As of 2021, Pinterest was the 14th largest social media platform in the world. Because it’s not as massive as other social networking sites, it may be overlooked by small businesses. But Pinterest offers unique functionality that sets it apart from other platforms. Pinterest allows you to share infographics on services your business provides. It boasts a passionate and engaged user base that can turn into potential customers. 

While Pinterest is not commonly thought of to be used in a business atmosphere, it is now in the top three most popular business social media platforms. In this blog, we dive into why you should use Pinterest for your business and how you can make the most of it. 

Why Your Business Should Use Pinterest

In case you’ve never used Pinterest or fully maximized the power of the platform, here are five good reasons why you need to use Pinterest for your business:

1. Powerful Visual Search Engine

What sets Pinterest apart is that it’s more than a social networking platform. It’s a powerful visual search engine. It’s an idea and concept goldmine that specializes in visual formats like photos and videos. Instead of searching for hashtags or specific users to follow, pinners input relevant keywords or phrases to find the content they need. This functionality enables businesses to market themselves in a unique way to potential customers.

2. Massive Global Reach

Pinterest has over 430 million monthly users who come onto the platform to find inspiration and fresh ideas. Over 60% of global pinners are women, but there’s a growing base of males, as well as Gen Z-ers (increasing 40% year over year). Specific to the U.S., there’s potential to tap into demographics with strong purchasing power. Pinterest has seen a 35% year-over-year growth amongst millennials, and 45% of those with a household income over $100K are on the platform.

Plus, Pinterest is regularly indexed through search engines. Meaning you can improve and optimize your business's SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ranking. To boost your SEO rankings on Pinterest, you can use more visually appealing images of your services or keywords in your pin description to be able to appear in more search results.

3. Boost Your Business’ SEO Ranking

Pinterest is an amazing tool to use to get more traffic to your website using SEO. Pinterest is a platform that has ‘high domain authority,’ which just means it can make content on its platform rank higher in search engine results. If you’ve ever used search engines like Google to find a new product or business, you’ll notice how Pinterest is one of the websites that pops up the most. 

To fully optimize your business’s Pinterest account and rank higher in SEO, be sure to do your keyword research. Posting pins with keywords in the title or description that have high traffic volume will bring more traffic to your Pins which can then lead to more potential customers. Be mindful that the first 30 words you use in a Pin’s title will be appearing in search feeds, so make sure that those are your SEO friendly keywords.

Pinterest is a hidden gem that can elevate your business’s SEO rank, the platform resurfaces posts over time which can lead to new visitors to your company’s website for months and months. Search Engine Optimization is what makes Pinterest stand out above all other social media platforms as a business tool.

4. Non-Chronological Content

On most social media platforms, users consume content that pops up on their feed or recommendations page. But because so many pieces of content get published daily, businesses must post consistently. Most post daily but others, depending on their business needs, post multiple times a day.

But because Pinterest functions as a visual search engine, content does not expire or get buried under newer posts. Even if you post an “easy DIY home renovations” pin in 2022, a pinner in 2024 may still stumble across your pin with the correct search terms and optimization efforts.

5. Personalizes Your Branding

Most companies can come across as robotic and forced when they’re trying to promote their brand or product. Pinterest allows your company to humanize your branding and to come across as more creative and fun. Social media marketing is one of the many digital marketing strategies that can allow you to showcase your brand in a personal light. With Pinterest, you can engage with pins that your customers have posted of your brand and interact in real-time with your clientele. So do not be afraid to get as creative as possible when creating content and interacting with other users on Pinterest’s platform.

6. Ideas and Inspiration Platform

Once upon a time, Pinterest was the website for creating "dream boards." That spirit endures and is what makes Pinterest unique from other social media sites. It’s the place where people go to find new ideas, learn skills, and get inspired. Whether it's five different ways to cook chicken, styling an old pair of pants, or renovating the home, pinners are often people who are pursuing their passions and seeking solutions. Showcasing how your business helps them take a step closer to their goals is also one step closer to a sale.

Benefits of Using Pinterest for Your Business

If you maximize the tools and opportunities that the platform has to offer, these are five unique advantages of using Pinterest for your business:

Cost-Efficient Content Production

Because the content on Pinterest is non-chronological and doesn’t go out of date, you can get more value out of one post. According to Pinterest, ads on the platform have 2.3x more efficient cost per conversion. They also have a 2x higher return on ad spend for retail businesses compared to social media. Plus, content doesn’t get buried in a feed. It'll continue to show up under the right search terms, so you don’t have to constantly produce new content to update and replace old content.

Users are More Inclined to Act (and Buy!)

Unlike other social media platforms where people scroll through and engage with content that come up on their feed, users on Pinterest search for ideas and tutorials for things they are interested in. 85% of users say that Pinterest is their go-to site to start a new project. And because many are genuinely pursuing their passions and interests, they are also more likely to buy. Shoppers on Pinterest spend twice as much per month compared to users of other platforms.

Spot Upcoming Trends

The platform on Pinterest allows users to share and create boards that showcase their favorite trends. Whether it is beauty products, fashion, or even new upcoming technology, users can share their favorite trends or products which can help your business predict and stay ahead of trends. Following influencers in the specific field, you’re trying to appeal to see any emerging trends that could be on the horizon. Staying ahead of the curve can assist your brand or company in staying relevant and makes you stand out from the rest of your competitors.

Wide Range of Business Solutions

Pinterest offers a diverse toolbox to address every business goal. These include awareness, consideration, conversion, and even offline sales. Leverage the platform’s flexible ad formats including Standard, Video, Shopping, Carousel, and Collection. Business profiles also have access to unique features like the Creator Hub, Audience Insights, and Pinterest Trends.

Pinterest allows business accounts to view their analytics where you can specifically track how each pin is doing by viewing engagements, impressions, views, and clicks. This is a beneficial tool for businesses to take advantage of to gauge how their social strategies are working. 

You Don’t Need A Website

Even if your business doesn’t have a website, you don’t need to shy away from Pinterest. You just need to make a business account on the platform to get started on your Pinterest marketing campaign. Not to mention, Pinterest is free to use, so you can share as much content on there without any limits or worries. A business profile will let you create idea pins, upload assets, create shoppable pins, and more. 

Additionally, a business Pinterest account lets you run ads on your promoted pins. This lets you build stronger advertising campaigns and can help narrow down your audience. You can also link your other social media accounts to your Pinterest so that you can cross-post across platforms.

How to Succeed at Pinterest for Business

Understand How Content Works on Pinterest

Pinterest’s slogan for marketers is “Stop Interrupting. Start Inspiring.” That should guide all your content creation efforts. While most of the searches on the platform are unbranded, with the nature of the searches — which are often about scouting ideas and information towards a goal — people are open to solutions, even branded ones. For example, a person may search for “trendy spring outfits 2022.” While this search is unbranded, they will still likely view a pin of spring outfit ideas, even if it’s from a brand account.  

Additionally, take note of how users consume content on Pinterest. 82% of pinners use the mobile app, so it’s recommended to go vertical and create assets with a 2:3 aspect ratio.

Ensure the Technical Side is Sorted

Aside from creating engaging content, consider the technical side of things to maximize the reach and impact of your assets. Make sure your images and videos don’t pixelate on various screen sizes. Write descriptive copy that will assist with your SEO rankings. Add a text overlay, and ensure your external links (like your business website) work. 

Furthermore, analyze your audience insights to understand your audience’s behavior and optimize your content strategy moving forward. Are they gravitating more toward DIY tutorials? Do they prefer infographics? Leverage what’s effective amongst your target audience and create more of what they’re looking for.

Optimize Your Pins

As Pinterest is a visual search engine, you can optimize your content as you would in a traditional search engine. With relevant keyword-driven descriptions and hashtags, you can improve your rankings and increase your searchability. Creating unique visual content will make your business stand out and can garner new leads. Pinterest allows users to search for their specific interests, which assists in narrowing your audience to your company’s niche.

Ready to use Pinterest for your business? We're ready to guide you. Specializing in data-driven strategies and digital solutions, LSM can help you develop your Pinterest marketing plan and take your business to the next level. Book a free consultation today!

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