A recent report released by Insider Intelligence has shed light on a noteworthy shift in the social media landscape, indicating that US adults are spending more time on TikTok than on Instagram.
TikTok dominates user retention in the United States
According to the report, US adults aged 18 and above are projected to spend a total of 4.43 billion minutes per day on TikTok in 2023, surpassing the daily attention time on Instagram, which is estimated at 3.91 billion minutes.
This trend is particularly remarkable given that TikTok boasts a smaller user base compared to Instagram.
While TikTok is forecasted to have 82.3 million monthly adult users in the US this year, Instagram’s user count stands at 118.4 million.
These numbers underscore TikTok’s ability to capture a higher share of attention time despite having fewer users overall.
Instagram expected to earn six times more than TikTok in 2023
Despite TikTok’s advantage in attention time, Instagram continues to maintain a strong foothold in advertising spend due to its greater scale and connections to Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook.
The report predicts that in 2023, Instagram is projected to earn approximately six times the ad revenue per adult user per hour compared to TikTok.
Instagram’s response to TikTok’s surge has been the introduction of its competitor product, Reels. This feature has contributed to the growth of attention time on Instagram, although its impact on overall attention time is nuanced.
While Reels is gaining traction with both advertisers and users, it still lags behind TikTok in terms of its reach and influence.
YouTube still maintains lead with highest user retention
The COVID-19 pandemic catalysed significant changes in user behaviour across social media and entertainment platforms.
The report highlights a substantial increase in time spent on social media at the pandemic’s onset, driven by the need for online engagement during lockdowns. Additionally, the rise of video content, particularly on platforms like TikTok, coincided with this period of increased online activity.
While TikTok has shown its prowess in capturing attention time, it’s important to note that YouTube remains a dominant force in the social entertainment space.
The report indicates that YouTube outpaces both TikTok and Instagram, driving a staggering 4.5 billion more minutes of watch time per day than TikTok.