There are many social media platforms to consider using when promoting your business digitally, but is Pinterest one of them? If not, it might be time to reconsider.
Pinterest is the leading visual search engine that many users go to for “Pinspiration,” as well as connecting with friends, influencers and brands. Unlike Instagram though, Pinterest provides value to planners who are interested in getting ideas for life events or learning how to do something new. In fact, its growth over the years has solidified its position as a powerful global platform that can be used for social media strategy and can help you set yourself apart from your competitors.
Not convinced? Here are the Pinterest facts:
89% of people on Pinterest use it for purchase inspiration
Pins have one of the largest shelf lives compared to most other social media platforms, making the probability that your pins will be discovered by more people and gradually saved over and over again much higher
98% of Pinners — or Pinterest users — report trying new things they find on Pinterest
85% of Pinners say Pinterest is where they go to start a new project
There are over 400 million global monthly users (over 100 million more from this time last year!)
Pinterest reaches more than 25% of U.S. men (dissolving the myth that “only women are on Pinterest”)
Here are a few of our suggestions for how to leverage Pinterest for your business and social media strategy.
Tip #1 - Use it for visual inspiration and creative discovery
As a visual discovery platform, Pinterest allows users to conduct a visual search via a feature in the app called Lens. When searching for inspiration — whether that’s for a new content creation project, photography or graphic design — half of the battle is finding those initial mood board ideas. Pinners can discover new ideas via trending pins on the home feed, by typing in keywords or hashtags, or by clicking on related pins, which will lead you down a pin rabbit hole. Organize what you find into a group, or a “board.” Boards can also be kept private and visible only to the user if the goal is to keep the group of pins for project inspiration purposes only.
The key to leveraging Pinterest for your business and social media strategy is to be a source of inspiration for your target audience and produce high-quality, captivating photos, videos and graphics that will influence them to save your pin for future reference.
Tip #2 - Creative collaboration and content planning
Once a mood board and a set of pins has been organized, these can be used in a collaborative environment amongst team members. Often, it’s easiest to explain a creative vision with examples. Pins can be used in a brief or as reference tools for more concise creative direction. Planning then turns those ideas into a reality and something actionable, aka a social media strategy for Pinterest.
Tip #3 - Drive traffic to your website and blog
When publishing on Pinterest, the platform provides the option of including a hyperlink in every pin. This is the perfect opportunity to drive traffic to a specific landing page on your website or an article on your blog. To entice readers to click on your pin in the first place means having clear goals, knowing what your target audience wants and following best practices for content creation and publishing on Pinterest.
Tip #4 - Convert audience members into leads and sales
Pinterest also has a shop integration, making it simple for potential customers to browse products from all industries and purchase directly from the platform. Businesses can add product tags and affiliate hyperlinks to their creative, which makes it possible for audience members to shop by tapping on the pin’s white dots. Recently, it’s allowed select sellers to become “verified merchants,” which is a similar accreditation to the blue checkmark on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Still have questions about why you should consider leveraging Pinterest for your business or about Pinterest’s best practices? We’re here to help you with FREE consultations to figure out how best to pivot your social media strategy in our current climate. Give us a call at 323.596.0606 or email us at sales@lure-digital.com.