What Types of Businesses Would Benefit from Pinterest?

It’s been described as “social media without words”. It’s claiming thousands of new users every day. It already has 48 million users after just three years. But is Pinterest right for your business?

The Business Benefits of Pinterest

Pinterest – a site that allows users to ‘pin’ pictures, info-graphics, and other images to a virtual noticeboard for future reference – is the latest player in the already-bulging social media world. The site, which was founded in 2010, is recognised as the fastest-growing social media platform out there.

As users flock to the site, an increasing number of businesses are wondering if it is beneficial to add another platform to their social media strategy. And as you can imagine, there are pros and cons to making the move.

The major business benefits of Pinterest are, of course, marketing related. Only, Pinterest shouldn’t be used for marketing. The site creators prefer that users create inspirational boards and not shop windows. That means businesses need to think very carefully about how they approach the site. A ‘this is our latest product, buy it’ approach won’t work here.

Many businesses have however managed to subtly incorporate Pinterest into their marketing campaigns. By using certain products as ‘inspiration’, sharing expertise, and demonstrating passions, these companies are setting themselves as authoritative figures to be trusted, and as we all know, trust goes a long way in the business world.

Pinterest also offers SEO advantages, creating important backlinks to company websites and online shops, which are ultimately essential to climbing those oh so important Google rankings.

The major problem facing businesses at the moment is knowing just how much time and effort to invest in a platform that doesn’t allow for traditional marketing.

Types of Businesses Benefitting from Pinterest

If you’re willing to think outside the box, Pinterest can potentially be of use to your business. If you’re wondering if your business would benefit from Pinterest, consider the following.

Internet savvy audience: if your audience isn’t internet savvy, you may as well stay away. If you’re marketing a product to the elderly, you may be limited. (Of course, the number of elderly internet users will continue to rise, so maybe this will become a moot point)

Retail: although it’s not supposed to be a marketplace, those selling products will get better use out of the site. That being said, more service-orientated companies are having a go.

What’s hot: creativity is king on Pinterest, so the likes of fashion, arts & crafts, D.I.Y., cookery & baking, and hobbies all prove popular on Pinterest boards. If you’re operating in these sectors, there’s a good chance of your company benefitting from Pinterest. Add to that list graphic design and website design. If your business falls outside of these categories, there’s nothing to say you won’t succeed in the Pinterest world. However, if you sell a perceived ‘dry’ product (think insurance policies, toilet tissue, or bleach*), don’t expect to find yourself pinned too often.

*We apologise to any bleach fanatics out there 🙂