Today, businesses need to explore diverse platforms to reach their target audiences effectively. One such platform that offers a unique visual approach to marketing is Pinterest. To engage with new audiences and expand brand awareness, you can make use of Pinterest for “Pinterest marketing” to build your social media marketing campaign. In this guide, you will get practical advice and real-world examples of companies that have successfully used Pinterest to build their brands and engage with customers.

What Is Pinterest Marketing?

Pinterest marketing is a set of tactics that incorporate Pinterest into your business’s broader social media marketing strategy. It aims to leverage the platform’s unique features and user base to grow awareness of your brand and products. 

How To Use Pinterest for Business?

Pinterest’s user demographics have historically skewed towards women and individuals interested in shopping and DIY projects. However, as of 2021, the platform is becoming more popular among men and Gen Z’s. This shift expands its potential reach, making it relevant to a broader audience. Now, let us delve into how to use Pinterest for business success effectively:

1. Create a Pinterest Marketing Strategy

The first step in using Pinterest for business is developing a well-defined marketing strategy. Here are some key elements to consider:

• Define SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound goals) for your Pinterest marketing efforts. For example, do you aim to increase website traffic, boost sales for a particular product, or drive sign-ups for an event?
• Familiarise yourself with the general demographics of Pinterest users and identify your brand’s specific target audience within the platform.
• Study what your competitors are doing on Pinterest to gain insights into effective strategies within your industry.
• Plan and create on-brand content tailored to Pinterest, incorporating it into your overall content calendar.

Once you have crafted a clear Pinterest Marketing Strategy, you can start working towards your objectives. A company that has successfully implemented a Pinterest marketing strategy is IKEA. They created a Renovations quiz that recommends IKEA products to users based on their preferences. Users receive a Pinterest board of product recommendations, helping them streamline their furniture buying process.

2. Pin Engaging, Captivating Content

Pinterest is primarily a visual platform, so crafting visually appealing content is crucial. Here’s what makes a captivating Pin:

• Vertical Imagery: Since the majority of Pinterest users browse on mobile, aim for a 2:3 aspect ratio to ensure images display properly.
• Image and Video Quality: Use high-quality images and videos to avoid pixelation.
• Descriptive Copy: Write engaging descriptions that enhance SEO, provide context to your images, and encourage clicks.
• Text Overlay: Consider adding a headline or text overlay to reinforce your message.
• Tasteful Branding: Include your logo in Pins if it aligns with your brand identity and strategy.
• Functional Links: Ensure that your links work correctly, avoiding 404 errors, and prioritise fast loading times for a positive user experience.

Consistency is key, so make a habit of daily Pinning to reach a broader audience. Nike utilises video content to promote its products on Pinterest, showcasing their athletic gear in action. They also create carousels to display a range of products on a single Pin, diversifying their content and engaging users effectively.

3. Try Different Pin Formats

While Pinterest is known for images, it is not limited to them. Experiment with different Pin formats to diversify your content and cater to various user preferences. For instance, consider creating videos to promote your products or crafting Pins with multiple images in a carousel format.

Nespresso uses step-by-step Pins to engage users and provide valuable content. These Pins guide users through making coffee with their products, offering a mix of inspiration and education.

4. Carefully Plan Your Boards

Your Pinterest boards play a pivotal role in reaching new audiences. Since 97% of Pinterest searches are unbranded, your boards can help users discover your content and products. Create boards that align with specific topics or interests, including both promotional and engaging content.

Oreo masterfully balances promotional and engaging content on its Pinterest boards. They have seasonal boards, recipe ideas, and even boards dedicated to holidays. By inspiring their products, they cater to a wide range of Pinterest users.

5. Optimize Your Pins for SEO

Pinterest operates as a search engine, making SEO optimisation crucial. To improve your Pinterest SEO, add relevant keywords to your Pin descriptions, boards, and hashtags. Utilise Rich Pins to pin new content from your website and avoid duplicate content issues.

IT Cosmetics adopted a keyword-focused strategy to reach users searching for beauty products. By optimizing their Pins for keywords like “CC cream,” they were able to connect with users seeking cosmetic products, expanding their reach and customer base.

6. Try Out Different Pinterest Ads

Pinterest offers a variety of advertising options to help businesses reach their target audiences effectively. You can target ads based on keywords, interests, location, age, and more. Detailed audience targeting allows you to target specific groups of Pinterest users, such as website visitors or engaged Pinners.

Samsung leverages Pinterest to showcase its home appliances. They use video and Idea Pins to demonstrate how their products fit into users’ dream homes. The brand also creates boards related to popular home topics, subtly featuring their products.

7. Track the Metrics

Data-driven decision-making is essential for a successful Pinterest marketing strategy. Monitoring and analyzing key Pinterest metrics and audience behaviour helps you understand what content performs best and refine your strategy accordingly.

La Mer, a luxury skincare brand, ran a video ad campaign on Pinterest. Users who engaged with the ads received product samples, driving engagement and customer reviews. By tracking metrics related to the campaign, La Mer gained valuable insights into its effectiveness.

8. Promote Your Pinterest Profile

Ensure that your existing followers on other platforms are aware of your presence on Pinterest. Promote your Pinterest profile by linking to it on your website, including it in your email signature, cross-promoting it on other social channels, and sharing the news in company newsletters.

The Good Trade, an online publication focused on sustainability and slow living, generates organic traffic on Pinterest by creating Pins for all their articles. They rely on keywords and hashtags to make their content discoverable through search, effectively converting Pinterest users into readers.

FAQs on How to Use Pinterest for Business

Here are some commonly asked questions on using Pinterest for business:

Why is Pinterest important for businesses?

Pinterest marketing is the use of Pinterest in your entire social media marketing plan to increase the online visibility of your brand, connect with new audiences, and accomplish certain corporate objectives. It is crucial for businesses since it gives them access to a wide range of users and may help raise brand awareness, generate website traffic, and stimulate conversions like purchases and sign-ups.

How to create a successful Pinterest marketing strategy?

To create a successful Pinterest marketing strategy, start by defining SMART goals, understanding your target audience, researching your competitors, and planning on-brand content tailored to Pinterest. IKEA’s use of a Renovations quiz is an excellent example of a creative and effective Pinterest marketing strategy.

What are some tips for creating engaging content on Pinterest?

Engaging content on Pinterest should include vertical imagery, high image and video quality, descriptive copy, text overlays, tasteful branding, and functional links. Consistency in Pinning is also crucial. Nike’s use of video content and carousels effectively engages users and showcases their products.

How to optimize Pinterest marketing efforts for SEO?

To optimize for SEO on Pinterest, include relevant keywords in your Pin descriptions, boards, and hashtags. Utilize Rich Pins to pin new content from your website without duplicate content issues. IT Cosmetics’ keyword-focused strategy for beauty searches on Pinterest is a great example of effective SEO optimization.

Which businesses are successfully using Pinterest marketing?

Many businesses excel at Pinterest marketing. For instance, Samsung effectively showcases its home appliances through video and Idea Pins. La Mer ran a successful video ad campaign, while The Good Trade generated organic traffic by creating Pins for their articles, demonstrating the impact of Pinterest marketing for various industries.

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