Instagram’s copycat strategy beats TikTok as possible ban looms

When Instagram launches a new feature that is a direct copy of another app, its users fear the worst.

In a Digital Trends Essay 2022writer Cristina Alexander lamented the “TikTok-ification of Instagram” because it “takes away the type of content people love most on the platform: photos of friends and family, as well as content based on their interests”.

“And this is something I’m almost sick of,” Alexander wrote.

But doomsday predictions rarely last forever. Alexander joins the ranks of Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and a whole host of regular users – including myself – who fell into the cycle of hate when Instagram made a copy change and who, after a few months, come back there.

Like it or hate it, Instagram’s copycat strategy is working — and its determination to steal features from other apps is helping fuel its ability to overtake TikTok.

Think of Instagram like Kirby in Super Smash Bros. He is a formidable foe on his own, but it is the use of his copy ability by swallowing his enemies and using their own powers against them that makes him so powerful. Instead of finding and using power-ups or prioritizing his abilities, Kirby uses his enemies as his own personal power-ups. Instagram – and other Meta-owned apps – are swallowing up their enemies, adopting their features, and using them to win. Instagram used this strategy to remove Snapchat from its list of significant competitors, and TikTok is next.

For the first time since 2020, Instagram surpassed TikTok in new app downloads in 2023, according to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. reported by the Financial Times, making it the most downloaded application in the world. In 2023, downloads on Instagram increased by 20%, compared to 4% for TikTok.

This comes after Instagram launched Reels, a TikTok-like feature that was initially criticized by its user base but has now become a mainstay of the app. And perhaps it was the inclusion of Reels that helped put the platform back on top.

“Instagram has surpassed TikTok in adoption over the past few years, thanks to the popularity of its Reels feature as well as legacy social media features and functions,” said Abraham Yousef, senior analytics manager at Sensor Tower, at the Financial Times.

Instagram’s successful copy strategy may be the reason for its success, but TikTok faces a battle on all fronts.

President Joe Biden said that if Congress passes the “Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act” – which would ban TikTok and all other apps based in China, North Korea, Russia and Iran from American app stores – he would sign it. law. Lawmakers say technology/2022/nov/07/tiktoks-china-bytedance-data-concerns” target=”_blank” title=”(opens in a new window)”>TikTok user data for US citizens could be accessed by the Chinese statebut TikTok has always denied this claim.

Legislative pressure to ban TikTok has led to multiple congressional hearings and, last week, the app encouraged all its US users to call on their representatives to “stop the closure of TikTok”” This comes two years after it was reported that Meta technology/2022/mar/30/facebook-owner-reportedly-paid-republican-firm-tiktok-real-threat” target=”_blank” title=”(opens in a new window)”>Paid a Republican Consulting Firm to Create Public Distrust of TikTok.

All in, TikTok is becoming less and less fun and more focused on e-commerce. With the emergence of TikTok Store, it feels like every other video on the For You page is a promoted or sponsored post. The TikTok experience is evolving, and it may not be for the better.

Just because fewer people are downloading the app and many more are complaining about their experience on it doesn’t mean TikTok is completely failing. The app has higher engagement than its competitors, with users spending an average of 95 minutes on TikTok, compared to 62 minutes on Instagram, 30 minutes on X and 19 minutes on Snapchat, according to the Financial Times report.

We’ll have to wait and see what a TikTok ban looks like, but one thing is for sure: Even if the app isn’t banned in the United States, the fight for users won’t be over.