"A picture says a thousand words."

The classic saying has never been more true!  After all, social media recently witnessed a surge in both the number of and the significance of multi-media posts: the so-called visual content revolution.  While the more traditional blog post includes 500 to 1000 words, multi-media microblogs essentially eliminate the need for words.  Most importantly, keep in mind that 44% of users are more likely to engage with brands if they post pictures than any other media.  Visual content marketing, therefore, is essential to any social media marketing campaign.  So, which visual content platform is right for your brand?

Both Pinterest and Instagram are among the top platforms for visual content sharing!

Pinterest

• 56% of users are between ages 18 to 34, but also caters to a slightly older audience.
• 70% of users are women, 30% are men
• 1/3 of US women are on Pinterest
• female users are primarily Caucasian
• average user earns $100,000 or more every year
• most users have children
• available on laptop or desktop AND mobile devices
• 2pm - 4pm or 8pm -1am are best times to post
• worst time to post is 5pm - 7pm
• post photos, illustrations, presentations, infographics, and now videos

Content Curation:

A sort of virtual scrapbook, Pinterest is the site for social media content curation.  In other words, users can view, select, and organize pieces of content known as "pins."  A "pin" can be posted to a certain "board" as a way of organization.  Deemed an aspirational medium, Pinterest is quickly becoming an online and mobile replacement for traditional magazines and catalogs. 

Use for:

1. telling in-depth stories.
2. featuring customer testimonials.
3. increasing traffic to blog posts.
   
4. showcasing diverse content.
5. targeting a mostly female market.
   

Instagram

Statistics:

• 55% of users are female, 45% are male
• post photos and videos
• aimed at younger demographic, with 20% of users being ages 12-17 and 34% ages 18-24
• mobile app only
• 9pm - 8am is the best time to post new content
• use professional-grade filters to make posts look more artistic
• 45 million photos shared, 1 billion photos like daily
• targets urban users, with 17% of users living in urban settings
• 98% of photos posted by brands are also shared on Facebook

Content Creation:

Instagram is a self-centered medium that contributed significantly to the coining of the term "selfie."  Use the professional-grade filters to transform simple pictures into impressive and appealing works of art!  Include photos with the faces of your customers, employees, and yourself to capture your target audience on a personal level.  Also use hashtags to allow your followers to share content with your brand and to stay connected with your photos.  

Use for:

1. showing behind-the-scenes content.
2. sharing your personality.
3. maintaining a low time commitment.
4. holding a contest.
5. publicizing an event.