When we talk about advertising via social media platforms, we immediately think of Facebook or Instagram. But there is one social media platform that continually rises in popularity, and that is – Pinterest! It started as an inspirational app where people could look for ideas for cooking, planning special events, DIYs, etc. But above all that, Pinterest is essentially a visual search engine, and it can be a fantastic marketing tool when used correctly.
1. Let’s cover the basics
First of all, if you’re not familiar with the terms used on this platform, here’s what you need to know:
- A Pin is the type of post you publish on Pinterest. It could be an image or a video;
- To rePin means to pin someone else’s post to one of your boards;
- A Board is practically a virtual equivalent of mood boards. You can have many various boards to sort your pins by a specific subject. There are also different types of boards, including group boards, secret boards, and protected boards;
- A Pinner is a person who pins, and the word says it;
- Rich pins give you more information on the pin, and three different types are free to use: product pins, recipe pins, and article pins;
- Shop the look pins allow users to click on the white dots on the pin and shop the product;
- Pinterest Lens is almost like Shazam, but for pictures. The tool allows you to take a picture of something and then find products that are related to it.
2. Why you should start Pinterest marketing
Did you know that nearly one-third of adults in the United States have a Pinterest account? And even though users are predominantly female, the number of male pinners is on the rise. There’s a difference in interests, of course, but the platform offers a fantastic variety of content, so there’s enough room for everything. As we’ve mentioned before, Pinterest is a visual search engine, and millennials love this feature. They simply want to search by image, and that’s probably the reason why one in two U.S. millennials uses this inspirational platform. Now that we’ve gone through these numerical facts, do you have an idea of your future Pinterest audience? Yes, it is enormous.
3. Using Pinterest to promote your business
To begin with, you need to create a Pinterest business account. If you already have a personal account, you can add a business profile to your existing one or convert your personal one into a business one. If you don’t have an account, you can simply make a business one from scratch. There are some unique features you get when you open your business account such as different terms of service (because you’re using the account commercially), educational marketing materials, Pinterest Analytics (after verifying your account, you’ll get to see which content works well so you can improve constantly), rich pins, different settings and so on. Make sure to add the link to your website in the description to make it easy for users to purchase your products.
Then, you can start pinning! And because Pinterest is all about visuals, you have to make sure that your content is truly captivating. When it comes to images, aim for a 2:3 ratio when it comes to dimension since more than 85% of Pinners use their phones to search for inspiration. Your pins should be of the highest quality, and it’s desirable to use the text overlay. Of course, you want to tell people what they’re seeing, but don’t overwhelm them with long descriptions. Instead, keep them wanting to learn more about your product. Make sure to include your logo too.
How frequently you pin is another vital issue. Pinning once a day is a minimum, but please, one pin at a time. If you go overboard, your audience will soon get bored. When you post is crucial too, and research has shown that most people are surfing the internet between 2 PM and 4 PM, and between 8 PM and 1 AM. Keep that in mind.
As we said before, people look for inspiration on Pinterest before special dinners, travel, and events. And, they do it way ahead of time, meaning – you should do so as well. Pinterest recommends that you should start sharing seasonal content 30-45 days in advance. By doing so, you’ll ensure a lift in online sales.
There’s a way to connect with your audience on this platform, and it is terrific. For example, by creating an open board, you can invite other users to contribute with their pins. You can then engage with them either through the board or by commenting on their pins, so they get the feeling of knowing you. Plus, you’ll get to enhance your name recognition since more and more people will see it.
We described Pinterest as a search engine, and we all know how important SEO is. And just like with any other search engine, keywords are essential. Try to find the most relevant ones (but not too many of them) and include them in your pin names, boards, and descriptions.
Lastly, connect your Pinterest account to other social media platforms you use. It’s a good thing to do immediately after creating your account because you’ll be able to invite your existing audience to find you on Pinterest as well.
As you can see, creating a Pinterest Account is a fun and exciting way of expanding your business. By following these steps and listening to what your audience responds to, your account will continue developing, and you will surely direct more people to your site. Happy pinning!
