With the booming social media trend of social media and digital marketing through images and videos and billions of active users at any one time, it is evident that visual content is permanently disposable to any business and marketer. Using pictures and videos to represent your brand, create brand awareness, and enhance your customer base will be an effective and popular tactic among brands and digital marketers.
Pinterest and Instagram are currently highly considered because presently, people are even lazier. They are inclined towards obtaining information through easy sensory observations and in a shorter time. Henceforth they prefer to view information than choosing to read them. This is also the main reason that Instagram and Pinterest have become so incredibly popular and are turning into visual social media giants.
But when considering Instagram Vs. Pinterest and their effectiveness and usage for your Brand and Business, we can say that it is hard and a little bit incomparable.
You Might ask Why? Don’t they both produce images and videos as a source of content?
Well, Yes and No…
Each of these platforms has different purposes and objectives. They serve their own unique purpose and so hold their own spot in the social media scene. Even though they are both visually centered, they have their own distinctive selling point and strength.
Both platforms have drawn the attention of businesses so that many of them use automation tools for marketing on them. For example, Pinterest automation bots are really sought-after among women-related businesses these days.
This article will analyze both Pinterest and Instagram and what they define when compared to one another. We will open what it means for a Business to be in either one and how it can leverage your business and customer engagement. But we will also show you the great diversity in the nature of either of these platforms and what it will mean to you as a Business.
So Stay Tuned.
Pinterest Vs. Instagram
To define Pinterest Versus Instagram and what they are compared to one another, we would first need to define each social media platform separately. We will start with what each of these giants represents.
What Is Instagram?
We will first off start with Instagram since it’s the most known out of the two. Unless you were living under a rock, you should have heard about Instagram. With One Billion Active Users Per Month and close to 500 Million Daily Active Users, there is no way you would not know Instagram. It is the second most popular social media network after Facebook with 2.6 Billion Monthly Active Users.
Instagram was invented to create an easy, fun, and imaginative way of capturing life within images, videos, and conversations for family and friends. Its first incentive is to be fun and carefree. Their primary application for implementing content is through a smartphone and mostly is designed as such, but can be used on the Desktop.
Visual content uploaded to Instagram can be seen both privately and publicly on your Instagram Profile. Your “Followers” or “Friends” can access your published contents or posts on their own newsfeed, which resembles the Facebook Home Feed. The followers can comment, like, and share your content once they are in your account.
The most significant aspect of Instagram is that it is easy to use. Any Social Media and Network savvy business and brand would easily be able to create their brand awareness and marketing strategy within Instagram by sharing creative, engaging, and quality visuals.
What Is Pinterest?
Pinterest is an image distribution and social media resource produced to allow the saving and discovery of content on the internet. Pinterest uses photos, animated GIFs, and videos in a pinboard structure.
Henceforward, why this pinboard structure often shows Pinterest as a visual bookmarking tool. It is more or less an internet-based information board. Pinterest is distinctive in the way it allows content to be organized.
The visual app is available and compatible with both Desktop and Mobile. Users can create and save their photos and videos for later. Most people use the app for cuisines and recipes, event planning, and event management, like; weddings, baby showers, and parties.
The action of saving an image or a video on Pinterest is “Pinning.” A user would “Pin,” a visual they find interesting to the appropriate “boards,” or a collection of saved Pins. When the specific visual is clicked on, the user is taken to the page source where the image has been taken from.
Like Instagram, people may choose to comment, like, or repin promoted pins posted by other users. So Pinterest even can be used for your business growth as well since it encourages sharing visual content.
But if they are so alike, which should we use? Pinterest or Instagram.
#1. Reasons
The justification of why people choose Pinterest or Instagram can help determine which social media platform your business should invest its time in.
The reason why a user would follow an account on Instagram differs from an account on Pinterest. Moreover, how people communicate and interact with content and each other on the two social media platforms is also different.
You need to know these reasons, justifications, and differences to be productive on these different platforms as a business.
Reasons Behind Pinterest Accounts
Pinterest is mostly for discovering, idea creation, and production. It could be a design DIY, food recipe, function theme scheme, a renovation project, or an arrangement outline. The type of content used in Pinterest feeds initiates inventiveness, allows for niches and interests search, and showcase knack and capabilities.
On Pinterest, Accounts need to present details and guidelines in reaching a specific image or outlook. For example, you might post a picture of your dinner, but you must also add its recipe. It is not just posting about the outcome but also how other users can get to the same result.
Pinterest is niche and interest-specific, so users usually tend to look for only specific content and follow precise accounts around the same interest.
They don’t tend to trail away from their particular interests. We can say on Pinterest Content Innovation is vital because it promotes learning, education, innovation, and application. A post on Pinterest must create inspiration through something new.
Reasons Behind Instagram Accounts
However, on Instagram, the single image or video itself is a priority. You could post the image of what you had for lunch or dinner without mentioning how you made it, and you would still gain a maximum audience, comments, and likes.
This is because Instagram is first and foremost made for leisure rather than education or innovation creation. This tactic will not work on Pinterest because to gain an audience on Pinterest; you would need to provide details and processes.
https://blogwaves.com/news/most-followed-instagram-accounts/On Instagram, people may follow more than a few niches and interests. Because what they follow does not determine their actions. They may follow accounts they find intriguing and entertaining. On Instagram, the primary source of content is within the photos or posts itself. If an account is based around a specific niche and interest, users will locate it based on tags, keywords, or friends that follow the Instagram account.
#2. Audience Demographics
It matters to know where your target audience is spending most of their time because where their time is spent is also where you should invest your money, time, and services in. Based on Statistics:
Instagram’s audiences are more highly diverse compared to Pinterest’s audiences. Instagram has a larger audience as well; Instagram has over 1 Billion monthly active users, but Pinterest Users are 25 Million per month.
Instagram Audiences
Instagram Audiences are mostly women under 30 Years of age; who primarily follow interesting, authentic, and fashion based accounts. But generally, it has an even mix of genders. There are 52 % of Females and 48 % of Males Statistics.
The most considerable age demographic on Instagram is 25 to 34-Year-olds.
Pinterest Audiences
Pinterest users are mostly women, but they primarily are interested and directed towards accounts based on crafting, recipes, and tips for products and information. Unlike Instagram, Pinterest is heavily female-focused, with 80% of the audiences being women and only 20% being men.
Pinterest’s most considerable age demographic is 25 to 34 Years old, 40 percent, followed by 35 to 44-Year-olds close after.
It depends on you as a Business and a Brand which target audience and demographic would best fit your business. But if you need to target men as well, Instagram is the way to go.
#3. Links
If your social network strategy is to generate website traffic, Pinterest might be better because Pinterest’s precedence is; link saving and sharing. Additionally, it allows you to share your website link quickly.
But on Instagram, unless you pay for ad campaigns, you can’t place links in posts. You can have your link in your Instagram Bio but not every post. This is a disadvantage if your aim is e-commerce through every post.
On Instagram for your Business, you can also implement the shop feature, that would allow you to tag products in your posts and lead the users using Instagram directly to your website.
Moreover, if you have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram, you can also share links in your Instagram Stories and generate e-commerce from there.
Unlike Instagram, Pinterest allows link sharing from multiple sites, rather than one site per post. If you have numerous Sites using Pinterest would be more advantageous.
Pinterest also has a visual search results feature. Users can hold and scan an image, which could lead to product recommendations.
If your business is based around furniture, decoratives, or wedding and party planning, you should seriously consider Pinterest for your e-commerce. Even if your targeting options are being on the two platforms, we would recommend focusing primarily on Pinterest.
But if you are Selling other goods, using Instagram Shopping is a great e-commerce option. Especially since among the two Social networks, Instagram allows for a greater audience circle.
#4. Desktop and Mobile
As mentioned, both Instagram and Pinterest are compatible with both Desktop and Mobile. However, Instagram is more primarily used on mobile devices. You can browse through Instagram from your website, but you can only upload photos or videos through your mobile.
This Instagram feature may be a pro or a con depending on you as a business and the marketer generating content on the platform.
On the Contrary, Pinterest is fully compatible with both Mobile and Desktop. So, if your user base is mainly comfortable using the desktop, Pinterest would be a better option.
Do keep in mind that everybody uses smartphones at this age, so your choice depends mostly on your audience’s demographics rather than how they wish to confront their personal experience.
#5. Hashtags
One of the best parts of Instagram is Hashtags. They are critical to gaining followers on Instagram because they increase the marketing outreach of an account to different audiences. If you want to increase your Instagram viewability, hashtags are critical.
You can use a variety of Hashtags like:
- Industry Specific
- Location-Based
- Community-Based
- Subject Based
- Event-Based
- or Business name.
To promote your product, account, and business to the broader audience through strategic marketing use of hashtags.
In Contrast, Hashtags in Pinterest, even though applied, do not have the same impact. Instead, Pinterest shows “Pins” on search results that are suitably labeled.
#6. Photo Editing
The Instagram mobile app allows for Photo and Content editing before a post is published. So, you can create high-quality imagery and content using quick and painless filter adjustments.
In reverse, Pinterest does not have the same capability, and so you would need to use third-party apps to edit your content before posting them on the platform.
#7. Video Posts
Instagram and Pinterest both support video sharing. In Pinterest, there is a video tab, lifetime analytics, video pin, and scheduling features. Yet, just like the whole social network theme, the videos mostly promote inspirational ideas, recipes, DIY projects, and more…
Albeit if you choose to use Instagram, it allows for Video posts from multiple locations and sources, namely through the Instagram Feeds, Stories, and IGTV. This would give your marketing tactic more freedom and substance of choice. You can share both short and long videos depending on your products and business.
#8. Storytelling
If your marketing aim is to create a personal experience with your users, Instagram is a better choice. Instagram provides all the tools for a perfect storytelling platform.
It allows you to share your images and content related to your products and services in both presentable and engaging ways. You could also use a mixture of Instagram features not to seem overbearing towards your audiences.
On the Contrary, Pinterest does not offer the same storytelling vibe. You can create your boards and pins strategically, but it won’t make the same visual experience or engaging platform.
#9. Pinterest Vs. Instagram Algorithm
Maybe the main difference between the two social media networks is the Algorithm that drives each platform.
On Pinterest, the pins applied to posts last longer. They sometimes last up to 4 months, making the post eternal. This is a significant advantage for brands and their business website traffic.
In reverse, Instagram Posts are much more short-lived because the Instagram algorithm underpins “momentary” representation. On Instagram, your posts and products would only get 24 hours of increased engagement. Instagram Feeds show posts based on time and intervals, so they would be pushed down from a Home Feed once newer contents are posted.
Which Should I Choose?
Whether you choose to be on Pinterest, Instagram, or both, it really depends on your social media marketing strategy. Ultimately you have to consider which platform gives your brand the most leverage in the industry. But whichever way you go, your success and effectiveness will depend on the quality, frequency, and consistency of images, videos, and content you share; and the response of your audience towards your presented information.
Pinterest and Instagram are two platforms that may initially look similar but are quite different when in-depth and detailed. The users on these platforms have different goals and objectives that they wish to obtain. These additional incentives have also affected the platforms’ nature and why each platform has its own environment and visual usage.
Since Pinterest Vs. Instagram users are on each network for totally different incentives; consider all the differences so you can invest your time effectively and gain maximum return on investment.
