The amazing power of Pinterest

Why companies are turning to this invaluable marketing tool

Pinterest is a valuable and effective asset for companies and individuals to use as part of their marketing strategies. While it’s a great tool to use, there are some common misconceptions about the benefits of the platform, which means that not everyone is using Pinterest to its fullest capabilities.

Here are some things you need to know if you aren’t yet familiar with Pinterest:

Pinterest is not strictly a social media tool for housewives preparing dinner or young women looking to plan their weddings.
Pinterest is an immensely popular media platform that people (and companies) can use to repost all sorts of compelling content to followers and fellow pinners.
Companies can use Pinterest to create different boards of products, services or successes.
For some, Pinterest can be considered a collection of “dream boards,” full of things they want to achieve in life or that their businesses should invest in to achieve their fullest growth potential.

With more than 10 million visitors, Pinterest is expanding by the second and is quickly becoming a standard social media outlet for companies and individuals; it is fast joining the ranks of Facebook and Twitter. Pinterest is unique from the other platforms in that it isn’t used as much for socializing, but rather for shopping and saving ideas for future reference. While people tend to use Facebook and Twitter to see what their friends and colleagues are up to, they use Pinterest primarily for one reason: to seek the means to improve their lives.

Whether it’s to look for inspiring quotes, delicious recipes, DIY projects or unique travel destinations, people are generally more interested in the piece of content posted than who posted it. I, for one, do not follow people on Pinterest simply because I care what they’re doing on a Saturday night; that is not what the site is about. I follow other pinners because I like their style, share similar interests or have comparable tastes in the brands they post about. That’s why it is crucial for companies looking to sell products to board the Pinterest bandwagon.

It quickens the conversion process

Many companies that are using Pinterest discover that the platform converts visitors into leads into customers much more quickly than other social media platforms can. A consumer is much more likely to buy a product he sees on Pinterest than in a tweet. That’s because Pinterest users are looking for self-improvement, and the products your company sells may be their answer.

It steers traffic to your website

Pinterest is a useful tool your company can use to generate leads and guide users to your website. For instance, imagine that your retail company pins a picture of a pretty cocktail dress on sale. Hundreds of users looking for the perfect dress for a best friend’s birthday party will search Pinterest, see your dress, click on it and immediately be led to your site, where they can see all of the clothing you sell and repin the post for all of their followers to see. Before you know it, that dress is repinned like wildfire and has driven thousands of leads to your website. Simple, right?

Users are simply hooked

Like many 20-year-olds, I’m an avid pinner. Whenever I’m interested in doing anything that involves spending a little money, the first place I look is Pinterest. Perhaps I want to update my wardrobe, decorate my apartment, plan a trip with my girlfriends or try a new restaurant – I always turn to Pinterest to see what’s out there and what ideas others have come up with. That’s why this tool should be an automatic go-to for marketers. It’s a place where you can go to great lengths to make your products look cool and trendy. Companies that find the most success on Pinterest post content that is tasteful and visually gripping so that potential customers can’t help but repin the content so that everyone knows how hip they are.

It’s connected with other social media outlets

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have repeatedly proven that social media platforms do better when they’re integrated with other media outlets. Pinterest is no different. Users can post their pins to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram instantly so that they share their content with a greater population. If your company incorporates Pinterest in your social media cycle plan, you may generate much more traffic to all of your social media profiles.

It allows you to analyze your audience

Pinterest is a great way to discover trends and see what your buyer personas like. By analyzing a pin’s click or repin rate, your company can understand what type of content intrigues visitors and generates leads and customers. It’s also an excellent way to see what other companies are doing and find inspiration for marketing strategies.

Overall, Pinterest is a cost-efficient and highly effective marketing tool that all companies should use to attract more and diverse customers.

This post was inspired by HubSpot. For more information about using social media for marketing, check out Axia Public Relations’ e-book The Essential Social Media Management Guide.

Pauline_Blum Pauline Blum is studying marketing at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. She plans to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in marketing in 2017.