User-generated content (UGC) has become one of the most effective ways for brands to connect with audiences. And when it comes to UGC, TikTok and Instagram are the heavyweights.
Both offer massive reach, built-in creative tools, and thriving creator communities. But they also work very differently. If you’re wondering which one to choose for your next campaign, you’re in the right place.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
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TL;DR: TikTok vs Instagram for UGC in 2025
Verdict:
Before diving into the details, here’s a side-by-side look at how TikTok and Instagram compare for UGC in 2025.
Understanding who’s active on each platform is the first step to planning effective UGC campaigns that resonate with the right audience. Age, gender, location, and language all shape how users create, share, and interact with content on TikTok and Instagram.
Both TikTok and Instagram are dominant social media platforms
According to Statista, in early 2025, Instagram had roughly 2 billion active monthly users, while TikTok had around 1.59 billion. Both social media platforms attract massive audiences, but their audience demographics show clear differences.
Data by Exploding Topics shows that TikTok in the US is dominated by Gen Z and younger Millennials, with the 25–34 age group making up 39.7% of users and the 18–24 bracket close behind at 27.2%. The 35–44 group accounts for 15.9%, while older users make up smaller portions: 8.8% are 45–54, and 8.2% are 55+.
Moreover, TikTok’s audience is predominantly male, with 55.7% male users compared to 44.3% female.
Instagram, on the other hand, has a more balanced user base worldwide. As of April 2025, 31.6% of users are aged 25–34, and 29.5% are 18–24. The next largest group is 35–44 at 16.3%, followed by 45–54 at 9%, 55–64 at 4.9%, and 65+ at 3.2%.
Gender distribution of Instagram shows 52.5% male users and 46.5% female users, meaning the platform attracts both men and women in almost equal measure.
For content creators planning UGC campaigns, TikTok’s younger, male-leaning audience aligns with viral short-form videos, branded hashtag challenges, and fast-moving viral trends. By comparison, Instagram’s broader reach and even gender split make it ideal for long-form videos.
Good tactics can include visual storytelling, influencer marketing, and community building that target multiple generations.
As Geoff Crain explained in Forbes,
“Instagram’s audience still reacts fairly well to sponsored and branded content. Images and videos with a high production level can still generate conversions. However, on TikTok, the audience tends to prefer organic or user-generated content.”
In 2023, US adults averaged 53.8 minutes per day on TikTok, compared to 33.1 minutes on Instagram. This gap shows TikTok users spend more continuous time within the app. They consume and interact with a higher volume of short-form videos. Longer daily use can increase opportunities for exposure to UGC campaigns and repeated brand impressions.
Instagram sessions are shorter but still significant. Users engage across feeds, Instagram Reels, and the Explore page. While time spent is lower, the platform’s audience behavior often includes purposeful browsing. People visit to view specific content types or connect with creators they already follow.
For brands, these differences matter when shaping a content plan. TikTok offers extended viewing windows, while Instagram provides focused interaction periods.
Instagram’s audience is widely distributed, with the biggest user bases in India at about 392 million, the United States at 172 million, Brazil at 141 million, and Indonesia at 90 million. That mix makes Instagram a strong pick for global UGC campaigns aimed at diverse regions and languages.
TikTok’s largest markets look different. The United States leads at roughly 148 million users, followed by Indonesia at 126 million, Brazil at 101 million, Mexico at 77 million, and Vietnam at 69.7 million. This matters for content planning, local trends, and regional ad formats.
Language support also shapes reach. Instagram offers broad multilingual features and now auto‑translates captions and stickers on Instagram Reels, which helps cross‑border content discovery. Stories translations are available in many languages as well.
TikTok provides in‑app language selection and wide language availability, and TikTok Shop documentation shows supported languages for product information. This helps you run shoppable posts and localized social commerce at scale.
Bottom line for reach: pick markets first, then tailor captions, on‑screen text, and audio to the dominant language mix in each country.
When it comes to making user-generated content, picking a platform that’s easy to use really pays off. That’s why knowing the creative tools behind each is very crucial.
TikTok has built its reputation on being beginner-friendly while still giving pros plenty to work with. Its built-in editing suite includes transitions, speed controls, text overlays, AR filters, and one of the biggest audio libraries in any social video platform. Features like duets, stitches, and voice effects make it easy to ride viral trends or join a branded hashtag challenge without extra software.
In contrast, Instagram Reels offers solid but more streamlined tools, basic trimming, filters, text, and access to music tracks. While it supports effects and AR features, many creators still edit their videos in third-party apps before posting for that extra polish.
Instagram is improving fast, adding better remix tools and expanding its effects library to help content creators produce high-quality clips directly in-app.
Both TikTok and Instagram know that content creators are the heart of every UGC campaign. That’s why they’ve built tools and programs to help creators connect with brands, earn income, and grow their presence.
TikTok leads with its Creator Marketplace, a searchable hub where you can find creators by niche, audience demographics, and engagement patterns.
It also runs the Creator Rewards Program (which replaced the old Creator Fund) to offer higher payouts for original content, plus monetization through TikTok Shop and live gifts. These tools make it easy for you to form influencer partnerships and source authentic UGC directly from niche creators.
Instagram supports collaboration through features like Collab posts, branded content tags, and its own affiliate marketing program with product tags. Tools like broadcast channels and Instagram Subscriptions give creators more ways to connect with loyal audiences and earn recurring income.
You can benefit from these features when running targeted influencer marketing campaigns that rely on long-term community building.
On TikTok, creators can shoot, edit, and post in minutes using in-app tools, making it ideal for UGC campaigns that need quick turnaround or to jump on viral trends. The platform’s algorithm-driven content discovery gives new posts instant visibility potential.
Instagram often involves more polish, with many creators editing off-platform before posting. While this adds time, it suits campaigns needing consistent visual storytelling and cohesive branding. Bulk scheduling through Meta’s tools makes scaling multi-post campaigns easier.
TikTok’s For You page is built for algorithm-driven content discovery. It pushes videos to users based on watch history, engagement patterns, and trending audio. This means even new creators can see viral videos take off within hours, especially when they tap into viral trends or a branded hashtag challenge.
The reach is global, which makes it easier for you to break into new markets without a large follower base.
Instagram’s Explore page and hashtags are central to content discovery, but reach often depends on an existing audience. While Instagram Reels can go beyond followers, the platform still prioritizes showing content to people already connected to the creator. Branded hashtags and shoppable posts can extend reach, but growth is more gradual.
TikTok generally spreads UGC faster thanks to its algorithm-driven For You page, while Instagram’s reach grows more steadily and depends more on existing followers.
When you understand how much UGC campaigns cost, it helps you set realistic expectations and plan smarter.
If you want to get your UGC campaigns live fast and reach a wide audience at a lower cost, TikTok’s lower CPC and CPM make it a strong choice. But if you’re aiming for higher profitability, Instagram’s average ROAS of 8.83 gives you a better shot at maximizing returns, especially if your strategy leans on visual storytelling, influencer marketing, and long-term community growth.
TikTok consistently delivers higher engagement rates across most audience sizes. In the US, accounts with 100K–500K followers average 9.74% engagement, compared to 6.59% for Instagram Reels. Even at over 10 million followers, TikTok posts average 10.52%, while Instagram sits at 8.77%.
TikTok’s features like duets, stitches, and comment video replies make interaction fast and frequent. They create viral spikes that can happen in hours.
On the other hand, Instagram focuses more on community building. While its engagement rates are lower than TikTok’s in raw numbers, tools like polls, questions, and long captions help brands maintain steady interaction. In verticals like beauty, wellness, and lifestyle, Instagram often drives deeper, relationship-based engagement, whereas TikTok excels in rapid reach for UGC campaigns.
TikTok dominates in short-term interaction volume, while Instagram builds sustained audience relationships over time.
On TikTok, viral UGC campaigns often use duets, stitches, POV clips, and quick short-form videos (7-10 seconds) tied to viral trends. Humor, relatability, and reactive content drive shares and keep posts on the For You page longer.
On Instagram, polished Reels, engaging carousels, and interactive Stories work best. These formats lend themselves to visual storytelling, brand consistency, and deeper audience connections.
User expectations differ: TikTok favors spontaneity and quick entertainment, while Instagram rewards polish, cohesion, and authenticity over time.
TikTok supports brands with the TikTok Creator Center. It offers performance analytics, trend insights, and creator discovery tools. It integrates shoppable UGC through TikTok Shop and affiliate links. This makes it easy to turn content into sales. Sponsored content rules are clear, with in-app disclosure tags for transparency.
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Instagram uses Meta Business Suite to manage posts, track analytics, and schedule campaigns across Instagram and Facebook. It offers strong affiliate marketing options with product tags, shoppable posts, and a shoppable gallery feature that turns a brand’s profile into a curated storefront. Branded content tags keep campaigns transparent and help build trust with audiences.
Instagram offers stronger long-term infrastructure for brand UGC, while TikTok provides faster, sales-driven tools for trend-based campaigns.
If your goal is fast reach, low cost per click, and viral potential, TikTok takes the lead. Over half (55.7%) of all TikTok posts are user-generated content, which makes it the platform’s core strength. Its algorithm-driven For You page, low production barriers, and trend-first culture give UGC campaigns quick momentum, even for brands without large followings.
If you want higher ROAS, stronger community building, and multi-format storytelling, Instagram is the better long-term investment. Its global audience mix, advanced shopping features, and visual polish work well for brands aiming to nurture loyal customers over time.
We suggest running dual-platform UGC campaigns by using TikTok for rapid awareness and Instagram for relationship-driven conversions.
TikTok and Instagram both offer strong opportunities to invest in UGC. Your choice depends on your goals: fast viral reach, sustained community growth, or a mix of both. Using each platform strategically ensures your campaigns perform at their best.
Key Takeaways
If you want to scale your UGC campaigns with proven results, inBeat Agency can help. They connect you with vetted creators and manage content from concept to launch.
Book your free strategy call now for platform-perfect UGC that drives clicks, customers, and conversions!
What is the UGC trend in 2025?
In 2025, UGC is shifting toward authentic, platform-native content with direct sales integration. Brands are pairing TikTok trend-driven videos with Instagram’s shoppable features to merge entertainment, community, and instant purchase options.
Which UGC platform is best?
The best UGC platform depends on your goal. TikTok is ideal for rapid reach, viral trends, and low production barriers. Instagram excels in long-term brand building, visual storytelling, and driving conversions through shoppable posts.
Is TikTok good for UGC?
Yes. TikTok’s low production barrier, trend-first culture, and algorithm-driven For You page make it ideal for quick, high-visibility UGC campaigns.
Is it better to grow on Instagram or TikTok?
It depends on your growth strategy. TikTok offers faster audience growth through algorithm-driven discovery, even for new accounts. Instagram delivers steadier growth, stronger community retention, and better long-term engagement opportunities.
What type of UGC performs best on TikTok?
Short, relatable videos tied to trends, duets, stitches, and reactive content work best. Humor and authenticity often drive higher shares and engagement.
Is Instagram better for long-term UGC campaigns?
Yes. Instagram’s polished visuals, community features, and shoppable posts make it ideal for sustained engagement and conversions over time.
Do Gen Z users prefer TikTok or Instagram?
Gen Z leans toward TikTok for trends and entertainment. However, many also use Instagram for social connections, shopping, and following creators.
