We’ve all had a longtime love affair with Facebook. And now we’re growing more and more attached to Pinterest. But the question stands: Which is really the better VISUAL social network?
From a marketing standpoint – businesses are asking an important question: Where is the best place to promote visual content? Here’s the breakdown:
USERS
Facebook has more than 900 million users and 500 million who login daily. Pinterest has a respectable 10 million users and 98% also have a Facebook account.
When you’re sharing content online, you want to reach as many people as possible and clearly Facebook has the larger user base with a wider variety of content being shared.
Round 1 – Facebook is the winner
INFOGRAPHICS
Infographics have accelerated the visual content revolution and people are always creating and sharing new ones.
Facebook photos are all horizontal and square, making the majority of an infographic impossible to read unless there’s a link to the site where it came from.
Pinterest is the place to go for infographics. Here you can find entire boards dedicated to the visual data because it’s by far the easiest place to view these graphics.
Round 2 – Pinterest is the winner
PHOTOS & LIKES
The more your images are shared, the more your brand becomes visible.
On Pinterest you can Like content, but that doesn’t make the pin go viral.
When you LIKE or comment on content on Facebook, it’s shared directly within your network’s news feeds. The more LIKES it gets, the more impressions it gets.
Round 3 – Facebook is the winner
SALES
Visual content is shown in order for people to connect with your brand and its products.
Pinterest leads directly to sales. You click on the image and it links you directly to the product page where a purchase can be made.
“Collections” is Facebook’s newest addition. On brand pages, this function allows users to create a “wishlist” of the brand’s products. Eventually, this new feature will provide the ability to purchase that product through Facebook. But right now, only certain brands (Victoria’s Secret, Pottery Barn, Wayfair, Michael Kors, Neiman Marcus, Smith Optics and Fab.com) have access to this function as Facebook works out the kinks.
Round 4 – Pinterest is the winner
BETTER THAN PLAIN TEXT
When browsing content online, some users are all about the visuals, which make photos the go-to tool to easily and quickly connect with users. But sometimes, an important or awe-inspiring article that doesn’t include any graphics can help the user connect with your services or industry in the same way.
On Pinterest you only have the option of browsing and sharing photos. However, on Facebook you can view and share both text and image-based content.
Round 5 – Facebook is the winner
VIDEOS
Did you know that people who watch a video about a product are 85% more likely to purchase that item?
Both Facebook and Pinterest allow for uploaded video content to be viewed easily.
Round 6 – Tie
When it comes down to it, it really depends on your overall goals and objectives and marketers should evaluate which social network works better for them. But we still think Facebook is where it’s at thanks to all of its user-friendly and marketer-friendly tools and sharing capabilities.
Which one pleases your eyes the most?
To stay up to date on all the new and innovative happenings at Gunn|Jerkens, check back often, follow us on Twitter (@GunnJerkens) and “LIKE” us on Facebook.
