First it was Facebook, then Twitter, and now Pinterest. The viral pin board website has taken the Internet by storm to become the fastest growing and third most popular social network. With 1.36 million users visiting Pinterest each day, the originally consumer-based platform has evolved into a popular marketing resource for many companies. Businesses are actively creating Pinterest accounts in attempt to build profitable relationships with the network’s 8.3 million monthly active users.
According to Jason Hennessey, CEO at EverSpark Interactive, “For businesses, Pinterest adds a sense of legitimacy and authority to their reputations. If a business is on Pinterest sharing pictures and information related to its niche, it is connecting more deeply with an audience and also reflecting the company’s know-how.” The new social network has been linked with helping many businesses build brand awareness, increase website traffic, and improve search results.
Pinterest, however, may not be the right fit for every business. The social network’s simple layout, specific audience, and unique capabilities do not provide equal value to all industries. Before you jump on the bandwagon and start pinning, ask yourself the following questions to see if Pinterest is in your company’s best interest.
- Is your brand visual?
Pinterest is about using pictures to tell a story. This provides businesses the valuable opportunity to show off tangible products and design-oriented services. Wedding planners and fashion merchants have found much success in the network as it caters to the visual nature of their work. For brands with less visual appeal, however, Pinterest does not seem to be such an easy fit. Company photos and office images provide one form of visual content but often lack the viral appeal that drives the social network. The challenge to collect visual content representative of your brand is a strong signal that Pinterest may not be the right match for your business.
- Do Pinterest users align with your audience?
Studies have revealed that Pinterest users are 70% women with a majority of individuals between the ages of 25 and 54. While men and younger aged consumers do have a small presence on the social network, the majority of Pinterest business opportunities lie with the adult female population. It is important to examine how your audience compares to that of Pinterest in order to evaluate if the social network aligns with your business goals. Dedicating marketing efforts to a platform where your audience is not present provides little value to your brand.
- Is Pinterest compatible with your social media strategy?
As a free social media platform, the main investment for businesses using Pinterest is time. Does your business have the time and resources to maintain an active Pinterest profile? Creating an account but failing to regularly pin and interact with users can tarnish your brand. The decision to join Pinterest should not be solely due to the viral nature of the network, but instead because your company believes it will help strengthen your marketing efforts. Whether it is for SEO, improved website traffic, or overall brand awareness, your business Pinterest account should be created and maintained with a clear strategy.
Like all social media, it is very possible that your brand may already exist on Pinterest regardless of having an account. Pinterest users have the ability to pin images from across the web that link back to the website where the photo came from. Using Pinterest as a social media listening tool to learn what users are pinning about your brand, competition, and industry can provide valuable insights into the habits and interests of your audience. To investigate what Pinterest images link to your website, visit the website here.
