Here’s something Instagram will not like to hear. I have moved on to TikTok *ghasp* Okay, okay, hold on. Here’s the full story of what, why and how, along with an important comparison of Instagram vs Tiktok for growing a coaching business.
Instagram has been my no.1 platform for scaling my business, landing new clients, getting membership members, yadda, yadda, yadda. I’M STILL THERE, I STILL LOVE IT.
But.
Really, how do I say it lightly…
Instagram sucks these days.
We can blame the algorithm, my content or the updates. It doesn’t matter.
I just keep seeing things flopping one after another and it’s goddamn tiring. So I gave a go to something that was long on my to-do list but never came to be.
Oh, I know.
The dancing, the bullying, the teenagers. Yeah. BUT.
TikTok is a goddamn game-changer in so many different ways.
And showing up on the platform seems way more seamless and fun for me.
Plus it has made it just so easy to actually reach a new audience.
IT’S A FREAKIN’ GOLDMINE.
Instagram vs TikTok for growing a coaching business
Before we move any further, let me tell you this:
Leave your assumptions at the door.
Long gone are the days when TikTok was for dancing teenagers.
Now, there are tons of very successful businesses in many different niches that grow their audiences immensely day by day with, dare I say, simple videos.
And the truth is, the videos really can be SO simple! Often it takes just a random scene with a text to make it.
Finances, business, SEO, social media, yoga, wellbeing, books… I’ve seen people in so many niches skyrocket their businesses. If you thought TikTok won’t be for you – I strongly suggest you to give it a go!
The best part – you can probably use the content you already have for your initial videos.
So if you are currently deciding between Instagram vs TikTok for growing a coaching business – you probably can do both rather easily.
The key differences between Instagram vs TikTok
A few key aspects that make them very different from each other:
- Instagram is more of a curated content place while TikTok is more of a “throw pasta on the wall and see what sticks”. Now, don’t get me wrong. Both platforms need to have a strategy in place. BUT TikTok is so much more accepting when it comes to random pieces of content (film your coffee, put on a relevant text and voila!)
- Instagram’s algorithm is more about your engagement – how many comments and saves you get, for example – while TikTok is more about the views – how long your videos are being watched, how many times one video is repeated etc.
- TikTok is more focused on getting out to a new audience while Instagram is more about showing up for your followers. TikTok’s “For You Page” (suggestion page) is the main landing page and most of the video views come from it.
Even if we look at these differences only, it gives some indication that TikTok might be easier for new user reach and actual growth.
Is Instagram or TikTok the one to go for?
You know that saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”, right?
The same goes for Instagram vs TikTok for growing a coaching business. There isn’t one perfect fit and it all might depend on many different elements.
For example, who is your ideal audience? There is a big assumption that TikTok is for young people only but these days almost anyone can be found there! And sure, while 20-year-olds are more likely to have the app, I also have clients who are successfully reaching older generations on this app (40-50-60’s).
For many businesses, BOTH really will be the key answer.
The best part is that you can rather easily reuse the content you use on Instagram to put in on TikTok (don’t do it vice-versa though).
I’d suggest having an Instagram account for growing a dedicated and interested audience. It might take more time and more strategy along the way but it’s absolutely worth it.
TikTok, on the other hand, is amazing for getting explored! And ultimately your followers might travel from one platform to another to discover you (keep your name the same!)
A few quick tips for an easier start on TikTok
For Instagram growth hacks, check out this article instead!
As I already mentioned, aesthetics and overall strategy on TikTok is a bit more low-key than Instagram. You don’t have to overthink AT ALL. You can post anything and experiment in many different ways.
A few simple things I followed that made getting started on TikTok a lot easier:
- Use your existing video content BUT don’t have it saved directly from Instagram. It’s always best to film on your phone and then post on each app specifically.
- Follow other accounts in your field to get a dose of inspiration. This will help you to explore a variety of different types of content you could post.
- Try different video styles – from talking head to simple text videos with a random background. You never know which one might be THE one.
- Don’t overthink posting times and, as already mentioned, an overall strategy. Anything goes on TikTok! And while you should add in a dose of educational content to reach YOUR audience, experiment with other options as well.
Behind the scenes of my first months on TikTok
My TikTok account was NOT an instant success and I’m not gonna lie – I thought about it being utterly useless more than once. BUT.
As I already had tons of videos prepped from before (everything I have ever posted on Reels or even Stories), I decided to repurpose it all, day by day.
For around 2 months, I was posting new content daily, without doing much of anything else, and I grew to 500+ followers.
Then I fell off the consistency and my account was quiet for a while…
Now, it’s been 8 months of somewhat consistent presence on TikTok and I’m approaching 1K followers. Most of my TikTok’s reach 200-300 people which is on the lower end but many of these viewers are COMPLETELY NEW and often translate into new followers.
Besides that, I’ve also connected with many great creators and have had a ton of fun on the platform.
Once I’ll reach 1K, I will also have the option to do Lives which I’m really looking forward to doing!
So if I’d have to choose Instagram vs TikTok for growing a coaching business, I’d probably get started with TikTok and then focus more on Instagram.
Ready to learn more about building a profitable course business? Follow for more on Instagram or TikTok!
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