If you are creating an online marketing strategy for your business, chances are you have explored both YouTube and TikTok. There are pros and cons to using both platforms, and there are distinct differences in the content being published on each site. In creating a marketing strategy, business owners should research how to successfully use each platform to its full capability. But when you put them against each other, YouTube vs TikTok, which one would win? 

YouTube: Pros and Cons

YouTube all but started the online social media revolution. People have been publishing videos on YouTube for decades now. In more recent years, YouTube developed its own streaming content, which has been incredibly successful with 2.1 billion monthly active users and is increasing every day.

Pros:

Searchability

YouTube’s analytics deliver search results that directly match the searcher’s query. For example, if you were looking for a video about “How to fix a leaky faucet” you are going to see videos with 1.) titles that closely or exactly match your searched phrase, and 2.) videos with the longest “watch time”, or the average length of time users watch the video. This allows you to get quick access to the most engaging content that effectively meets your needs.

Content for Kids

YouTube Kids is an entirely kid-safe version of YouTube that features episodes of kid’s television shows, clips of classic and contemporary kids' songs, education-focused clips from sources like Khan Academy and PBS Kids, and regulated user-created content. This platform can give parents peace of mind to let their kids explore and enjoy content created by and for kids.

Older Demographic

Despite developing more kid-friendly content, YouTube’s demographic is typically older than other social media and content-sharing sites. Their largest viewer demographic is people ages 25 to 34, who make up about 21% of YouTube’s total ad audience. Additionally, almost 20% of YouTube’s viewers are 55 and older. Engaging older adults online is a difficult task, so it’s essential to know where they are spending their time.

Cons:

Censorship

Digital censorship is not specific to YouTube, but since the platform is owned by Google, some content creators are being “demonetized” for reasons they deem unfair. It’s the classic argument of freedom of expression vs. private companies dictating the content they publish. Some find it difficult to navigate, but it’s important to understand publishing terms and conditions before investing your time in creating content.

YouTube Shorts

In an effort to keep up with Instagram Reels and TikTok, YouTube launched Shorts in 2020. These short videos are limited to 60 seconds, however, Instagram Reels and TikToks can last 2-3 minutes.

TikTok: Pros and Cons

Tiktok was launched in 2016 to revolutionary fanfare. In 2022, TikTok was the 2nd most downloaded app in the entire world, second only to Instagram. Now, TikTok has over 1.677 billion users globally, of which 150 million are from The United States.

Pros:

Younger Demographic

There is no content creation site that has captured Gen Z’s attention like TikTok. Historically, the 18–24 age demographic has been difficult to engage. In fact, 1 in 4 TikTok users are under 20 years old and the majority of TikTok creators are aged 18 to 24. So understanding TikTok is essential to engaging younger audiences.

Video Length

TikTok’s predecessor, Vine, revolutionized short-form content. Vines had a 7-second limit, which made it a unique challenging to create content that was engaging enough to go viral. But Vine walked so TikTok could run: content published on TikTok can last up to 3 minutes, although content published by accounts with over 25,000 views averaged about 42 seconds

Cons:

Security Concerns

Even though the public seems to love TikTok, governments around the world are not fans of the platform. All over the globe, there are concerns that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, could give the Chinese government access to sensitive user data.

Last year, President Joe Biden signed into law the No TikTok on Government Devices Act. Pretty self-explanatory, but this act prohibits downloading TikTok on any government digital devices for fear of security breaches. While TikTok could be a great help in marketing your business, these security concerns, as well as the global government’s disdain for the app, are something to keep in mind. 

So… who wins?

Overall, there are pros and cons to using both YouTube and TikTok. Each platform has specific content creation parameters, monetization tools for content creators, and analytic tools.

When it comes to successfully marketing your business, one platform might work better for your specific needs than the other. Do your research, gain an in-depth understanding of your target audience, and spend your time online effectively and wisely. 

For more information about YouTube vs TikTok and how to utilize each platform, check out this livestream on YouTube hosted by our CEO and Co-Founder, Dr. Ryan Lowe. 

Marketing with energyhill

Keeping up with the latest online trends is a tricky business. Instead, rely on design and marketing experts who can save you time, money, and effort. Contact us to learn how our award-winning marketing and design team can help your business grow.

Energyhill always wants our partners to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to their social media presence. With negative comments and rhetoric, it is easy for difficult social users to negatively impact your brand. That's why our goal at Energyhill is to provide our partners with the right tools to make a positive social impact, in honest and responsible ways. Below, we've outlined what we've found to be the best 7 ways to deal with negative customers, of course in a positive manner.

Best 7 Ways to Deal with Negative Customers

1. Staying active = Staying in the Conversation

2. Not all Comments are Worth a Response

3. Act quickly

Time instantly speeds up on all social media platforms. Have some templated messages ready on standby, that you can put out for handling particular negative comments.

4. Be Authentic and Honest

An Example:
“Hi, my name is ____ and I hear you. We’re looking into it now, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. If you have any questions, contact me directly at _____.”

A response like this does two things:

5. Do the Right Thing Every Time -- Don’t Fight

6. Be Transparent and Open

Our gut reaction when dealing with negative issues is to hide it and take it offline. This doesn’t help others see your company as being proactive.

7. Involve the customer when fixing the problem

Partner Up With Them! Your customers want to love your company, if they don’t already, and so they want to help. By allowing them to be apart of the solution process, they get a sense of belonging to your brand. Plus, your worst critics might have some the best ideas!

Let Energyhill monitor your social interactions, with our fully managed social media marketing solutions. We’ll pump the right kind of energy into your brand, and help you convert potentially negative image problems into a positive learning experience.

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