Set it and forget it: The magic of Pinterest
If you run a website or blog, and even more importantly if you sell stuff, don’t miss out on the incredible traffic-driving magic of Pinterest. Of all the digital platforms out there, Pinterest requires minimal time -- comparatively -- and offers ongoing payoff, largely due to the fact pins are evergreen and are continually discovered by users over time [old pins are STILL highly valuable, which is amazing].
This may shock you, but Pinterest currently has over 450 million monthly active users, having generated over an additional 100 million over the past year, which is more than Snapchat and Twitter combined. It might not get the same attention as other social platforms, but it is certainly a powerful and popular workhorse even if no one is talking about it.
Oftentimes, something you pin blows up weeks, months or even years later. That makes it completely counter to the algorithms of platforms like Instagram or Twitter, where overall performance is generally determined within the first couple hours of posting.
This longer shelf life is why you should think of Pinterest more like a search engine. It’s still a social platform that requires time spent engaging with and sharing content, but the way people use it is less about stumbling across content, and more about intentionally searching for inspiration.
Think about it - Pinterest is typically known as a resource for wedding planning, baby + bridal shower ideas and for food [even though there’s way more going on besides partying and eating!]. Users go into the search bar and type in “baby boy shower” and discover content that way, which is not really possible on Instagram.
In addition, the way to optimize your content on Pinterest is the same way to optimize content on your website -- through SEO optimization. All the words written in headlines and captions are searchable, just like on a website, so if you’re already writing up blogs, building out pins is just one more step that can offer an entirely new traffic resource. We love capitalizing on a single stream workflow.
If we haven’t convinced you yet, here some concrete stats from Sprout Social to inspire you to get your Pinterest up and running ASAP:
Users are 3x more likely to click over to a brand’s website on Pinterest than any other social media platform. If your goal is to drive traffic and conversions to your website, Pinterest is a solid choice for advertising. This is because Pinners are 3x more likely to click through to learn more about a product or service than they are on any other social media platform [source]
89% of users are on Pinterest for purchase inspiration. Another big Pinterest stat that showcases the platform’s importance for your social shopping strategy – nearly 9 in 10 users are on Pinterest to plan purchases and find inspiration for what could fit well in their homes, offices or make great gifts for friends and family [source]
Pinterest is growing in younger users. Pinterest demographics are up 50% year-over-year for Gen Z and 35% year-over-year for Millennials. This proves brands trying to attract younger audiences still have a platform here [source]
80% of U.S. moms are on Pinterest - 4 in 5 U.S. moms have an active presence on Pinterest and are looking for new products and ideas [source]
Once you’ve got your business hub set up and a content publishing system in place, we recommend checking out Jenna Kutcher’s Pinterest Lab marketing course to level up. Just like any digital platform, phase one is to get the machine running and phase two is to finesse your operation. You need a specific strategy on there, as with any social platform, and she’s put together one of the best resources out there for Pinterest.
Also, let’s be friends on Pinterest? We are just getting ourselves going and taking our own advice and would love nothing more than to connect with other MTD fans. Let’s figure it out together!