Pinterest is the fastest-growing stand alone social media platform, a powerhouse player in the world of social media. Online users have become desensitised to adverts on the pioneer social media plaforms, Facebook in particular, where it is easy to ignore adverts and promotional material, hence the importance to present your business to the general public in alternate ways. There are so many brands vying for consumers attention on all social media platforms, so content must be of the best quality and presented in new and fun ways to garner the attention of the masses. Pinterest appears to be offering this more than ever, with 72 million users on the site. These users have higher than average reported incomes and there is a new buying option where pinners can buy straight from you through your pinterest boards. Pinterest is no more just for those planning an interior decorating project, or for future brides, it is becoming more and more relevant for businesses, by 2016, revenues are projected to hit $500m.
If your business is aimed towards women, or gender neutral, Pinterest may become indispensible to your business with 70-85% of the users female and more often than not, are in the upper brackets for education and income. Nearly 31% of adults use Pinterest, an increase of 16% in three years, whereas Facebook is stagnant in its figures, whilst still popular, its growth is at a stand still. Pinning your products to their boards, or buying straight through the app will promote your business across a new social media site, which, in a society and culture where exposure is key, is very important. 38% of active Pinterest users bought something they saw on the site, with great photography of your products, engagement with pinners through following them and their boards and making your products repinnable on their boards, you can really promote and publicize your business on the site.
Pinterest isn't only benefitial to product orientated businesses though, many service industries can use the site for branding and other marketing opportunities. A great example of this is 'Petplan Pet Insurance' who have 41.4 thousand followers, and 51 animal boards, including ones titled, 'Pro Health Tips' and 'Star Wars Pets' mixed in with boards for their business, 'Dog Insurance' and 'Recscue Me'- a board packed full with cute animals they are wanting to rehome.
We tell our clients that effective digital marketing is using the right platform to reach the correct audience who will buy your product, or engage and read your content. As a business, you need to define your target audience, then find markets to sell those on, different social media sites are predominantly used by different demographics, and you therefore need to find the best one for your business. If you have time to spread yourself across the major sites, you can build your online presence and hopefully maximise your business- especially as social media is the best tool for getting your products out there to all different countries, cultures, and socio ecocnomic levels easily.
