27 Jun Should you include Pinterest in your marketing strategy?

Given today’s consumer tendencies, businesses must push their boundaries beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar storefront. Committing to expanding your company’s online presence is no longer an option- it’s a matter of survival. This is true even if the majority of your sales aren’t made through e-commerce. But you don’t have to spend thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars to catch the attention of online visitors. Creating an online presence is easier and more budget-friendly than you think. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, offer free sign-up and instant access to significant numbers of potential buyers. Just take a look at these 2017 social platform rankings by number of users:

1. Facebook: 1.968 billion
2. YouTube: 1 billion
3. Instagram: 600 million
4. Tumblr: 550 million
5. Twitter: 319 million
6. Snapchat: 300 million
7. Pinterest: 150 million
8. LinkedIn: 106 million

With nearly 2 billion sets of eyes, Facebook storefronts are a must. But what other platforms should you include in your social media strategy? You don’t have to sign up for every platform to see results; instead, you should choose the ones that make the most sense for your business. With that said, Pinterest may be the ideal site to add to your marketing portfolio. Facebook’s population may dwarf the competition, but Pinterest’s growth in a single year warrants attention. From September 2015 to October 2016, the number of Pinterest users increased by 50 percent, jumping from 100 million to 150 million users. Pinterest’s current self-reported reach is as high as 175 million users. This underrated social media platform isn’t just a DIYing, penny-pinching house-wife’s heaven. In fact, its audience is rapidly diversifying: just as many men are signing up for accounts as women. Users aren’t just there for the pretty pictures either: shopping was the second most popular reason given for accessing the site after viewing photos. Over half of users go to Pinterest to shop for or find products! Businesses ought to sharpen their competitive edge by taking advantage of the unorthodox marketing approach Pinterest has to offer. Consumers aren’t just interested in product specs, they want to learn how your product and service can be used to improve their lives. Whether you own a technology firm or a clothing company, you can boost consumer engagement as well as online and in-store sales with Pinterest. The kind of companies that can use Pinterest are diverse. If you own a tech firm that specializes in computer software, for example, you can create visually-appealing infographic how-to’s for easy-to-understand directions for the technology novice, making your products less intimidating for the average customer. Recipes and fashion ideas are also a no-brainer. If you make spicy chocolate, show people how to make tangy chili using your own sweet treats. If you own a vintage clothing boutique, put together some outfit ideas using a single item to showcase the piece’s potential. Pinterest numbers may be relatively quaint, but this site offers niche market exposure when other social media channels may be oversaturated with the competition. If you want to leverage the revenue-generating potential of Pinterest and other business-to-consumer networking platforms, contact our social media marketing experts today! These platforms may be free to sign up, but increasing brand awareness through social media requires a practiced eye. Social Spice Media understands the nuances of social media, allowing us to create effective marketing strategies to expand your business’s customer base and significantly boost conversion rates.