Photos and Videos Dominate the Current Online Environment

Nearly half of Internet users now post original images to the Web, and photos and videos become some sort of a “social currency” online, as a new report the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows.

“The Internet has always been a platform for creators and curators,” said Pew Internet’s Joanna Brenner, co-author of the report. “Now, as social media services continue to grow and expand, the tools are more visual and social, and that seems to be attracting special audiences of early adopters.”

46% of internet users post online photos and videos that they own, while 41% curate on image-sharing sites photos and videos they find in different places on the Internet.

Another finding of this report was that curators are more likely to be women and younger adults. In regards to social media activities, it is clear that Pinterest is used more by women than by men, while Instagram is more likely to be used by young adults, a group who is also more likely to use Tumblr. These last two social media networks draw a almost equal number of female and male users. Other interesting findings regarding LinkedIn and Facebook you can find in the complete report.

56% of the respondents do at least one of the activities – post materials they have created or curate some they find online, 32% do both. The national phone survey queried 1,005 adults (over 18 years old), 799 of them were Internet users.

The study confirms some of the conclusions we have already reached intuitively – for instance the fact that Pinterest is dominated by women, and adds other important details, useful to all marketers.