Pinterest is often thought of as a social media platform that people go on to plan their weddings, find recipes, or look for style inspiration. If your business is outside of those industries, you’re probably thinking that this platform isn’t for your business. Here’s why you should change your mind and utilize Pinterest no matter your industry.
First, it’s important to note that Pinterest isn’t social media; it’s a search engine. Many people like to lump Pinterest into the “social media” category due to some of its features like following people and saving posts you like. However, when it comes down to it, Pinterest has more than 150 million users that are searching for answers, inspiration, gifts, products, and ideas. Pinterest is successful because it gives users the information they’re searching for in a more interesting way – through visuals.
By using images, infographics, and videos, you can link your content to your website and bring viewers and this new audience along. Pinterest is second only to Facebook in driving users to the main website. Yet, the plus side to Pinterest is that pins last on average 3 and a half months in people’s searches and feeds; whereas on Facebook and twitter, it’s a fraction of that time. The better the content, SEO, and image is for your Pinterest posts and the more people you get to click on the link or pin your content, the more exposure you will get and clicks through to your website.
Since Pinterest’s demographic is diverse with everyone from teenagers to highly successful business owners, whatever product or service you are selling, you will be able to find an audience. In fact, Pinterest has become an influencer when helping people make purchasing decisions. As users on Pinterest are more likely to follow a brand or business than a celebrity, it’s easier to get your pins out to an audience that is looking for what you’re trying to sell.
While on Pinterest, you’re also able to show off your brand’s personality and what matters most to your brand. Consumers want to buy from brands that not only have the product they are looking for but from brands that are willing to support what they are looking for or have interests that align with their own. For instance, if your business is insurance, in addition to the content that you create yourself, you also may want to pin links and images that are related to travel, health, cars, etc. When you think about pinning, be sure to pin things that are going to be of use to your main audience.
To recap, why should you utilize Pinterest even if you aren’t in an industry related to weddings, food, fashion, or interior design? 1) You will likely get more click throughs and visits to your website. 2) You can show off your brands personality and what’s important to your brand. 3) If you are selling a product, Pinterest has proven to be the best influencer in helping users make purchasing decisions.