Pinterest is a growing social media platform that has a lot to offer for businesses hoping to reach an even wider audience. You can increase the effectiveness of your sales funnel considerably by including it in your social media endeavors.
When it comes to eCommerce, the great thing about Pinterest is that it’s a serious driver of sales. Research posted on sites like Bottica.com has shown that the average Pinterest user might spend £180 after being lead to products they’re interested in, whereas Facebook users average only around £85. Many major online retailers like Sephora have sung the praises of Pinterest in helping generate sales as much as 15 times higher than other social media platforms.
So, the natural question is: what can you do to fully utilise Pinterest for your own eCommerce site?
1 – First of all, you can register and verify your business on Pinterest, giving your products legitimacy. You will also be claiming full ownership in the process, meaning no one else can leech off of your wares.
2 – You should also carefully choose which of your links will actually be posted onto Pinterest. If you are selling something like custom artwork, that topic is all you should be focused on. You want to make sure you are promoting exactly what you have to offer and nothing else. Pinterest isn’t a numbers game. The quality of the visitors you will be gaining matters far more than how many you are attracting. Make sure to represent yourself honestly and consumer interest will follow.
3 – Put time into the visual appeal of each pin you post. Much like any thumbnail, you are not going to garner much interest otherwise. Eye catching colors like red with some contrasting Earth tones will work wonders for drawing attention, as will full backgrounds. Any muted colors or plain white backgrounds will be too dull to attract anyone. Make sure your images are a high enough resolution to remain sharp, as well. It may be worth it to consult with an experienced graphic designer to make sure your images are as effective as possible.
4 – If you can find a way to make them relevant to your products, having a few infographics or how-to pins can also help build an audience. Many Pinterest users appreciate helpfulness over dogged self promotion. Operating within some balance between the two will serve you well.
5 – Opt into rich product pins. These are automatically updated if something about the linked product changes. This will protect any fraudulent usage of old pins. The pins will also have more useful and relevant interest for anyone that happens to come across them.
6 – A lot of Pinterest users are accessing it from mobile devices. It’s a smart idea to do this in general, but you really need to make sure your site is mobile friendly if you are setting up shop on the platform. You will lose a lot of potential sales otherwise. Pinterest has reported that as many as half of their userbase is using handheld devices, so be sure all of your links can accommodate them.
7 – If you include a Pinterest button on your site, you will give your visitors the opportunity to share products they like and do a lot of crucial promotional work for you. This can create a very beneficial cycle of completely organic traffic. Make sure the share button is as prominent as possible without disrupting the visual flow of the site.
Once you start on Pinterest, make sure to keep at it. Keep your boards up to date so that anyone following you there maintains their interest. Having new updates is also a fantastic means of keeping new traffic coming in.
Author: Alexander Kitingan is a successful marketer and two time Amazon Kindle best selling co-author. Learn more about Alexander and his powerful and effective marketing techniques at Agency1Alexander.com