Pinterest marketing is highly effective. Marketers aim to reach Pinterest users by sharing irresistible content. With over 433 million people using Pinterest, it’s a platform of great interest to marketers.
Additionally, 83% of users have bought products after seeing content on Pinterest. How can your business utilize Pinterest as a marketing strategy to enhance brand awareness and increase conversions?
Within this guide, we will provide you with answers to this question, insights into how Pinterest functions, suggestions on effective Pinterest marketing strategies, the benefits for small businesses, and recommendations on tools to optimize your Pinterest marketing strategy.
However, before we delve into these aspects, let’s start by understanding what the platform is and how it operates.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a social media platform where people explore, share, and save visual content that inspires, assists, or amuses them. Users put, or “Pin,” their chosen content onto themed boards to keep it organized, allowing others to discover similar content based on their interests.
If you haven’t created a Pinterest account yet, you can find out more about the process here. Once you sign up, you can begin sharing content and, in turn, engaging in social media marketing on the platform.
Moreover, to maximize your presence on the platform, you can upload your business’s content from your computer or mobile device, Pin content you discover on the platform, and save content from the web using the Pinterest browser button.
Engagement plays a crucial role in your Pinterest strategy. To enhance your presence, consider these steps: Follow the boards of both your friends and competitors. Show your appreciation by ‘liking’ and leaving comments on others’ Pins. Re-share (or repost) content through re-pinning. Also, don’t forget to share links to your website and blog within your Pins.
It’s worth noting that there are two types of Pinterest accounts: personal and business.
Opting for a business account provides access to valuable tools like Pinterest Analytics, along with other features such as a visual search tool, a native video player, and the option to run Pinterest ads. This makes Pinterest an ideal platform for marketers.
Now, let’s delve into some effective Pinterest marketing strategies to help enhance your reach and impact on your audience.
How to use Pinterest for Marketing?
These strategies offer ways to incorporate Pinterest into your overall marketing efforts. Let’s take a look at some advantages of using Pinterest for marketing:
1. Share Your Content
A significant 85% of Pinners prefer and actively search for visual content. This makes Pinterest an especially potent platform for sharing various types of content, even written blog posts. Unlike Instagram, users can click on live links here.
On Pinterest, you showcase your content through Pinterest boards. These boards serve as a place to save and share all your Pins, making your content accessible to your followers.
You can create as many boards as you like, and you can organize them around themes, ideas, plans, or types of inspiration, making it easy for your audience to find the content they’re interested in.
Moreover, you have the option to invite others to join your boards, turning them into “group boards.” This allows additional contributors to share content that aligns with your board’s theme, fostering greater engagement and interaction on your profile.
2. Build your Community.
Online communities are gathering places for people who share common interests and are valuable hubs for businesses.
With a Pinterest community, you can rely on your followers and fans to actively engage with your boards, consume your content, and visit your website, thereby driving traffic.
Pinterest boasts millions of monthly users. By treating your Pinterest board as a two-way street for interaction and engagement, rather than just a one-way billboard, you can establish a dedicated community of Pinterest users. Some of these engaged users may eventually become your customers.
How to Increase Your Pinterest Following?
While you have the option to search and add friends using their names, Facebook profiles, and other identifiers, this can be quite time-consuming and may not significantly expand your following.
Instead, consider the following methods to grow your base of fans and followers on Pinterest:
- Promote Your Pinterest Account on Your Other Social Networks
By sharing your Pinterest account on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can tap into your existing social media audience.
This cross-promotion increases your visibility and makes it easier for your followers on other networks to discover and follow your Pinterest account. It’s an effective way to expand your reach beyond Pinterest itself.
- Follow Accounts Likely to Follow You Back.
When you begin following accounts on Pinterest, focus on those that align with your interests or content. Many Pinterest users reciprocate by following accounts that follow them.
This reciprocal following strategy can help you grow your follower count as it builds a sense of community and engagement within your niche.
- Observe Competitors.
Keeping an eye on what your competitors are doing on Pinterest can be a source of valuable insights. Study their successful strategies, content types, and posting frequency. This competitive analysis allows you to learn from their methods and apply similar techniques to grow your follower base.
Utilize Keywords in Your Posts.
Using relevant keywords in your Pinterest posts is crucial for improving discoverability. When Pinners search for content, Pinterest’s algorithm considers keywords to display relevant results.
By optimizing your descriptions and content with appropriate keywords, you increase the chances of your Pins showing up in search results and attracting users interested in your niche.
- Collaborate with Influencers.
Influencers in your industry have a dedicated following. By collaborating with them and having them re-pin or share your content, you can tap into their followers’ interest.
Influencers’ endorsements can lend credibility to your content and attract a wider audience who trust their recommendations. Building relationships with influencers can be mutually beneficial for both parties.
- Consider Pinterest Ads.
Pinterest offers advertising opportunities through promoted Pins and campaigns. Investing in a Pinterest ads account allows you to create targeted advertising campaigns, reaching a specific audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
This method can significantly boost your visibility and attract new followers as your promoted Pins appear in users’ feeds and search results.
3. Educate Customers.
Pinterest is rich with tutorials, infographics, how-to guides, and links to more educational resources. Due to its strong focus on visual content, it’s an effective platform for educating and engaging customers.
When creating and sharing content on your Pinterest profile, it’s essential to keep your target audience in mind, much like you would when developing products, building your brand, or posting on other social networks.
To ensure you’re pushing out content that resonates with your target audience, current customers, and buyer personas on Pinterest, consider these approaches:
- Research Your Buyer Personas: Identify what type of content would be most helpful and appealing to your target audience by studying your buyer personas.
- Gather Feedback: Engage with your current followers and customers by conducting surveys and asking for feedback regarding their expectations from your company on Pinterest.
- Analyze Competitors: Examine what your competitors are doing well (or not) to inspire new ways to present your content and make it stand out.
- Explore Follower Boards: Delve into the boards of your current followers and customers to gain insights into your audience’s interests and preferences.
3. Drive Website Traffic and Boost Online Sales
Pinterest, in contrast to Instagram, enables you to link your visual content to an external website, notably, your own website. This feature allows you to share both written and visual content while guiding users back to your website in the process.
It’s a potent addition to your marketing strategy because it can also enhance online sales. Many brands leverage Pinterest to exhibit product images while simultaneously sharing related content.
For instance, take the clothing company Madewell, which has created a Pinterest board that serves as a source of travel inspiration. They pair this inspiration with actual products they sell, generating excitement about their brand, the lifestyle they promote, and the idea of making a purchase. This approach effectively drives website traffic and boosts online sales.
Integrating Pinterest into your website offers a seamless way to direct traffic from your web pages to your Pinterest profile, allowing your leads and customers to access your content in just a few clicks, and hopefully, choose to follow you.
These Pinterest widgets and buttons enable your website visitors to engage with your Pinterest page directly through your website.
They grant visitors the capability to view and follow your profile or navigate directly to a specific Pin or board of interest. You can efficiently customize, create, and incorporate these features into your site using Pinterest’s widget builder tool, making it a convenient process.
How to get started?
Following are the steps to get started with Pinterest Marketing.
1. Sign Up for a Business Account.
To reach your target audience, create a Pinterest business account. This free account provides access to Pinterest Analytics and useful marketing features such as Pinterest widgets and the Pinterest tag.
If you already have a personal Pinterest account, you can convert it into a business account without losing your existing content. If you wish to run ads on Pinterest, you can upgrade your business account through the Ads Manager.
2. Choose the Right Categories for Your Content.
Selecting the appropriate categories for your content makes your Pins and boards more discoverable. Users can search for specific categories on Pinterest or explore the “Categories” section on profiles. Popular Pinterest categories include travel, health and wellness, and beauty.
3. Use Unique Images and Videos.
To stand out on Pinterest, share branded videos to promote your products and show your products in action. Avoid excessive blank space in images and create videos between 30-90 seconds for better performance. Additionally, create specific boards to share data visualizations and infographics relevant to your audience.
4. Leverage Keywords.
Incorporate keywords throughout your profile, posts, Pins, and boards to improve your visibility in users’ feeds and searches. Conduct keyword research on Pinterest to discover related terms and understand search demand.
Use keywords in your bio, Pin descriptions, board titles, board descriptions, and image alt-text. If you use Pinterest ads, take advantage of the platform’s keyword-targeting tool.
5. Share Your Content on Other Social Networks.
Promote your Pinterest account and content by sharing your Pins, images, and videos on other platforms. Link your Pinterest profile to your Facebook and Google accounts to enhance cross-platform visibility and access analytics. This makes it easier for your followers to find you on various networks.
6. Follow, Engage, and Interact with Other Accounts.
Building personal relationships with other Pinterest users and accounts fosters loyalty towards your brand. Follow users with related interests, re-pin, like, and comment on their content, respond to messages, and create engaging posts to showcase your expertise and involve your audience.
7. Use Social Media Best Practices.
Apply standard social media practices on Pinterest, including regular interaction with your followers and posting updates.
Avoid excessive self-promotion and focus on providing incentives, discounts, and useful content. Ensure that your posts have a purpose and meaning for your audience.
8. Analyze Your Results.
To track the impact of your Pinterest marketing efforts, use Pinterest Analytics. It provides information on various aspects, such as metrics about your profile, insights into user engagement with your content, and data about your most popular Pins.
Analyzing your results helps you measure the effectiveness of your Pinterest marketing strategy and make informed decisions for improvement.
Pinterest Marketing Tools
Pinterest offers various marketing tools to help you connect with your target audience, engage users, and boost your presence on the platform. These tools can be categorized into three main types:
1. Social Media Management Tools
These tools assist in scheduling posts and managing content across various social networks, including Pinterest. They offer the advantage of planning and organizing your content, ensuring it’s shared as intended. Some popular social media and Pinterest management tools include:
- Hootsuite: Allows you to schedule Pins, gain insights into analytics, and measure your Pinterest results.
- Tailwind: Provides Pinterest profile analytics, data reporting, and insights into audience engagement. It also offers advice on the best times to share your Pins.
- Sprout Social: Offers platform analytics, engagement tools, post scheduling, and insights into your audience’s content preferences.
- Pinterest’s Own Scheduling Tool: Pinterest has its own scheduling tool for Business users to pre-schedule their content directly on the platform.
2. Pinterest Image Design and Creation Tools
Pinterest is a visual platform, so it’s essential to create eye-catching and professional images. These tools allow you to design, edit, and publish visually appealing photos and images for Pinterest and other social media sites:
- Canva: Offers a wide range of images, graphics, templates, and icons for creating professional images.
- Pablo: Provides quick image creation with easy-to-use effects and templates, perfect for those without graphic design experience.
- PicMonkey: Offers image creation and editing tools, including advanced features like masking and double exposure.
- Adobe Express: Provides intuitive tools, templates, and Photoshop-quality effects, suitable for users of all skill levels.
3. Follower Count and Community Growth Tools
These tools are designed to help you promote your profile, increase your followers, and boost engagement on Pinterest:
- PINGROUPIE: Offers insights into the number of Pins, users, and followers on different group boards, helping you decide which boards to join and share your content.
- Loop88: Assists in creating shareable content optimized for Pinterest, attracting your target audience, and growing your following.
What’s the Final Verdict?
By combining these tools with effective Pinterest marketing strategies, you can leverage Pinterest as a powerful marketing platform. It can help you raise brand awareness, drive conversions, increase sales, and establish lasting connections with your target audience and buyer personas.
To get started, sign up for a business account and begin creating unique and engaging content to market to your customers and followers on Pinterest.