Why brands need to get up to speed with this undervalued social media platform
With almost 300 million active users worldwide, Pinterest usage is at an all-time high and any brand with an online presence should be paying attention to this.
With consumers stuck at home, many are whiling away the hours scrolling through inspirational and aesthetically pleasing content on their phones, meaning Pinterest has really come into its own.
Figures from IPA Bellwether show that the coronavirus pandemic has led to UK marketing budgets experiencing their biggest reduction since the 2009 crash. But it’s important that brands don’t shy away from marketing, especially since evidence points to the fact that consumers are still willing to spend. A survey by global ecommerce solutions provider, PFS found that 65% of consumers had purchased more products since the lockdown began.
The trick is to use budgets wisely by focusing on areas where there is the greatest chance of engagement.
If more people than ever before are turning to Pinterest, brands should be adjusting their strategy to mirror this move, where relevant and possible.
Pinterest vs Instagram
Alongside the meteoric growth of Instagram, the global reach of Facebook and the rise of millennial favourites such as Snapchat and Tiktok, Pinterest often gets forgotten, but it has a very valuable role to play.
Consumers frequently turn to Pinterest early in their purchase journey, and they’re often looking for something specific. Unlike Instagram, Pinterest is essentially a search tool, which gives the platform huge potential.
Pinterest has been slow to utilise this potential – both in terms of sales functionality and analytics, but momentum is starting to build and the number of users now engaging with shopping on Pinterest has grown 44% YOY.
Last month Pinterest added a new ‘Shop’ tab, which allows users to filter boards and search results to show options that are not only available to buy, but in stock too. If a user is ready to complete a purchase, Pinterest just made this journey a whole lot easier.
Build for the future
Even if you’re a brand that’s not offering delivery or in-store purchases right now, there’s still a strong argument for building your profile on this platform, ready for when the lockdown starts to ease. This is especially the case if you’re selling furniture, kitchens or bathrooms - big ticket items that require your customers to be inspired and guided on their purchase journey.
Whilst at home consumers will be planning longer-term updates and larger renovations and you can bet that they’ll turn to Pinterest for inspiration. You want your brand’s content to be on those boards and to ensure that each pin is linking straight to your website, so when everything is back up and running the user’s journey to your door is as frictionless as possible.
We’re experts in connecting your brand to new customers. Get in touch with us on 0203 751 0802 to find out how we can help you.