Social Commerce on Pinterest
Written by 5ivecanons Staff
Welcome to the social age, where networks rise and fall, where being the next trend and always trending isn’t just important – it’s essential for your brand.
Well, allow me to introduce to you the fastest growing social network ever: Pinterest. This blog is very important for very less known group of retail known as ‘eTailers.’
For eTailers, Content Marketers and professionals of the industry who want to tap into Pinterest’s growing user base and sell products, this is for you. For those of you who are interested in buying, seeking, and creating new trends, this is for you. Or, if you are just of fan of beautiful things, are a social butterfly, or hipster, this is for you. So yes, this post is for everyone!
Who is Using Pinterest?
Pinterest is a social network of users who are an active group of people willing to tell the world about the things they want, identify with, and recommend. However, Pinterest is growing rapidly and potential users can be found in facebook friends, or Twitter followers who do not mind integrating their Facebook or Twitter accounts with Pinterest.
The Users
So who are the users, and what do we know about them? Let’s start with the fact that they are female. The female to male ratio is a whopping 90% female, 10% male. Within these two groups, we find brands and companies, publications, TV networks, and News Outlets. Etailers and Direct-to-consumers stores are also using Pinterest to raise awareness of products, and rank popularity among users. This has drawn the attention of popular personal brands, personalities, bloggers, writers and artists. But also, everyone else.
Everyday, approximately 2.2 million users actively use Pinterest, and an impressive 12 million logon every month. There are no signs of slowing either.
What do They Do?
Users express themselves. They use picture relevant to their lives and styles. Here is the progression of Pinterest users.
- We begin with your near-future buyers who are comparable to users who bookmark online, and make wish lists. From a marketing standpoint, these are your buyer personas: self-identification with product, insights and so forth. They are also identifying and saving their wants to either buy or make.
- Pinterest users don’t just stop there, they share and recommend pins others should see and become potential advocates and influencers; like online recommendations and product reviews. They do their homework and learn specific and random facts alike, potentially becoming long-term buyers.
- Finally, they begin searching and discovering new, specific things to do, buy, or read. This group is your immediate buying group, and self-identified prospects. This is comparable targeted online searches and content downloads.
Inspiring Action:
So, if you are an eTailer or content marketer, why should you take notice? Well, there are rumors that Pinterest is driving more traffic to other sites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined; with such an enormous claim, Pinterest is the recommendation engine for widespread sales and awareness.
- Where do I start?
First, get an invitation to Pinterest. The site is by invitation only, but requests can be made. Once you’re in, create boards that will send a clear message to specific audiences. Don’t talk about yourself directly, but appeal to fans by catering to their needs with your products. Show your visitors you’re like them and that your products will help fill the gaps in their lives.
- Make Sure to Share!
Share your likes, making sure they are things your fans would also like; include things that would be helpful, and things that represent your promise to them. Get a graphic designer, and or a photographer to produce high-quality photographs and designs. Make sure that you pair every product, page, and piece of content with a great image. This will drive up your product awareness. If your images are less than stunning, your product will be skipped.
Get The Word Out!
Tell people that you are on Pinterest, add their icon to your site and encourage people to follow your updates and activity. Observe your audience. With Pinterest, you can see what their likes, dislikes and interests are. Once you have a solid understanding, create custom landing pages for each group and drive referrals via calls to action. Finally, encourage engagement and pinning by allowing others to pin on your profile.
Infographics
Check out these visualizations of Pinterest user data, and when you’re ready to get started on an engagement campaign or social commerce strategy – let us know.
