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Pinterest may be third on Facebook and Twitter, but it may be a better option for leveraging sales. Studies suggest that site visitors are 10 percent more likely to buy an item than those that arrive from Facebook or Twitter. One study of Shopify online stores showed the average order from Pinterest traffic was $80, double that of Facebook. But how exactly do you leverage sales from Pinterest? Here are four strategies.
Take Advantage of Product Pins
Pinterest allows for what’s called rich pins that have extra information on them—like an ingredients list for a recipe pin. Product pins include the price of the item, as well as a direct link to the store. One study showed that items with a price listed receive 36 percent more engagement than those without. There are a few other types of rich pins businesses can take advantage of as well, including locations and apps.
Inspire
Pinterest is a unique social network in that its users are going there specifically for inspiration—they’re looking for recipes, fashion and DIY projects as well as information. Keep that in mind as you post pins and create boards. Products tend to be pinned as inspiration for outfits or remodeling. Informative posts and infographics can be popular as well, so share items from your business blog too.
Create relevant boards
Boards collect similar items into one place, and they’re a good way to display your products. When you start a new board, make sure you put it into the appropriate category to optimize exposure. Use a specific title on the board—for example, “Classic Clutches” is a better title than simply “bags.” Pin your own products to the board, but post items from other sources as well—this will not only help your boards to look well-rounded but also encourage additional followers.
Add Pinterest to your website
Beyond just starting a Pinterest page for your business, encourage others to post your products as well. Just like other social media platforms, you’ll get a better response the easier it is to share your items. Add “Pin It” buttons to each image. Many web design platforms make it easy to do so, if not, Pinterest has these instructions. The alt tags on the image will autofill the description on Pinterest, so make sure you use alt tags for each image.
Optimize
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) belongs in social media too. Identify a few good keywords using the Google Keyword Planner. Then, incorporate them into a few key places, including the about page, boards, pins and even your company name. Hashtags work on Pinterest too. Use the suggested search by starting to type in a keyword and seeing what other terms pop up. Pinterest is a growing social media platform and offers a unique opportunity for businesses. Try using product pins, sharing to inspire, creating relevant boards, generating followers from your website and using SEO keywords. While Pinterest may not have as many users as Facebook, the traffic it generates is more likely to result in a sale—and that’s something all business owners can get excited about.
