World talking about Pinterest: Social Media has picked up a rapid pace over time. Social Media is no longer seen as just a mode to interact or make friends, it’s being used for various other things. Social Media has transformed into a medium to promote business e.g.
A Facebook page promotes your business more than you can possibly imagine or a Twitter account can send out the latest updates about your company helping create a buzz about you & in turn making a name globally.
There are a lot of uses of social media & why you need them but we have already discussed them here. Pinterest is comparatively a new social networking site that has emerged as an important one in recent times. Most of you might have heard about it & some of you would even have a Pinterest account but does anyone know what it is basically & why is it the talk of the town?
Definition:
Pinterest is a free social networking website that allows users to upload, save, sort and manage images – popularly known as Pins and other media content (e.g., videos and images) through collections called Pinboards. On the main Pinterest page, a “pin feed” appears, displaying the chronological activity from the Pinterest boards that a user follows.
Terminology:
To work on Pinterest, one needs to be in tune with the terminology.
A “Board” is where the user’s pins are located. Pinterest allows users to have several boards for various topics such as quotes, travel or, most popularly, weddings to name a few.
A “Pin” is an image that has either been uploaded or linked to a website. Once boards have been created, the next step is to add pins, other users can now repin, meaning they can pin one user’s image to their board as well. Once the user has set up their account and boards, they can browse, comment and like other pins.
A few facts about Pinterest:
- Since the beginning of 2012, the number of Pinterest users visiting the site daily has gone up 145 per cent.
- Pinterest recently introduced a personal message option.
- The content on Pinterest content is very different in the UK and more specific about venture capital, blogging resources & web analytics.
- Over 80 per cent of pins are actually re-pins rather than brand new content.
- Pinterest user growth is better than that of Facebook and Twitter at the same point in their history.
- As expected, 80 percent of Pinterest’s user base is female.
Pinterest Statistics according to Age of the Users registered.
(Source: Here)
Statistics of Pinterest Users according to Gender:
(Source: Here)
How to use Pinterest for your Business:
Pinterest has worked like a charm for SME which is one industry that has benefitted from it a lot. Here are a few yet effective ways to help your business get that much-needed edge:
•Traffic Generator:
One of the biggest reasons Pinterest is getting so much attention from both large and small businesses is its potential for traffic generation. Good traffic can be redirected to your site by pinning each image to Pinterest & attaching a link so that users can easily click through to visit associated websites. For e.g., If you have a blog include a relevant image in each post.
Why is the World talking about Pinterest?
•Learn about Clients:
Pinterest can be an amazing tool to help you get to know your customers better. A quick peek at your followers’ Pinterest boards could reveal insights about their interests that you might not have previously been aware of.
•Referrals:
There can be no better way to get new customers and clients than through referrals. This can work wonders for service providers. Business owners can collaborate with other related businesses on Pinterest to do this.
•Be Aware of the Trends:
If used to its proper potential, Pinterest can help to find what people are pinning in your industry which can be a great booster dose for catapulting your company’s position globally & helping it survive the competition.
•Collaborations:
Another great thing that makes Pinterest stand apart is we can invite other people to pin to them. For instance, if you’re working on a project for a client, you can create a secret board with them to pin images of design elements or functions of other projects that could be used in the project you’re creating for them.
Industries that can benefit from Pinterest:
•Fashion Brands:
When it comes to fashion, there is no social technology based on imagery that brands do not utilize to delight their audiences. In recent years, Pinterest, alongside Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, has become a staple in a retail brand’s social media and e-commerce strategies. Pinterest continues its rapid growth and maturation. In its current state, Pinterest is a platform retail brands should be exploring. For e.g. Forever 21 has established itself firmly on Pinterest with 235,196 followers.
•Furniture Brands:
Pinterest is great for furniture brands as Pinterest works mainly on pictures. A beautiful picture of a couch or a table can win accolades from everyone. In fact, if used smartly, Pinterest can help get one lead! People resort to social media for every small thing so think if they come across your furniture boards & look at incredible pieces of furniture, they are bound to get enticed. For instance: Check Urban Ladder’s account on Pinterest and be amazed at their work of art.
•Food Companies:
Food companies can thrive on Pinterest. Just like on Instagram, companies can create boards & add pics of food & launch offers on Pinterest and attract all the foodies out there. Take Pizza Hut, for example, these people include the food pics, the news on the menu, the schemes etc. This way they market themselves well & gain on sales & popularity.
•Car Markets:
For getting the most out of Pinterest, all you need to do is add amazing pics to your boards & car brands is capable enough of this. Smashing cars, nice interiors, amazing seats & enough room are all the things that a buyer looks for, so show them that in order to cash upon the bucks. Bentley Motors knows their customers well & their account speaks volumes about that.
•HealthCare:
The medical industry has developed a certain comfort level with the first generation of social media sites: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn. Now they are making complete use of the second uprising that includes Pinterest & Google+ offer hospitals, medical devices and pharmaceutical companies a new set of tools for building a social media strategy. St. Jude’s Hospital in Memphis, US is using their Pinterest account to its full capacity. They have made a board for holiday pics, the pics of the patients who survived, videos of patients, their latest equipment, this way they show people about the wide range of treatments available at their hospitals.
•Manufacturing & Engineering:
This kind of industry should focus is on things that inspire to build, power, move and cure the world. One can create boards filled with striking images from the factory floor or for a quick and easy makeover. Have a look at Cambro Manufacturing’s account and take inspiration as to how these people have resourcefully used Pinterest to their benefit.
•Politics:
Send out photos of politicians hard at work or interacting with the public. Pinterest users are there for eye candy, they don’t have much time to read the text. Make sure that the content you put on Pinterest is shareable. Voters and potential voters will appreciate engaging content that relates to them and their community. Ideally, share something they’d be interested in repinning on their own page.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is one person who likes to stay updated & that’s why she has an account on all social media platforms. She made boards about her life like her family, her memories, for ideas recipes.
•Hospitality:
Hotels can create boards for showing their suites, their wide variety of services ranging from spas to fine dining experiences, their beautiful property to make a mark. It’s a great way to interact with prospective clients. Let’s take the example of Taj Hotels & Resorts, Mumbai. These people have literally created magic in their Pinterest account.
Pinterest is taking the world by storm, companies that have relied on it have noticed great results.
The question is- Are you ready to take your business to the next level?
