You've probably heard of Pinterest. Perhaps you even use it for personal purposes. But did you know that it can be used to promote your business, especially an online store? We're exploring whether such initiatives can be profitable and how to implement them. If you're curious about the benefits Pinterest can bring to your business, be sure to read on.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a website that arose from the need to apply the corkboard concept to virtual spaces. Its name is a combination of two English words: "pin" (to attach) and "interest" (to express one's interests). It was originally conceived as a catalog of visual inspiration , a place where one could collect ideas and images encountered online and organize them into virtual "boards" based on a selected theme. The platform incorporates some elements of a social networking site . For example, one can follow the activities of other users and view their public boards. Since 2013, it has been available in Polish.
Despite its long history (Pinterest was founded in 2010) and significant growth (over 367 million users as of May 2020), the service hasn't changed its core. Over the years, it has only added new features designed to facilitate gathering and sharing inspiration. In 2018, it introduced features such as sharing and storing video clips of any length. Nowadays, Pinterest is also known as a visual search engine. Among other things, it allows users to search its database based on photos or their fragments, as well as existing "pins"—inspirations saved by users (images, articles, posts, videos, etc.).
Pinterest Promotion – Get to Know Your Audience
Before you learn how and why to promote your business on Pinterest, it's worth examining the site's user demographics, as well as their habits and preferences. Sources indicate that the site primarily appeals to women . According to data from July 2020, 76% of its users were women. Furthermore, the site itself reports that in the United States, as many as 8 out of 10 women aged 18 to 64 who have children use Pinterest. The median age of all users is 40, but most of those active are younger . In Poland, the site has 2,7 million users, so its potential is certainly worth appreciating.
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The service meticulously analyzes content shared by users and, based on this information, prepares annual trend reports and other publications aimed at, among other things, helping brands promote themselves more effectively. It also commissions research to understand pinner behavior. The data collected in this way reveals, among other things, that:
- 85% of the portal's users say that they use it first when they want to start a new project,
- 98% admit that they have tried ideas found on the website,
- 89% agree that they use the website as inspiration for purchases, and 90% confirm that it helps them decide what to buy,
- 70% of people discover new products thanks to Pinterest, and 72% say the site inspires them to make purchases, even if they don't plan to,
- 66% of users purchased a product after viewing a brand's pins.
Moreover, as many as 9 out of 10 users associate Pinterest with a positive message . Most users visit the site to find respite, seek inspiration for positive change, and put themselves in a good mood.
Pinterest in business promotion – is it worth it?
Pinterest is undoubtedly an interesting place on the web. Its users are creative, motivated, and actively seeking ways to improve their lives or try new things. Doesn't that sound like the ideal clientele for your company? Furthermore, the site is a great place to cultivate relationships, and according to modern marketing principles, these relationships are crucial for increasing sales. It's a great tool for implementing long-term strategies and building a community around a brand, especially since the average lifespan of posts on the site is measured in months . This is because it's used to create plans, often long-term ones. Meanwhile, other social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, focus more on the "here and now" or even the past. This means that posts posted there are quickly forgotten.
According to the statistics above, companies that target young women, especially mothers, should be particularly interested in the platform . However, there are also ways to achieve excellent results with products and services targeting other groups. Much depends on the communication strategy adopted.
Drive traffic to your website with Pinterest activities
The research cited above shows, among other things, that Pinterest is the most effective social media platform at driving traffic to online stores – approximately 33% more effective than Facebook and a whopping 200% more effective than Twitter. Additional website traffic translates into more customers who may be interested in using the services. All of this means it's increasingly used for promotion. American brands are leading the way in this regard, but these aren't limited to large corporations. Smaller businesses are also eager to use the platform. Polish companies are also welcome to utilize its potential! There's much to suggest it could be a profitable endeavor.
Pinterest for businesses – how to get started?
What do you need to start promoting on Pinterest? The first step is creating an account. It's worth noting that the platform allows you to create two types of accounts: personal or business. Business users have access to a significantly wider range of tools that enable effective promotion, including statistics, analyses, and methods for promoting posts. They can also make it easier for other users to access their website via a direct link. Therefore, this is the only right choice for anyone who wants to advertise their business. The website's terms and conditions state that accounts created for commercial purposes should be designated as business. A personal account can also be converted to a business account – simply check the settings.
After creating an account, you can immediately start adding pins. However, it's worth carefully considering your strategy first and analyzing your target audience and their activities on the platform. It's also a good idea to spend some time observing the platform and its habits – especially if you're new to it. Don't forget that your Pinterest account can be linked to other platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Etsy . This will facilitate consistent communication and help your posts reach a wider audience. It's also worth remembering that the platform allows you to post not only photos but also infographics and videos. This, in turn, will help you diversify your content and create more diverse boards that can attract the attention of a wider audience.
How do I connect my Pinterest account to my online store?
If you run an online store, company website, or even a blog, there's an additional step worth remembering that will help you get your business off the ground faster. Connecting your Pinterest account to your website is achievable in two ways:
- addition a "follow us on Pinterest" button to a website or blog;
- addition "Pin it" plugins to product pages in the store – this will allow visitors to easily add products they are interested in to their feeds.
It's worth using both methods, as well as installing the "Pin it" plugin in your web browser. This will allow you to quickly create pins from visual content found online.
Promotion on Pinterest – what to remember?
Once you have a goal, a preliminary strategy, and a posting schedule, you can start creating your boards. Users are usually actively seeking new ideas, so as long as you can offer them something interesting, you shouldn't have to worry about a lack of interest. There are also a few rules to keep in mind.
Make sure that:
- treat your company's Pinterest like a business card – carefully select the pins placed on the boards and ensure a consistent, specific message;
- the published content was of high quality – it is primarily about technical quality, i.e. photos, graphics and videos in high resolution and with a professional appearance;
- don't forget about branding – it is worth placing your logo wherever possible (but not in an intrusive way);
- post not only photos, but also important information – if you publish pins about your products, include the most important information about them in the description (including the price!) or use a paid tool that will add this type of information for you;
- use keywords – more and more users treat the website as a search engine, so their appropriate selection is very important;
- do not avoid contact with other users – it is worth responding to comments and reacting to other user activity, e.g. pinning your pin or following your account;
- don't spam – too intense activity and intrusive promotion of your products will certainly not be appreciated;
- create your own unique style – a coherent message with an idea is something that Pinterest users love and something that will definitely make a good impression;
- publish diverse, interesting content – product photos alone can go unnoticed, so remember to create a story around them using inspiring pins that will help website users identify with the brand.
Don't forget to use the tools available to business account holders. The statistics and analytical tools available on the portal can be a huge help in increasing the effectiveness of your activities.
How to read Pinterest statistics?
Pinterest analytics are available here . For business account holders, they're a great source of information that can help you refine your brand message. It's important to understand how to interpret them so you can use them to your advantage. Below are four key metrics that will help you manage your account more effectively.
Reach data tells you how many people see your posts – daily and monthly. In this section, you can obtain data on the views of pins published through your account. This allows you to identify which content is most popular and drives traffic to your profile.
Business account users who connect their website to their account can also see how many pins have been created from it. This data allows you to see how many people liked the products on your website enough to save them to their feeds. You can also see which of these pins are performing best, for example, in terms of views or engagement. The same data is available for pins you create yourself, providing a wealth of important information for creating new content.
Saves, also known as surges, allow you to gain a wider reach of views. It's worth checking whether saves are coming from your site and considering what you can do to increase them.
This is a crucial statistic that tells you how many people found your website through your Pinterest posts . This is typically the primary goal of businesses operating on the platform. It's worth examining which pins are most popular and using them as a guide for creating more.
Is Pinterest for you?
Pinterest can be a great platform for promoting your online content, your business, and your offerings. It's a simple service, yet it offers many useful solutions for businesses. Besides statistics, it offers paid advertising, which can yield excellent results, and rich pins, which allow for the publication of more extensive content. All of this makes the site's potential uses truly extensive.
Is this the right direction for your business? It's worth trying and seeing for yourself! Let me know, and we'll see if this is a good fit for your store! 🙂
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- What is Pinterest?
- Pinterest and Sales: How to Turn Inspiration into Conversions (and Why It Works)
