Pinterest is THE new web marketing tool of the year. Millions of users have jumped on the bandwagon and are pinning, liking, and repinning posts that have relevance to their lives. Like with any big social network, what’s fascinating is the amount of time people spend on the site, just hanging out. Maybe it’s a much needed idea for a dinner recipe that led to hours of browsing, or maybe it’s an upcoming wedding that still needs to be inspired by more creative ideas.
People are spending their time on Pinterest and what they do can primarily be classified as brainstorming. So how can marketers savvy enough to include Pinterest in their web marketing strategy get their attention?
First, it is helpful to understand what people are pinning on Pinterest. Here are the top ten areas of interests:
1. For the Home (3.15%)
2. My Style (1.97%)
3. Products I Love (1.86%)
4. Books Worth Reading (1.68%)
5. Food (1.23%)
6. Favorite Places & Spaces (1.00%)
7. Recipes (0.75%)
8. Craft Ideas (0.74%)
9. Christmas (0.72%)
10. Crafts (0.65%)
The key for marketers is creating content that will fit into one of these popular categories and that is easily searchable. Here are some strategies Autumn Consulting recommends when marketing on Pinterest:
Use Compelling Visuals. Pins are generally expressed throughout images that then link to an external blog or website. If you are in the food industry and are creating an original pin, use interesting food images that will capture people’s attention. If you are in the automobile industry, use cool images of cars, etc.
Always Change the Description. When repinning someone else’s content, always change the description underneath the image to something useful to you. Use keywords relevant to your business. For bonus points: include a hashtag and send the post to Twitter through the integrated logo on the right.
Find Larger Conversations. Don’t limit yourself to pins that directly relate to your products. Instead, take part in larger conversations about your region, relevant hobbies, or events that relate to your industry. This will draw in a natural audience and you can easily lure them to your content if you hook them with an original image and thought.
Overall, Pinterest is a huge opportunity for brand exposure if you are willing to invest some time to understand its dynamics and bring a playful attitude to the table. Don’t expect direct sales to follow from being on Pinterest, but like with any social media site, it’s a bit like going to the dog park and carrying business cards: You never know who you will run in to, but if you don’t put yourself out there, you will miss opportunities.
Autumn Consulting is a Milwaukee web marketing agency with a team of savvy social media marketers. We can help you identify the right web marketing strategies in order to qualify prospects, engage customers, and clarify messages.
