.
Music Is Being Added Slowly
In early August, Snapchat began allowing users to enjoy adding music to some of the videos recorded in the app. This is the one item that truly makes TikTok work the way it does. Currently, only Snapchat users in Australia and New Zealand can add music to their videos. Hopefully, this will be a successful early test and this feature will be rolled out to the rest of the globe soon.
The Vertical Navigation or The Verge
The currentversion of Snapchat allows users to swipe through public content horizontally, which is what users have been used to from other apps. In July, Snapchat began testing vertical navigation to give users another way to swipe through the content. Is this another way to copy TikTok? Yes, it is, and it might not be where Snapchat stops working to copy the features that are being offed on TikTok.
Taking the Copy Game to a New Level
Another feature that Snapchat is testing that is a copy of TikTok is the sharing of proprietary Snapchat content on other platforms. Users can already share their own Stories outside the platform but this test allows users to share shows, Publisher Stories, and other public content. Is this also a copy of TikTok? You bet it is, TikTok videos are regularly shared on other platforms through ha link that directs users and non-users to view the content on TikTok.com.
Will Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok Win
The decision to use a social media platform is a personal one. Some use several platforms while others will only use one or two. Even so, if one platform offers the exact same features as another, the choice will come down to where the contacts are for that user. With this in mind, Instagram and Snapchat have a strong lead in the market, but TikTok has blown up and could be dominant in the market within the next couple of years.
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