When we are looking for inspiration for, for example, our interior, holidays, or cooking skills, we often let Google search. But a platform that is growing in popularity in this area is Pinterest. An online image bank where companies and individuals share ideas on 1001 topics. It is therefore high time to tell you more about this platform and the opportunities for your Pinterest marketing strategy!
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest has been around since 2010 and is best described as an online mood board. Where you used to cut out photos from multiple magazines, you can now do that online on Pinterest by creating your message boards. There are currently over 3.5 million members in the Netherlands, of which more than 717,000 members open the app or site every day.
Users can indicate their interests in their profile and based on that, they will see suggested pins in their feed and also possible to enter searches. They can then add the pins they want to keep to their message board. It is, therefore, the ideal channel for inspiration. Popular categories include recipes, interior design, clothing, DIY, personal care, travel, health & fitness, gifts, and gardening.
When you create a profile, you can be followed just like on all other social media channels. It applies to business organizations as well as personal accounts. Besides that you can add a pin to a pinboard, it is also possible to forward it to another user, leave a comment and share it via other social media channels.
Why is Pinterest Marketing Strategy interesting?
When people are looking for inspiration, they are still in the orientation phase and do not yet have a brand in their head. That is why this is a perfect channel to show what problem you can solve and thereby also get traffic to your website. Often the users also have a purchase intention, so if you do it right you will get new customers. Also, it has been possible to advertise on Pinterest since 2019.
Does it improve my brand presence?
Do you sell products or services in the field of interior, personal care, cooking, fashion, or do-it-yourself? Then we recommend that you make a company page. As with the other social media channels, you must regularly insert a pin, because nothing is more daunting than an almost empty company page. Visual content plays the main role in Pinterest. So make sure you have good images or videos so that users get inspired and start visiting your website. A banner with the ‘offer of the week’ is therefore not sufficient.
Advertise on Pinterest
Since 2019 it is also possible to advertise on Pinterest in the Netherlands. It goes like this. Once you have created a company page you can create sponsored pins. These appear in the timeline or between the searches of the target audience you have identified. Because they are between the organic pins, the ads are displayed subtly. The advantage of the sponsored pins is that when you click on them you immediately open the website in the app. This is in contrast to organic pins, where you first have to open the pin to visit the website.
Before you get started, it is important that you first properly arrange the technical part. Just like with Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you can also place a tag from Pinterest, so that you gain insight into your target group and can create target group lists. The installation of the tag is also important for measuring conversions because nothing is as nice as seeing what the campaign has delivered.
What do you have to consider when you advertise?
In which phase of the customer journey is your target group? As we wrote earlier, users on Pinterest are looking for a solution to a problem and most likely also have a purchase intent. This allows you to inspire the consumer throughout the process with the ultimate goal of making a purchase.
Visual content
Visual content is very important on Pinterest. So also make sure you have attractive content that fits within the different phases of the customer journey. Within Pinterest, there are three forms of advertising: a video, an image, or a carousel with a maximum of four images.
Landing pages
Also for the landing pages, you have to think carefully about what information you want to share during the customer journey. When you start with the See phase it would be weird if you send people directly to the product page. But you can, for example, link to a blog, in which you give tips about the product you are selling. Besides, the visual content must match the landing page so that users see the connection between the ad and the page they are visiting.
Target audiences
Audience targeting allows you to reach a specific group of people by combining information about your customers with how people use Pinterest. There are four types of audiences you can create: a customer list, visitors to your website, people who interacted with your pins, or people who are similar to an existing audience. If you want to use this targeting method, the Pinterest tag must be installed on the website.
Interests
Pinterest has listed interests based on their statistics. These are based on what people find interesting, what taste they have, and what stage of their life they are in.
Demographics
Using demographic data you can, based on age, location, gender, and type of device. This way you can set very specifically to whom the ad will be shown.
Keywords
On Pinterest, there is a lot of search for specific ideas, such as ‘living room furniture’ or ‘interior house’. By making an overview of keywords you reach people who search for them. The keywords must be relevant to your ad.
What does advertising on Pinterest cost?
Like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, Pinterest also uses a CPC auction model. So the higher your CPC bid, the more you are shown. The advantages of Pinterest are that you do not need a minimum daily budget and that there is not much competition yet. As a result, the CPC prices are generally lower than on other social media channels.
Experience also shows that the CTR is higher. This is because Pinterest users are really looking for a product or service and therefore click faster. During the campaign, keep an eye on whether the visits are also qualitative by looking at the bounce rate and the average time on the website.
To work
So, is your product or service suitable for Pinterest? And do you have good images or video material that tell your story? Then you will not get in the way of starting with Pinterest.
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