Pinterest marketing has become an incredible advertising strategy for many marketers and businesses, and it’s easy to see why. According to Pinterest, more than 460 million people are registered on the platform, making it the 14th largest social network globally. About 83% of users have made direct purchases from content they have seen on the platform. Why wouldn’t anyone want to advertise on the platform?
Before now, Pinterest was just a go-to place to get inspiration, and you probably have used the platform for this reason. However, the platform has become one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, and it won’t slow down any time soon.
If you’ve wanted to get on board but don’t know how to market on the social media site yet, here’s a guide. Find out how to create a business profile and the tactics to improve your Pinterest marketing strategy and help you get the best result out of the platform.
What’s Pinterest Marketing?
Pinterest marketing is a platform that allows the posting of branded content on the platform to create more brand exposure, connect with an audience, and drive website traffic. Pinterest isn’t just a social platform – it’s a visual search engine that allows your content to be discovered. It’s a visual-centric platform where users explore, share, and save useful content. Users can access the popular Pinterest board, where they can add or pin their favorite content and keep them organized for future discoveries.
Once you sign up, you can start sharing content and marketing on the platform. You can add or pin content to your themed board, follow your friends’ boards, like and comment, and even share links to your website. Engagement is key on Pinterest, just like any other social media platform.
Know that Pinterest has personal and business accounts. A Pinterest business account grants you access to Pinterest Analytics, a visual search tool, and the ability to run ads on the platform, which is ideal for marketers and businesses. A personal account lacks those.
Benefits of Pinterest Marketing
As a business or marketer, using Pinterest marketing has several benefits that make it worth the effort. Here are a few.
Boost Brand Awareness
As mentioned, over 460 million people use Pinterest, so it has a robust client base. That means you have an audience already for your business. Whatever business you advertise on the platform, there will always be those who will patronize you.
Drive Organic Traffic to the Website
One of the reasons for using Pinterest is to drive traffic and people to your website. The platform is a prominent discovery site for shoppers and users searching for new inspiration. Pinterest understands this – that’s why they incorporated the Pin feature to promote content. This powerful feature can drive users and customers to your site.
Create an Engaging Community
Pinterest is a great platform to cultivate and engage the community through creative content. According to the platform, 85% of pinners source inspiration for their project on the platform. So the platform isn’t just for marketing but also to feel good.
Getting Started with Pinterest Marketing
It might just be the time to start getting your brand on Pinterest if you’re yet to do so. Pinterest has proven to be a great platform and social media network for giving brand exposure and reaching a new audience. Getting started begins with having a Pinterest marketing plan. Below is how to market on Pinterest.
Creating a Business Profile for Pinterest Marketing
The first step is to brand your profile. That starts with creating a business account. Remember, a Pinterest business account gives you access to the platform’s exclusive features. After that, it’s time to do the branding. To do that:
- Create a high-quality profile visual to match your brand. Your profile photo best represents your business, so invest time to perfect it. Your cover image should contain some graphics about your products and other visuals that represent your business.
- Include your social media bio. It must be consistent across all the platforms you’re signed up to. Use hashtags, but they should be succinct and communicate your offerings. Choose your Pinterest boards to match your branding. You can create and upload different board covers to each of your chosen boards and link to your site or select a Pin from your boards as a cover.
- Verify your website and claim your domain. It grants you access to Pinterest’s rich features and exclusive tools. To verify your website, you’ll receive a WordPress plugin from Pinterest to place on your website. It tells the platform that you’re legit.
Identifying Your Ideal Customer
This is next after creating your Pinterest business account. Trust me, your target audience can define your marketing strategy. Understanding your target audience on Pinterest is essential. The right audience will interact with your brand, while the wrong one will ignore it. But how do you know you’re marketing to the right audience? How do you identify your ideal customers on Pinterest?
First, you need to define your target audience by asking three questions: are they using Pinterest, what are they using Pinterest for, and what’s their pain point? Are they using Pinterest to source inspiration for their projects, to casually look for items, or are they shoppers? Pinterest users are often ready to buy, with 46% of weekly pinners saying they’ve discovered a new online store, brand or product on Pinterest.
Developing a Pinterest Marketing Strategy
You need to develop a marketing strategy as you would on any social media platform. Set marketing and growth goals, and ensure you stick to them every step of the way. A Pinterest marketing strategy can prove beneficial for long-term results and can fit into many different stages of your acquisition funnel.
Create a Pinterest marketing strategy that’s SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Your marketing strategy should have a definitive objective that must be attainable within a set time frame.
In addition, learn about the general audience and demographics on Pinterest – those that mostly use the platform. Below are some demographics and statistics to help you tailor your Pinterest ad and identify your audience.
- Women in the 25-34 age group are the largest audience on Pinterest.
- 8 out of 10 moms are Pinners.
- 87% of Pinners have made purchase decisions because of Pinterest.
- 93% of Pinterest users actively use the platform for their future purchases.
Once you have set a strategy, you can move to the next thing, which is:
Create Engaging Content with Pin Formats
Pinterest is a visual platform, meaning your content goes a long way in influencing the decision of your potential audience. It means producing high-quality and engaging content. 85% of Pinners prefer visual content. What does it mean to create engaging content? First is the imagery, and the second is the content format (which will be discussed later.)
Pinterest data reveals that 82% of users access the platform through their mobile devices. So, shooting for a 2:3 aspect ratio is advised to avoid getting cropped images. In addition, aim for the highest quality image and video based on Pinterest recommendations. Finally, use a headline to reinforce your visual message.
You can find several Pinterest images and videos. It’s not just about posting pictures and videos to promote your brand – you want to ensure they are unique. Otherwise, why would someone want to follow you over others?
One way to make your images stand out is to share images/videos that show your products in action to allow viewers to see themselves using them. Next is to avoid excessive white space in your image background. According to research, images with 30% less white space are pinned the most. Also, combine images, videos, and carousels to keep your content fresh and engaging. Create carousels to showcase multiple products or services in one Pin. Use inspiration boards to provide valuable content and inspire your audience.
Content Format and Strategies
Now, let’s move to the content you’ll be sharing. How often do you want to share? Will you modify your content and elements as time goes by? Some content performs well on Pinterest, such as product Pins and infographics. However, your post will depend on the type of brand you have.
Image Pins are single-image posts that fit well with the Pinterest platform. They are the first thing a user sees on a Pinterest feed. However, you have to get creative using them.
Video Pins are Image Pins in a longer form. They are similar to Facebook Reels, meaning you can add interactive elements like stickers and music. You don’t have to start creating videos from scratch. You can use clips posted on Reels or Facebook Stories. Videos can be customer testimonials or product demos. Alternatively, you can partner with creators to produce unique video Pins.
Idea Pins allows you to pin multiple videos or images together. Imagine combining multiple pins of carousels and stories into one. This format works best for in-depth storytelling or listicles. Your Idea Pins will show up in the ‘Created’ tab once created.
While it’s essential to use the right pin, staying updated with trends can help you tailor your campaigns. Not just staying up-to-date with the latest trends, but adopting them. Share content on your Pinterest boards for your followers to explore. You can pin your content to as many boards as you want, and organize them into ideas, inspiration, etc. Create multiple boards that are relevant to your brand and target audience.
Use Relevant Keywords
Pinterest is a visual search engine. It’s crucial to keep track of keywords being used. It’s worth knowing what your Pinterest audience is tapping into to help you shape the keywords to use in your topics and pins. Using relevant keywords will more likely make you appear organically in feeds and Pinterest searches.
Use keywords, search terms, and phrases that relate to your niche. For example, if you sell travel bags and suitcases, include related keywords like “vacation,” “trip,” etc on your Pins. When a user searches those terms, your profile and images of traveling bags will appear on their feeds.
Optimize your Pins for search by using relevant keywords in your Pin description, bio and profile, board names, and hashtags.
Leverage Pinterest Ads
Pinterest marketing doesn’t usually mean you need paid advertising, but investing in it can help your brand grow on the platform faster. Pinterest ads bring more return, with brands experiencing 2.3x more efficient cost per conversion on the platform than other social media platforms.
Use Pinterest’s advertising options to target specific audiences and interests. Use video ads, collections, and promoted Pins to reach your target audience.
Schedule Your Posts
Consistency is key to brand growth on advertising platforms, and Pinterest is no different. Frequently sharing content enhances your profile quality, increasing the chances of your content appearing in search results.
Use management tools like SwipeBuilder to schedule Pins or your content and stay on top of your content calendar. It helps you plan your posts and publish your content at the best time for the most engagement.
Track and Measure Success using Pinterest Analytics and Metrics
Your Pinterest marketing strategies are incomplete without analytics. Analyzing your Pinterest profile, including its metrics, is the best way to adjust your strategy and work on content that works best. Business accounts have access to Pinterest Analytics and Metrics, which help them have an overview of their profiles’ performances. Leverage Pinterest’s own analytics platform to track the performance of your Pins and adjust your strategy accordingly. Track metrics, such as engagement, impressions, and conversions, to see what’s working and what’s not.
Promoting Your Pinterest Profile
Do your followers on other social platforms know you’re also on Pinterest? If not, ensure they know you’re active on the platform. Share your Pinterest profile on your other various social media channels. Include a link on your bio, email signature, and even newsletter. You can also add a Pinterest button to your website or blog post.
Final Thoughts
It’s never too late to get started with Pinterest marketing. Expanding your advertising and marketing strategy to this platform can help scale your business or brand. However, being successful on Pinterest requires a strategic approach. Use these strategies explained here to amplify your Pinterest marketing efforts. Kick off your social media marketing with Pinterest advertising. Remember to create a Pinterest marketing strategy that works for your business. That starts with having a business account.
