If you’re not using Pinterest to promote your business, you’re overlooking a well-established and reliable social media marketing platform. The fourth-largest social media network in the U.S., Pinterest surpasses Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and even LinkedIn in terms of popularity. As a matter of fact, 28% of all social media users worldwide are Pinterest users, and 88 million Americans actively use the site each month. Besides being a place to connect with friends and family, Pinterest plays a special role in that it helps its users – otherwise known as Pinners – to achieve their objectives and pursue their passions.
One of the main reasons individuals are swarming to Pinterest is that the site offers creative ideas for a wide variety of activities and interests. “Pinspiration” can be found for people who are planning a wedding, renovating a bathroom, or starting a garden, to name a few. From a business standpoint, companies can use Pinterest to engage with existing and prospective customers, promote their products, or contribute advice or expertise in order to position their organization as an authority in the field.
If you’re interested in attracting potential patrons using Pinterest, read on for seven tips on how to do just that…
Pin Frequently
You won’t reap the full benefits of using Pinterest for your business if you post only occasionally. To expand your Pinterest community and get the most out of your marketing efforts on the site, try to post every day. While expert sentiments vary greatly, it’s recommended that you post at least 3 and no more than 30 pins on any given day. In addition to helping you develop a powerful Pinterest presence, this practice increases the number of people who are viewing your content.
If you can’t find the time to pin content multiple times throughout the course of your day, there are many reputable online social media services that can help you accomplish this – you can even schedule your pins in advance.
Take Advantage of the Holidays
For years now, social media marketers have been using the holidays as a way to market their products and services more effectively. That being said, Pinterest is particularly well-suited for sharing seasonal content. To allow your existing and prospective customers ample time to prepare for the holidays, Pinterest recommends that you start sharing your seasonal content anywhere from a month to 45 days in advance.
Not surprisingly, the Christmas season offers one of the greatest opportunities for brands, with Pinterest users making an average of 321 searches during the December holidays alone. Halloween is also a popular time to be present on Pinterest – the site receives 227 million searches related to this spooky time of year. According to Pinterest, pins that commemorate holidays and seasonal events trigger a 22% uptick in online sales for the businesses that post them.
Create Pinterest Boards & “Instructographics”
Standalone posts may perform well for Facebook and Instagram – but in order to succeed on Pinterest, marketers must create Boards that their fans can follow. For example, an apparel company might create a Pinterest Board that showcases their products or one that features customers wearing their pieces at various events or occasions. Other effective marketing options include tutorials, DIY boards, and boards where customers are encouraged to share their own relevant pins.
Additionally, small businesses in particular can develop a Pinterest following by sharing instructographics. This moniker, devised by Pinterest itself, refers to infographic boards that teach people how to do something, like setting an eye-catching Thanksgiving table or hosting a Super Bowl party.
Make the Most of Your Description
While Pinterest may primarily be a visual medium, that doesn’t mean the words you incorporate into your posts aren’t significant. Rather, each pin should include a description that provides context and, at the same time, coalesces with your business’s brand. Each description allows for a total of 500 characters; however, searchers are only likely to see the first 50 or 60 characters, so it’s important to place key terms and pertinent information at the beginning of the description.
To ensure that your pins get noticed by the right users, marketers should also direct their efforts towards search engine optimization (SEO). You can start by using Google AdWords to identify keywords that are applicable to your business. By adding some hashtags to your pin description and titles, you can make sure that your content is seen by a larger number of searchers.
Analyze Your Business’s Pinterest Performance
Like all the major social networking sites, Pinterest offers an Analytics tool that permits businesses to evaluate how their current campaigns are progressing in order to be able to develop stronger campaigns in the future. To utilize this feature, simply visit the site to verify your account. You will then be able to access the Site Metrics tab where you can keep track of important data, such as how often your pins appear on Google, how frequently users see your pins, and how many users navigate to your website directly from Pinterest. You can also observe where the bulk of your traffic is originating from and adjust accordingly. For instance, if the majority of customers are viewing your content from their smartphones, it’s essential to make certain that your site is mobile-friendly.
In addition, the Analytics tool demonstrates which of their pins are top performers. By examining impressions and engagements for pinned content, you can more effectively customize your marketing efforts going forward.
Pin at the Right Times
Pinning content consistently is critical. Nevertheless, you can’t simply post at any time of the day and guarantee the best results. The reality is that pinning content at certain times of the day tends to generate more views. Depending on whom you talk to, the peak times to pin can vary. Most sources agree that 2pm to 4pm is the best afternoon time slot to post, while 8pm to 11pm and 2am-4am are the ideal times to pin at night.
Companies should consider their target audience’s habits with regard to using Pinterest. If a Pinner is planning a weekend project, the best time to reach them with your content might be a Saturday morning, before they get started with their day.
Engage with Your Followers
Posting regularly may be essential to Pinterest success, but engaging with your followers – or, in the case of a business, your customers – is absolutely pivotal if you want to keep them loyal to your brand. Many companies take the time to respond to Facebook or Instagram comments, but they sometimes neglect to address Pinners’ comments and concerns. That’s not a good look for your business. For optimal results, try to always respond to comments in a timely manner. Remember to use a follower’s name for a more personal touch.
Now that you’ve learned a thing or two about how to reach your customers on Pinterest, are you ready to get started? The digital marketing experts at HighClick Media are more than happy to help you get started with your social media marketing efforts. Give us a call today at 252.814.2150!