Founded in California in 2008, Pinterest launched in 2010 to immediate fanfare, with its success catapulting in 2011 with the introduction of the Pinterest app. Since then, this visual scrapbooking and social networking platform has evolved to become a powerful strategic marketing tool that should be a key consideration in many businesses’ social media strategy. And, with more than 498 million people using Pinterest every month, it’s certainly a service not
to be scoffed at.
Pinterest may have started out as a social networking app, but its prowess today as an e- commerce platform makes it a formidable and profitable marketing tool for businesses. Here are some of the key tools that make it a worthy consideration for marketing spend:
While a key draw of Pinterest has always been to browse pins and boards for inspiration, many users are now turning this search mechanism on its head thanks to the Pinterest Lens functionality, which uses real life objects to generate searches. This service enables you to point your device at anything around you that inspires you – whether that’s a pretty houseplant in a
coffee shop or someone’s trailblazing street style – and search for these items on Pinterest. Just as brands need to ensure their SEO is on point so they’re hitting the first page on Google, technological developments such as these demonstrate brands can no longer afford not to be visible on Pinterest.
Do you have products or services to sell? As well as for idea generation and research, Pinterest users can now also make purchases via the site. To list your products, the set-up is straightforward, particularly if you already use third party platforms such as Shopify. There’s also the opportunity to join Pinterest’s Verified Merchant Programme, which gives you access to a ‘verified’ badge to place on your profile which, in turn, can help build customer trust in yourproduct. You can also boost your visibility and sales through Shopping Ads and Collection Ads.
New from Pinterest, the Shuffles app offers brands and users the chance to create animated collections and collages. Furniture retailer DFS demonstrated the benefits of using this tool in a recent campaign, showcasing its eye-catching functionality and creative possibilities for brands and individuals.
As far as social media platforms go, the strategic approach for Pinterest is quite nuanced – requiring platform experts to help brands fully leverage their suite of business tools. Luckily, our Chameleon’s are well versed in all that Pinterest has to offer and can help transform this often underrated platform into a key traffic and sales tool.
Interested in using Pinterest for your business? Fill in the form below to find out more.
