I don't know if it's just me, but lately I see videos on TikTok that make me laugh out loud, and then I see something similar on Instagram and it doesn't even make me smile. Is it because TikTok actually has better humor or is it that the algorithm shows me more personalized stuff?
TikTok's format favors short, fast videos that get to the joke in seconds, while Instagram still has a lot of diluted content in carousels and long posts 📱 I've noticed that on TikTok the pace is so fast that if something doesn't entertain you in the first 3 seconds, you've already moved on to the next thing, but that also means that when something does land, it hits hard. Instagram is different because there's more "setup" and sometimes the joke gets lost in the editing or the platform just doesn't prioritize that kind of content on your feed the way TikTok would, so you're probably seeing stuff that isn't even made to be funny in the same way 🤷
TikTok is literally designed to show you content based on what you watch, pause, share, and how much time you spend on each video, so the algorithm is way more aggressive about personalizing than Instagram's. Plus, TikTok's short-form nature forces creators to hit the punchline or the joke in the first few seconds to hook you, while Instagram often recycles jokes you've already seen elsewhere or that just don't get to the point as fast. It's probably not that TikTok has better humor in general, but that your feed is dialed in to what specifically makes you laugh!
Do you share the videos that make you laugh on TikTok or do you just swipe past them? Because that's part of the key. TikTok's algorithm is definitely way more aggressive than Instagram's, but I think people exaggerate a bit when they say that's all it is. Instagram also has a pretty personalized algorithm, the thing is that the format interrupts the rhythm of the humor.
On TikTok the joke lands in 5-15 seconds with no interruptions, while Instagram shows you 3-4 videos in a carousel, so by the time something funny happens you're already thinking about swiping to the next one. Plus, TikTok has a culture of "disposable" videos where people experiment way more with absurd formats, weird transitions, jokes that are super specific to the internet. Instagram is still more formal, even in the Reels feed. TikTok creators feel like they can do things that on Instagram they'd feel don't fit 😅
What I notice is that both platforms show you what they want you to see, but TikTok nailed the formula of "the more you watch, the more I know your sense of humor" and that's rare to pull off. Instagram still filters a lot by global trends and who you follow, but TikTok doesn't care if you don't follow anyone, it shows it to you anyway. So yeah, it's the algorithm, but it's also that TikTok's format was literally designed for humor to work better.
Log into answer.
