Why Pinterest Marketing Is a Game-Changer for Businesses

Pinterest is a creative platform that is well-known for its eye-catching content and user-generated themes. It allows users to discover, save, and share images or "pins" to boards based on their interests. While it’s often associated with DIY projects, home décor, fashion, and recipes, Pinterest has grown into an incredibly powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. This blog delves into Pinterest marketing, answering essential questions about the platform and how businesses can leverage it for growth.

What is Pinterest Marketing?

Pinterest marketing is the practice of using Pinterest as a platform to advertise brand efforts, content, services, and company goods. It involves creating visually appealing pins—images or videos that link back to a website, landing page, or online store—to engage users and encourage them to take action. The goal is to drive traffic, increase brand visibility, and ultimately boost conversions and sales.

Unlike traditional social media, Pinterest operates as a visual search engine, making it unique in how users discover content. Pins are typically saved to boards, and when users search for relevant keywords, the platform displays pins based on their interests. Pinterest marketing capitalizes on this search and discovery feature, allowing businesses to strategically position their products and services to users who are actively looking for inspiration, products, and solutions.

What Businesses Can Do Pinterest Marketing?

One of the most attractive features of Pinterest marketing is that it is not limited to a specific industry. Any business can benefit from using the platform if they know how to create compelling visual content. Here's a closer look at some businesses that can succeed on Pinterest:

E-commerce and Retail

Pinterest is a perfect fit for businesses selling products online, especially those in fashion, home goods, beauty, and wellness. Retailers can use Pinterest to showcase their products with high-quality images or videos, linking each pin to a specific product page. For example, fashion brands can showcase seasonal collections, and beauty businesses can share skincare tutorials or makeup looks.

Example: A jewelry brand might post pins of its latest collection, featuring lifestyle images of models wearing the pieces, along with links that direct users to the online store where they can purchase directly.

Food and Beverage

For food bloggers, restaurants, or beverage brands, Pinterest is an excellent platform to share recipes, cooking tutorials, and even tips for meal planning. Food-related content performs exceptionally well because Pinterest is a go-to resource for users searching for meal inspiration. Companies may submit recipe pins with visually appealing content that points to a blog post or their website.

Example: A food blogger might create a pin showcasing a beautifully plated dish, linking it to a full recipe on their website. Restaurants can use pins to promote seasonal dishes or special menu items.

Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness topic is becoming popular on Pinterest. Fitness trainers, wellness coaches, nutritionists, and mental health professionals can post valuable content such as workout routines, healthy recipes, self-care tips, or mindfulness practices. Since many Pinterest users are actively searching for health solutions, businesses in this sector can build a dedicated following.

Example: A fitness expert might share a workout video pin or an infographic illustrating an easy home workout routine, linking it to a YouTube channel or fitness program signup page.

Travel and Tourism

Travel brands and influencers can leverage Pinterest to showcase destination guides, travel itineraries, and packing tips. Pinterest users love discovering new places to visit, and by creating inspirational travel content, businesses can encourage people to book flights, hotels, and experiences.

Example: A hotel might create pins of its property’s amenities or a travel influencer might pin a blog post on “Top 10 Must-See Attractions in Paris,” linking it to the booking page or affiliate travel site.

Education and Online Learning

Educational institutions, online course providers, and individual educators can use Pinterest to share learning materials, study tips, online course promotions, and even career advice. The platform’s image-driven approach is perfect for breaking down complex topics into digestible visual content.

Example: An online course provider can post infographics outlining “5 Tips to Ace Your Next Job Interview,” with a CTA directing users to their free resource or course sign-up page.

Technology and Software

Tech companies can use Pinterest to explain their products or services through visuals. This could include tutorials, how-to guides, or explainer videos about complex software. Rich Pins, especially Article Pins, can help provide additional context and drive traffic to blog posts or knowledge bases.

Example: A software company might share infographics detailing key features of their product or create step-by-step guides to help users get the most out of their technology.

Why Marketing Should Be Done Through Pinterest?

The primary uses of Pinterest marketing fall into several categories:

Driving Traffic to Your Website

Pinterest can serve as a highly effective traffic generation tool. Each pin you create can include a link that directs users to your website, product page, blog, or any other destination. Since Pinterest functions as a search engine, pins can generate traffic for months or even years after they are initially posted.

Example: A home décor business might share pins featuring room makeovers or product highlights, linking users to its e-commerce site to make a purchase.

Brand Awareness

Because Pinterest is a visual platform, it’s a powerful tool for building brand awareness. By consistently posting high-quality content that aligns with your brand’s aesthetic and message, you can increase visibility and connect with potential customers.

Example: A beauty brand might regularly post beauty tips, skincare routines, and makeup tutorials, which helps build a loyal following and increases brand recognition over time.

Sales and Lead Generation

Pinterest also supports direct sales through its Product Pins feature. These pins show product pricing, availability, and a link to buy the item. In addition to driving traffic, businesses can use Pinterest to capture leads by promoting downloadable content or gated resources.

Example: A fitness equipment retailer might use Promoted Pins to target people searching for fitness equipment and direct them to a product page where they can buy weights, resistance bands, or yoga mats.

Content Visibility

Pins have the ability to go viral. The more a pin is repinned or saved, the more it spreads across the platform, reaching new audiences. This ability to gain organic exposure makes Pinterest a valuable tool for content marketers.

Example: A blogging business might post infographics or long-form articles as pins, driving significant traffic and engagement from Pinterest users who discover the content months after it’s posted.

What Types of Pins Should Be Used for What Business Objectives?

Pinterest offers a variety of pins, each suited to different business objectives. Here's how to select the right type of pin for your goals:

For Traffic Generation

• Standard Pins: These are traditional image pins that link to your website, blog, or product page. Use them to drive traffic and attract users searching for specific topics.

For Brand Awareness

• Video Pins: Videos on Pinterest tend to grab attention and stand out in a user’s feed. Use video pins to tell your brand’s story, showcase your products in action, or provide tutorials.

For Sales and Conversions

• Product Pins: Product Pins allow users to see current pricing, availability, and product details directly on Pinterest, making them ideal for driving sales. Use these for product launches, special promotions, or seasonal sales.

For Lead Generation

• Rich Pins (Article Pins): These are content-driven pins that display additional information like article titles, descriptions, and even blog post content. Rich Pins are great for sharing blog posts, guides, and resources that encourage users to sign up or download content.

For Educational Content

• Infographic Pins: Infographics break down complex concepts into easy-to-understand visual formats. These are excellent for educational content like “how-to” guides or data-heavy topics that you want to share with your audience.

For Event Promotion

• Carousel Pins: These allow you to showcase a series of images within one pin, making them perfect for event promotion or highlighting multiple product offerings in a single post.

Why Marketing Through Pinterest Is Not That Popular?

Despite its power as a marketing tool, Pinterest is often underutilized by businesses, especially compared to giants like Facebook and Instagram. Here are some reasons why:

Niche Audience

Pinterest attracts a specific type of user—primarily individuals looking for inspiration or planning future purchases. This makes it a more niche platform, which could deter businesses that prefer broader, more general platforms with massive active user bases.

Lower Engagement Rates

Unlike Instagram or Facebook, where users interact frequently through comments and direct messages, Pinterest is more about browsing and saving content to boards. The interaction on Pinterest is generally lower, focusing more on saving pins rather than engaging in discussions.

Longer Content Lifecycle

Content on Pinterest doesn’t go viral quickly. It takes time for pins to be discovered and shared. While this is great for long-term visibility, businesses seeking immediate results may be discouraged by the slower pace.

Underappreciation by Marketers

Many marketers simply don't understand Pinterest’s potential. They view it as a platform for personal inspiration rather than as a tool to boost business sales and engagement. This limits their ability to tap into the platform’s audience effectively.

What Things Should Be Considered for Creating Pinterest Marketing Campaigns?

Creating a successful Pinterest marketing campaign requires strategic planning. Here are some important things to consider:

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into Pinterest marketing, research who your target audience is and what kind of content they are searching for. Use Pinterest’s Audience Insights tool to analyze trends and tailor your content to meet their needs.

Visual Quality

Since Pinterest is a visually-driven platform, the quality of your images is critical. Invest in high-quality visuals that align with your brand identity and are optimized for Pinterest’s dimensions (1000 x 1500 pixels is a good starting point).

SEO for Pinterest

Since Pinterest functions as a search engine, it is crucial to optimize your pins with keywords that are relevant to increase their visibility. Include relevant keywords in your pin descriptions, board titles, and alt text for images.

Consistency

Building a Pinterest following requires consistency. Post regularly, engage with your audience, and continually refine your approach based on performance data.

How To Run A Successful Pinterest Marketing Campaign?

Running a successful Pinterest marketing campaign involves more than just creating pins. Here are steps you can take for creating a successful campaign:

Set Clear Goals

Before launching a campaign, define what you want to achieve—whether it’s driving traffic, increasing sales, or boosting brand awareness.

Create a Content Calendar

Organize your content into a schedule, ensuring you have a consistent posting flow that aligns with seasonal trends, product launches, and special promotions.

Monitor Analytics

To monitor the impact of your pins, Pinterest provides powerful analytics tools. See what pins are doing the best by assessing these insights on a regular basis, then modifying your approach accordingly.

Promote Pins

Consider investing in Pinterest Ads to promote your most popular pins and reach a larger audience. Ads like Promoted Pins and Video Pins allow you to target specific demographics and interests for maximum impact.

Collaborate

To increase your reach, collaborate with industry experts or influencers. Group boards are another excellent way to build community and extend the visibility of your pins.

Conclusion

Pinterest marketing offers businesses a unique and visually compelling way to engage with users. While it may not be as popular as other social platforms, its powerful search-driven nature makes it an invaluable tool for driving traffic, increasing brand awareness, and achieving business goals. By creating high-quality, relevant pins, understanding your audience, and using Pinterest’s features strategically, businesses can establish a solid presence on the platform and reap long-term benefits. With patience and creativity, Pinterest marketing can prove to be a game-changer for brands looking to stand out in a competitive market.