In the vast social media landscape, there’s a platform that’s rich in content inspiration, product showcases, and actionable consumer insights.
Yet, some businesses don’t bother activating it.
Pinterest isn’t just about fancy DIYs, aesthetically pleasing home decor, or mouth-watering recipes. The platform presents numerous opportunities for savvy marketers and brand managers.
Pinterest is a content-sharing and discovery platform where users can ‘pin’ images and videos they find online into collections. If you use it right, it can be a valuable marketing tool that drives significant traffic to your website.
Wondering how this works? Stay tuned as we demystify Pinterest and highlight its untapped potential for your social media strategy.
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What’s so Pinteresting about Pinterest?
Pinterest is a social media platform launched in 2010 that allows users to create and share virtual Pinterest boards.
Pinterest refers to itself as a “catalog of ideas.” The platform focuses on visual content that engages, explains, and educates on multiple topics.
The visual content can come in the form of:
- Images
- GIFs
- Infographics
Pinterest’s user base consists of around 445 million active users. They are split at 76% female and 17% male, and Gen Z pinners join by 40% year on year.
Pinterest is unique compared to other social media sites because it operates a lot like a search function and is seen as a trendsetter for a variety of industries.
Users go to Pinterest for inspiration for everything ranging from decor and fashion to events and cooking — and so much more. This inspiration often fuels purchasing decisions. More than 85% of weekly users have made a purchase from Pinterest.
Plus, unlike other social media sites, Pinterest is seen as an overall positive place. More than 80% of Pinterest users consider the site a positive one.
Let’s take a look at how the platform has grown over the years.
The growth of Pinterest over time
Pinterest originally launched in 2010 as an invite-only online mood board, but exclusivity was eventually dropped in 2012 when Pinterest became open to everyone.
Currently, Pinterest is the 10th most popular social media platform in terms of visits, ranking behind the big players like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Pinterest has more than 463 million monthly active users on the platform.
To accelerate its growth, Pinterest has added new features and established new partnerships over the years.
In 2015, Pinterest teamed up with Shopify to create buyable pins enabling users to purchase from brands directly within Pinterest. This changed the way consumers shopped and discovered new products.
Why users love Pinterest
Pinterest is a highly visual platform that enables users to collect and organize images and ideas from the site into boards.
This provides users with the freedom of customization and curation based on their likes and preferences.
Users can indulge in all parts of their lives, from their interests and hobbies to planning life events and finding fashion inspiration.
Plus, Pinterest cares about its users. If users may seem at risk and are searching for terms like ‘anxiety’ or ‘stress,’ Pinterest will share resources that may help.
Why businesses should use Pinterest
Pinterest’s users buy products.
The platform is a breeding ground for creativity, shopping, and investigation.
Two incredible features unlocked with your Pinterest Business Account: video pins and Pinterest ads.
Video pins enable you to create more engaging content that Pinterest users are seeking.
Pinterest ads integrate your pins into feeds to increase visibility. For example, look below to see how promoted posts for an armchair could appear within a board:
Plus, you’ll be able to access detailed analytics about your pin and board performance.
Compared to other social media sites, trends that originate on Pinterest last 21% longer.
This means that if you successfully start or join a trend, you could reap the benefits of increased sales and awareness for a longer time than if it happened on another site.
Your business content doesn’t just need to be salesy — educational and how-to content is popular on Pinterest as well. This type of content can deepen brand loyalty and retain customers.
Wondering how to promote your business on Pinterest? Watch this video to find out:
With the right Pinterest marketing strategy, you can drive awareness and sales for your business.
3 tips for successful Pinteresting
There are many ways to use Pinterest for your business.
However, some of the most effective tips include staying consistent, using a scheduling platform, and focusing on rich pins.
1. Stay consistent.
Curate your boards in a way that will feel natural for your customers. Use categories and keywords to guide the user toward a specific board with relevant pins.
Plus, consider the aesthetics and overall experience that the user will experience. You want to make sure each pin draws them in and is relevant to their search query.
2. Publish content via Loomly to save time and scale accordingly.
Manually publishing every pin is time consuming. Consider using a publishing platform to publish content more effectively.
Here’s how to use Loomly to save time and scale your Pinterest publishing calendar:
3. Use rich pins.
Focus on your Pinterest SEO by using rich pins.
Rich pins are pins that include a link to a specific site. The rich pin will pull the metadata from the site, providing the user with additional context on the board.
This will enhance the user’s knowledge, make the pin more engaging, and ensure that the content is relevant based on the search term.
Build your business following on Pinterest
Building a following on a brand new social platform can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.
Pinterest is a platform that its users love, and it offers a specific use case for many businesses looking to engage a very specific type of following.
If you’re selling a product to a female demographic, you should consider investing in your Pinterest strategy.
Don’t forget to stay consistent, engage with others on the platform, use rich pins, and focus on your SEO.
After a while, you’ll begin to see your efforts pay off and your follower counts (and repins) start to grow.
Scale your social media efforts with Loomly’s easy-to-use social media management platform. Try Loomly for free and begin building a memorable online presence.
Other topics related to Pinterest
- Pinterest board
- Pinterest marketing
- Pinterest discovery tools
- Loomly Course: How to Use Pinterest to Promote Your Business
- Loomly Flash Webinar: Pinterest Publishing
