Pinterest and Facebook represent fundamentally different approaches to social advertising. Facebook (Meta) captures users socializing and consuming content, interrupting their experience with ads. Pinterest reaches users actively searching for inspiration, where advertising enhances rather than disrupts the experience. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for allocating budget effectively between platforms—or choosing which to prioritize when resources are limited.
This comparison examines both platforms across key dimensions: audience behavior, targeting capabilities, costs, ad formats, and use cases. You'll learn when each platform delivers superior ROI and how to leverage both for a comprehensive advertising strategy.
Platform Fundamentals: How Users Behave Differently
The most important distinction between Pinterest and Facebook isn't features or formats—it's user intent. This fundamental difference shapes everything from creative requirements to attribution modeling.
Pinterest: The planning platform
Pinterest users arrive with purpose. They're researching home renovations, planning wardrobes, collecting recipe ideas, or preparing for life events. This planning mindset creates unique advertising dynamics:
- 97% of top searches are unbranded—users seek ideas, not specific products
- 85% use Pinterest to start new projects—high intent, early funnel
- Saves indicate future purchase intent—users curate for later action
- Long content lifespan—Pins continue working for months
- Discovery-positive mindset—open to new brands and products
When a user searches "modern living room ideas" on Pinterest, they're actively seeking products and inspiration. Your furniture ad isn't interrupting—it's answering their query.
Facebook: The social platform
Facebook users come to connect with friends, consume content, and participate in communities. Advertising interrupts this social experience, requiring different strategic approaches:
- Users aren't actively shopping—you create demand, not capture it
- Social proof matters—engagement and reactions influence perception
- Content decays rapidly—posts lose relevance within hours
- Interruption model—ads must earn attention from entertainment
- Broader audience—2.9B+ monthly users across demographics
Facebook advertising requires stopping the scroll with compelling creative, then convincing users they need something they weren't seeking. This demand generation approach differs fundamentally from Pinterest's demand capture.
User intent comparison
| Dimension | ||
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Discover and plan | Socialize and consume |
| Shopping intent | Active (89% for purchase inspiration) | Passive (interruption-based) |
| Brand openness | High (97% unbranded searches) | Variable (depends on targeting) |
| Content lifespan | Months (evergreen) | Hours (rapid decay) |
| Save behavior | Core action (future intent) | Secondary (bookmarks rarely used) |
| Time to conversion | Extended (planning cycle) | Shorter (impulse possible) |
Audience Size and Demographics
Facebook's massive scale makes it the default choice for many advertisers. Pinterest's smaller but more focused audience can deliver superior results for specific categories.
Audience reach comparison
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | 450+ million | 2.9+ billion |
| US Reach | ~90 million | ~250 million |
| Gender Split | 60-70% female | ~50/50 |
| Age Distribution | Skews 25-54 | Broad (all ages) |
| Income Skew | Higher household income | Broad distribution |
Demographic strengths
Pinterest strengths:
- Higher-income households (ideal for premium products)
- Strong among millennial women and Gen Z
- Parents (especially mothers) heavily represented
- Homeowners and renters planning spaces
- People approaching life milestones (weddings, babies, moves)
Facebook strengths:
- Massive scale across all demographics
- Strong older demographic presence (35+)
- Geographic diversity including international
- Instagram access for younger audiences
- Broad B2C and some B2B applications
Targeting Capabilities Comparison
Facebook's targeting sophistication exceeds Pinterest, though Pinterest's keyword targeting offers unique advantages for intent-based advertising.
Pinterest targeting options
- Interest targeting: Based on Pin engagement history
- Keyword targeting: Reach users based on search queries (unique strength)
- Demographics: Age, gender, location, language, device
- Customer lists: Upload emails or device IDs
- Website visitors: Retarget based on Pinterest Tag data
- Engagement audiences: Users who engaged with your Pins
- Actalike audiences: Similar to your source audiences
Facebook targeting options
- Core audiences: Demographics, interests, behaviors
- Custom audiences: Customer lists, website visitors, app users, engagement
- Lookalike audiences: Users similar to your best customers
- Detailed targeting: Life events, purchase behavior, job titles
- Connections: Page fans, app users, event responders
- Advantage+ Audience: AI-expanded targeting (growing in importance)
Targeting comparison table
| Targeting Type | ||
|---|---|---|
| Keyword/Search Intent | Strong (unique advantage) | Limited |
| Interest Depth | Good | Extensive |
| Behavioral Targeting | Limited | Extensive |
| Demographic Precision | Good | Extensive |
| Retargeting Depth | Good | Excellent |
| Lookalike Quality | Good | Excellent |
| AI/Automation | Developing | Advanced (Advantage+) |
Cost Benchmarks: Pinterest vs Facebook
Pinterest typically offers lower costs due to less advertiser competition. However, cost efficiency depends on your specific vertical, targeting, and creative quality.
Cost comparison by metric
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Average CPM | $2-5 | $5-15 |
| Average CPC | $0.10-1.50 | $0.50-3.00 |
| Engagement Cost | $0.10-0.50 | $0.05-0.50 |
| Video View (CPV) | $0.02-0.10 | $0.01-0.05 |
| Average CPL | $2-8 | $5-30 |
| Ecommerce CPA | $5-30 | $15-75 |
Why Pinterest costs less
- Less competition: Fewer advertisers bidding for inventory
- Smaller audience: Reduced demand for placements
- Intent alignment: Less wasted spend on uninterested users
- Newer ad platform: Still building advertiser adoption
When Facebook delivers better value
- Scale requirements: Need massive reach quickly
- Retargeting efficiency: Large remarketing audiences convert well
- Algorithm maturity: Advantage+ optimization can lower CPA significantly
- Broad categories: Non-visual products perform better on Facebook
Ad Formats and Creative Requirements
Both platforms offer diverse ad formats, but creative requirements differ significantly. What works on Facebook rarely translates directly to Pinterest.
Pinterest ad formats
- Standard Pins: Static images (2:3 vertical recommended)
- Video Pins: Native video (6-15 seconds optimal)
- Carousel Pins: 2-5 swipeable images
- Shopping Pins: Dynamic product ads from catalog
- Collections: Hero image + product grid
- Idea Pins: Multi-page story format
Facebook ad formats
- Image ads: Single image (multiple ratios supported)
- Video ads: Various lengths and placements
- Carousel ads: Up to 10 cards
- Collection ads: Instant Experience with products
- Stories ads: Full-screen vertical format
- Reels ads: Short-form video integration
- Lead ads: Native form submission
- Dynamic ads: Catalog-based retargeting
Creative approach differences
| Element | Pinterest Best Practice | Facebook Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Vertical 2:3 (1000x1500) | Square 1:1 or varied by placement |
| Image Style | Lifestyle, aspirational | Attention-grabbing, varied |
| Text Overlay | Informative, subtle | Bold CTAs, promotions |
| Messaging | Soft sell, inspirational | Direct response acceptable |
| Branding | Subtle, integrated | Can be prominent |
| Video Length | 6-15 seconds ideal | 15-60 seconds common |
Performance and Attribution Differences
How you measure success differs between platforms due to user behavior and attribution capabilities.
Attribution window comparison
| Attribution Type | ||
|---|---|---|
| Default Click Attribution | 30 days | 7 days |
| Maximum Click Attribution | 60 days | 28 days |
| Default View Attribution | 1 day | 1 day |
| Maximum View Attribution | 30 days | 1 day (removed longer options) |
| Engagement Attribution | Yes (saves, closeups) | Limited |
Why attribution matters
Pinterest users save Pins and return later to purchase—often weeks after initial exposure. Using Facebook's default 7-day click window on Pinterest would dramatically undercount conversions. When comparing platforms:
- Use consistent attribution windows for fair comparison
- Consider Pinterest's planning behavior when setting windows
- Track assisted conversions across both platforms
- Use multi-touch attribution to understand cross-platform influence
Key metrics by platform
| Pinterest Focus | Facebook Focus |
|---|---|
| Saves (future intent indicator) | ROAS (immediate returns) |
| Extended attribution ROAS | 7-day click ROAS |
| Pin engagement rate | CTR, engagement rate |
| Closeup rate (interest depth) | Video watch time |
| Catalog performance | Dynamic ad ROAS |
Use Cases: When to Choose Each Platform
Your business type, products, and objectives should guide platform selection. Here's when each platform excels.
Choose Pinterest when...
- Visual products: Home decor, fashion, food, beauty, DIY
- Planning-driven purchases: Weddings, home renovations, travel
- Aspirational lifestyle: Products that inspire and transform
- Lower budget testing: Better CPCs for learning phase
- Female-focused audience: Products targeting women 25-54
- Evergreen content: Products relevant year-round
- Discovery opportunity: New brands wanting visibility
Choose Facebook when...
- Scale requirements: Need massive reach quickly
- Broad audiences: Products appealing to general population
- Impulse purchases: Quick decision products under $50
- Sophisticated retargeting: Large website traffic to leverage
- Diverse demographics: Older audiences, male-focused products
- B2B applications: Professional targeting via job titles
- Lead generation: Native forms with rich targeting
- Video-first strategy: Reels, Stories, in-feed video
Use case comparison
| Business Type | Better Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home decor brand | Users actively seeking decor inspiration | |
| Fashion ecommerce | Both | Pinterest for discovery, Facebook for retargeting |
| DTC gadgets | Impulse buys, broader audience, video demos | |
| Wedding services | Core wedding planning platform | |
| Food/recipes | Massive recipe search volume | |
| Mobile apps | App install optimization, instant experience | |
| B2B SaaS | Professional targeting, lead ads | |
| Beauty brands | Both | Pinterest for tutorials, Facebook for promotions |
Combined Strategy: Using Both Platforms
The most effective approach for many businesses combines both platforms, leveraging each where it performs best across the customer journey.
Full-funnel integration
Awareness (top funnel):
- Pinterest: Inspirational content reaching users in planning mode
- Facebook: Broad reach campaigns introducing brand to new audiences
Consideration (mid funnel):
- Pinterest: Keyword-targeted Pins capturing active searchers
- Facebook: Engagement campaigns building social proof
Conversion (bottom funnel):
- Pinterest: Shopping campaigns, retargeting recent engagers
- Facebook: Dynamic retargeting, cart abandonment, purchase optimization
Budget allocation framework
| Business Type | Pinterest % | Facebook % | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home/decor brand | 50-60% | 40-50% | Pinterest core for discovery |
| Fashion brand | 30-40% | 60-70% | Both platforms strong |
| DTC product | 20-30% | 70-80% | Facebook scale + retargeting |
| Food/recipe | 50-60% | 40-50% | Pinterest recipe dominance |
| Beauty brand | 40-50% | 50-60% | Both platforms effective |
| General ecommerce | 20-30% | 70-80% | Test Pinterest, scale Facebook |
Cross-platform audience strategies
- Retarget Pinterest engagers on Facebook for conversion
- Use Pinterest customer data to build Facebook lookalikes
- Sync messaging and branding across platforms
- Test creative approaches on Pinterest (lower cost) before scaling on Facebook
- Track cross-platform attribution to understand true customer journeys
Making the Decision: Key Questions
Answer these questions to determine your optimal platform mix:
- Is your product visually inspiring? Pinterest excels for products that photograph beautifully in lifestyle contexts
- Do customers plan before purchasing? Pinterest captures planners; Facebook captures impulse
- What's your audience demographic? Pinterest skews female 25-54; Facebook reaches everyone
- How much content can you produce? Pinterest needs vertical, lifestyle imagery; Facebook accepts varied formats
- What's your conversion timeline? Pinterest works for extended consideration; Facebook for quick decisions
- What's your budget? Pinterest allows effective testing with smaller budgets
- Do you have existing website traffic? Facebook's retargeting is more mature
Implementation Checklist
If you're starting or optimizing your cross-platform strategy:
Pinterest setup
- Create and verify business account
- Install Pinterest Tag on website
- Claim website and enable Rich Pins
- Set up product catalog (if ecommerce)
- Create initial Pin creative in vertical format
- Build keyword lists from Pinterest Trends
Facebook setup
- Verify Business Manager configuration
- Install Meta Pixel with Conversions API
- Set up product catalog (if ecommerce)
- Build custom audiences from existing data
- Create varied creative formats
- Configure Advantage+ settings
Cross-platform tracking
- Implement consistent UTM parameters
- Configure Google Analytics 4 for both sources
- Set up cross-platform attribution model
- Create unified reporting dashboard
- Establish ROAS benchmarks by platform
The Pinterest vs Facebook decision isn't binary—each platform offers distinct advantages that can complement your advertising strategy. Pinterest captures users with intent, delivering lower costs in visual categories. Facebook provides unmatched scale and targeting sophistication. The most successful advertisers leverage both, using each platform's strengths at the right moment in the customer journey. Start where your audience and products naturally fit, measure results carefully, and expand your cross-platform strategy as you validate performance.
Ready to optimize your cross-platform advertising strategy? Benly helps you analyze competitor campaigns across Pinterest and Meta, identify creative approaches driving results in your category, and discover opportunities to outperform on both platforms. Stop guessing where to allocate budget—make data-driven decisions based on competitive intelligence.
