Pinterest is based on discovery and meaningful curation. With its explosive growth, ability to drive results and its discovery-friendly set up it is easy to understand why brands need to be on Pinterest. Pinterest users only share content that they relate to, so here are my nine tips to help you improve your brands Pinterest marketing.
1. Build Brand Personas
In order to have an effective Pinterest plan, it is important to understand your audience. Once you understand your followers, you are better able to create engaging Pinterest content that connects with them.
For example, Etsy understands that their audience likes to create things themselves, so they provide them with DIY tips and tutorials that keep them engaged. Etsy also shares beautiful images of the trending products that people can find on their site.
So, how do you get to know your audience better? Just ask! Do some basic research by sending out surveys to your customers, or study your followers’ profiles and review your Pinterest analytics. Then create your brand persona based on this data.
When you understand who follows you, why they follow you and when they engage with your content, you will be able to provide them with better content that speaks to them. This will help you stand out from your competition.
2. Serve Complementary Content
People follow you for valuable information. Demonstrate that you are a leader in your industry and develop powerful relationships with your audience.
QANTAS Travel Insider provides excellent, relevant information for their followers. They share travel inspiration and travel tips for various global locations, which is well liked by their audience.
If you provide your audience with helpful and engaging information, people are more likely to follow your Pinterest boards and engage with your content. Understand your followers wants and needs, and create content that helps them view you as a trusted source for such information.
3. Create Multiple Boards
A way to strengthen your brand presence is to vary the types of boards that you create for your business. By doing this, you have the potential to speak to multiple facets of your audience and increase your overall reach.
Woolworths has a strong Pinterest presence. They have multiple boards on a variety of topics that give their readers a huge selection of content, that relate to various sections of their audience.
Create multiple boards that offer different things for your audience, whilst remaining true to and strengthening your brand. The more boards and topics you cover, the more likely you are to increase your following.
4. Run a Contest
Pinterest is excellent for increasing visibility, since the more a pin has been shared, the more people will see it. Creating a Pinterest contest is an perfect for increasing your share rate and attracting new, potential customers. Launch a contest that encourages users to create a board featuring your product or service. This is a great way to encourage sharing, which may lead to new customers.
The more people know about your brand, the more likely they are to check it out. Remember, it is just as important to bring in new customers, as it is to maintain the ones you have.
5. Share your Story
Building trust is a great way to create and maintain a loyal client base. Use pictures on Pinterest to showcase your accomplishments.
UNICEF, uses their Pinterest account to share photographs of children in crisis, images of where money is being spent including education and nutrition. People are more likely to donate to the cause, as they can see the good that this organisation is responsible for.
No matter what type of business you are, it is important to show what your business does and this can be done by sharing photographs and visuals on Pinterest. Giving your followers a peek behind the scenes goes a long way to building a trusting relationship.
6. Design Quality Pins
Pinterest provides and effective way to drive business to your website. Create beautiful boards with quality images, so your followers can’t help but click through.
Buzzfeed, for example, has a varied audience and board to match. Their graphics are engaging and high-quality and address the topics that people want to read more about.
Create boards with pins that lead to your blog, as well as product pages. Create fun boards with excellent pictures and interesting material that relates to different topics. The more boards and pins you create, the more likely your following and organic traffic will increase.
7. Use Humour
Humour is an excellent way to engage with current and potential customers on Pinterest. Create a ‘funny’ board or even a unique board with a humorous twist.
Brainstorm ideas and then create a specific funny board, a way to put a humorous twist on your content or both. When you utilise humour on your Pinterest marketing, especially funny material that speaks to your fans and followers, it grabs attention and improves clicks and engagement.
8. Share User-Generated Images
Sharing real-life photos is very effective in engaging clients and building lasting relationships. This helps your followers feel like they are part of your business, and they are more likely to comment, pin and favourite. Start by creating a ‘behind the scenes’ board and a user board, and go from there.
9. Showcase Product Hacks
Pinterest is known as a place for DIY tips and life hacks. Utilise the platform to show your audience tips and tricks that relate to your product.
Vegemite shares helps recipes including breakfast recipes and treats for their users to engage with.
Sharing product hacks, tips and tricks can be something you do, regardless of your industry – just make sure its relevant.
Brainstorm some tips to share. Then create and curate the content to go with it. Your customers may be surprised the other uses for your products, and their appreciation will show through likes and shares.
Pinterest marketing can be a valuable tool for your business. The visual media, combined with useful information, gives fans and followers a peek into who you are and what you know. This can help you develop trust, build and cultivate relationships, encourage engagement and help you grow your business.