Facebook vs Insta – which social channel does my pet care business need?

Social media gives you a way to talk to your audience instantly, which is essential for any modern pet care business. Not only will existing customers expect you to communicate in this way, but hundreds of potential new ones could be listening too. But where do you start? With so many different social media platforms available it can be hard to know which one to use. In this series, we are going to compare some of the sites out there so that you are armed with all of the information you need. 

This time we look at Facebook vs. Instagram, to see which one might best suit your pet care business.

 

What is Facebook?

Facebook is a social media and social networking site, that originally began in 2004 for school and university students. This opened up a couple of years later to anyone over the age of 13 years, allowing it to quickly overtake MySpace to become the most popular social network in the world.

It currently has over three billion monthly active users, and while a whole array of other social media platforms now exist, Facebook still retains its strong appeal. 

Facebook allows users to set up a profile and send ‘friend requests’ to others. They can use their profile to display information about themselves and make posts on their timelines, sharing a variety of media such as photos, videos, and articles. Their friends can see this information and interact with it, commenting or ‘liking’ it. 

Similarly, users can ‘like’ pages of interest to them and start following, which is where businesses come in. When users like the page of a business they automatically become exposed to the information that the company shares, with their posts regularly appearing in their newsfeed. These can be liked, shared and tagged with wider audiences.

Its user-friendly nature is one of the reasons that it is so popular and is accessible to all age groups and other demographics.

What is Instagram?

Instagram (‘Insta’) is a free social media platform that has been around since 2010. Users create a profile that allows them to post and share photos, reels, videos, and stories with friends. It also allows users to follow other people and businesses, liking, sharing, and tagging their posts. 

Instagram has a variety of features to help users display their images in the best way possible, with editing tools and filters to enhance them. This can be useful as a business trying to advertise your brand and what you have to offer. Popular ‘Influencers’ often make use of these features, gaining thousands of ‘followers’ who enjoy seeing the photos and videos they post, as well as the brands that they promote. Many of these influencers make a living out of their social media presence. 

As well as relying heavily on visual content, Instagram still has some of the features found on other social media sites, such as private messaging. This could explain why this social media platform is the second most popular out there, with two billion monthly active users. It seems especially popular in the younger demographic of 18 – 34-year-olds. 

Summary – Facebook is a good choice for a pet care business

Facebook is the standout social media heavyweight. It is reported that half of global marketers selected Facebook as their social media platform of choice in 2022, compared to one quarter who chose Instagram. Facebook gives more versatility, appeals to a wider audience, and has the most active users of any social media site. So, I would always recommend that any pet care business concentrates on a good Facebook presence first. However, Instagram has its place and can be a good complementary site if you have time to run more than one platform.