When it hit 11.7 million uniques last month, Pinterest earned the distinction of becoming the site to reach 10 million users in the shortest amount of time. While that’s a very impressive accomplishment, all signs point towards this just being the beginning of “the next big thing.” If you’re interested in using this site as a marketing platform, here’s what you need to know:
It’s All About the Images
The entire Pinterest ecosystem is driven by images. While a lot of Internet marketing involves coming up with great ideas to write about, this site is all visual. If you’re going to take part in this community, it’s important to understand that the standard for quality is set quite high. From absolutely stunning photographs to funny images to pictures of mouthwatering desserts, the users of this site love to pin and view images across a very wide spectrum of interests.
Around 3/4 of Pinterest Users are Women
Depending on where the date comes from, most sources find that women make up 70 to 80% of all Pinterest users. The largest age demographic is 25-34, followed by 35-44. Although men may account for a slightly larger percentage of users as the site continues to experience huge growth, you’ll benefit most from tailoring your Pinterest marketing plans towards women.
Users are Buying
When it comes to social media, one of the biggest concerns that businesses have is they’re not going to see any substantial returns on the time they invest. But with Pinterest, that’s not a problem. A five month study of 5 retailers confirmed that users of this site are definitely interested in making purchases. The results of the study found a 289% increase in targeted traffic for the retailers!
It’s Still a Conversation
If you’ve decided that Pinterest sounds like a site where you want your business to be, it’s important to remember that blatant self-promotion is not what will lead to success. Instead, it’s all about engagement. And even though Pinterest is driven by images instead of text, it is still a conversation.
You Don’t Have to Be Literal
Since you need to use images but don’t want to blatantly promote your business, you may be concerned that you’re not going to have many options. However, the reason you don’t need to worry is because there are actually quite a few options when you start thinking outside of the box.
Although it’s a blog, Mashable has developed a great Pinterest presence by using Infographics and other visual tools. While vacuums may not sound like an exciting addition to a site that’s driven by visuals, Oreck has made it possible by thinking outside of the box and creating their Furry Friends board.And by providing people with interesting peeks behind the scenes, Peapod is off to a great start on Pinterest.