Pinterest: Have You Pinned Today?
The current darling of the Internet, Pinterest is arguably one of the hottest commodities around. The online pinboard company has skyrocketed to success in the past year, with TechCrunch reporting exclusive comScore data that the “site hit 11.7 million unique monthly US visitors in January.” In a May post, ReadWriteWeb notes that the site is responsible for more referral traffic than either Facebook or Twitter despite having 1% of Facebook’s user base and 7% of Twitter’s. And statistics like that make online marketers sit up and take notice.
A quick survey of 10 people in the EVG office, all between the ages of 25 and 40, revealed that 7 of the 10 have a Pinterest board. When asked what they used it for, the answers ranged from recipes, home décor and craft projects to survival ideas and wedding planning. That aligns with the average user demographics according to a March PriceGrabber survey. But savvy thinkers look beyond the site’s utility as a digital bulletin board or window-shopping experience with nifty pictures, ideas and recipes and see the potential for marketing. Rakuten, Japan’s giant venture capitalist is banking on the potential with a $100 million investment.
The most innovative Pinterest users have created boards that serve as effective marketing channels, for example, check out Hershey’s recruitment board or General Electric’s board, which highlights the company’s culture. Here are three ways your company could consider using Pinterest:
Etsy
Etsy store owners have begun marketing their items directly, prompting Pinterest to remove an etiquette request not to use the site for self promotion. Now, there’s an easy way to add a $ sign to encourage sharing of prices and allowing viewers to click through to the relevant site to make a purchase.
e-commerce Websites
We all know that upwards of 80% of purchases are decided by women, and Pinterest demographics indicate that the majority of users are women. So if you’ve got a website for your company’s products, you want to get those items in front of women. Are you selling jewelry? A Pinterest board showcasing the latest trends and similar items on celebs might be a good idea! Why not one for Mother’s Day, Valentine Gift Ideas or What Every Grad Needs?
Add a direct link to your product pages and watch page views rise. While some retailers haven’t seen significant conversion rates yet, many note that shoppers who do purchase tend to spend more than the average consumer.
Hotel and Travel Sites
Boards that allow visitors to upload photos of their experiences (splashing around a resort, hitting the slopes, chilling in the lobby, etc.) offer opportunities to engage guests in fun new ways. Most hotel websites use professional photos that are carefully posed, but studies show that the reality and honesty factors are important to users. Informal photos from guests and staff offer a way to humanize your hotel. We work with one brand that takes great pride in their pet friendly policies, going so far as to have a hotel dog. Why not create a board from the dog’s point of view? Add photos from local dog parks, boutiques and pet-friendly restaurants to enliven and expand the experience, better separating your hotel from the rest of the pack.
Kathleen Gossman
EVG Project Manager
