I love Pinterest (just ask my husband). I use Pinterest to find new recipes to try, craft projects that I hope to do someday, things I find humorous, products that are interesting, art, and things that are just visually stunning. While I was pinning things the other day I realized there are actually some important marketing lessons that brands can take away from Pinterest.
1. Good Photos are Essential
The reason Pinterest is as successful as it is, is because it plays on an important human truth – people are visual. If you post something on Pinterest and the image is poor (blurry, too small, zoomed in too far to make out what it is, etc.) it will get ignored. That’s not just true for Pinterest though, it’s also true for ecommerce. When people are online they can’t pick up and touch what you’re trying to sell them; so you need to sell them through the image. Having proper product photos is essential to selling products online. Have multiple images showcasing different aspects of the product. Allow users to zoom in on the product image. Provide an image for each option you offer (available colors, differences between models, variations in sizes, etc.) Don’t sacrifice on image quality just so you can get something up on your website quickly.
2. Adjectives Can Sell
I have seen this more times than I can even count – a pin will go viral because it just sounds great. Pins for things like “Apple cobbler” or “Wood table” get ignored; but pins for things like “Warm New England apple cobbler” and “Easy DIY wood crate table” go viral. Why? There’s often not much of a difference between the plain pins and their sexy adjective-laden counterparts, but the pins with adjectives get you excited about what you’re pinning. This is a principle that can be applied across a variety of business operations – product/service titles, advertising efforts, promotions, business descriptions, and so much more. Adjectives sell! Don’t believe me? Read these examples and see for yourself:
Product title: “Snow Shovel with Metal Edge” vs “Heavy Duty Metal-Edged Snow Shovel”
Advertising headline: “Faucet Installation Kit” vs “Quick Kitchen Faucet Install Kit”
Promotion: “Free Breadsticks with Purchase” vs “Free Hot Cheesy Breadsticks with Purchase”
Business description: “Providing Cleaning Services since 1972” vs “Reputable Residential Cleaning Services since 1972”
3. Landing Pages are Crucial
There’s nothing worse than spotting a great recipe or project, clicking on it, and being taken to a homepage for a vast blog with pages and pages of posts and full categories and having to try to dig around to find what you were looking for initially. The internet is a big place, so if I heave to sift through a bunch of stuff to get to the content I want I’ll just leave. And I’m not alone. Sending traffic to the right landing page will ensure that the traffic you’re working so hard to get (and sometimes paying to get, as is the case with PPC) is going to stick around and have a positive impression of what you have to offer.
4. Moderation Actually Gets More Attention
Sometimes on Pinterest users will go on pinning binges – pinning every detail of their dream wedding, any tattoo they would even remotely consider getting, every article of clothing in their newly launched spring collection, and so on. Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s fine to have a theme; after all, people do have distinct interests and brands do have core business areas, but over pinning all at once bombards followers and is a good way to get ignored. Pinning more consistently over a longer period of time (instead of just pin-blitzing) will actually get you more attention. The same is actually true with all types of social media and content creation, from Facebook and Twitter to blogging. You don’t have to overdo it, you just have to keep up with it!
5. Timing is Everything
There are some really brilliant and stunning pins that don’t get the traction they deserve because they’re just out of season (and conversely, there are some mediocre pins that get popular because people are just excited about the circumstances surrounding them). For instance, a well-researched list of the best beaches in a certain state with beachgoer reviews pinned right after a hurricane comes through won’t get as much traction as a so-so pumpkin carving tutorial pinned in October. As a business this is an important lesson to learn when launching products, publishing press releases, engaging in online marketing, and so much more. Always take a good look at your industry before pushing business-related items out so that you can ensure that you are getting as much traction (and return on your investment) as possible!
Looking for an internet marketing agency to manage your company’s Pinterest page? Look no further than LionShark Digital Marketing!
Kate Pierce is the owner of LionShark Digital Marketing LLC, a West Michigan internet marketing company. Her areas of expertise include Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Web Consulting for small businesses, Copywriting and Local Online Marketing. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and enjoys cooking, watching sports and spending time outdoors. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about marketing theory and SEM trends… so beware!
Find LionShark on Pinterest!
1. Good Photos are Essential
The reason Pinterest is as successful as it is, is because it plays on an important human truth – people are visual. If you post something on Pinterest and the image is poor (blurry, too small, zoomed in too far to make out what it is, etc.) it will get ignored. That’s not just true for Pinterest though, it’s also true for ecommerce. When people are online they can’t pick up and touch what you’re trying to sell them; so you need to sell them through the image. Having proper product photos is essential to selling products online. Have multiple images showcasing different aspects of the product. Allow users to zoom in on the product image. Provide an image for each option you offer (available colors, differences between models, variations in sizes, etc.) Don’t sacrifice on image quality just so you can get something up on your website quickly.
2. Adjectives Can Sell
I have seen this more times than I can even count – a pin will go viral because it just sounds great. Pins for things like “Apple cobbler” or “Wood table” get ignored; but pins for things like “Warm New England apple cobbler” and “Easy DIY wood crate table” go viral. Why? There’s often not much of a difference between the plain pins and their sexy adjective-laden counterparts, but the pins with adjectives get you excited about what you’re pinning. This is a principle that can be applied across a variety of business operations – product/service titles, advertising efforts, promotions, business descriptions, and so much more. Adjectives sell! Don’t believe me? Read these examples and see for yourself:
Product title: “Snow Shovel with Metal Edge” vs “Heavy Duty Metal-Edged Snow Shovel”
Advertising headline: “Faucet Installation Kit” vs “Quick Kitchen Faucet Install Kit”
Promotion: “Free Breadsticks with Purchase” vs “Free Hot Cheesy Breadsticks with Purchase”
Business description: “Providing Cleaning Services since 1972” vs “Reputable Residential Cleaning Services since 1972”
3. Landing Pages are Crucial
There’s nothing worse than spotting a great recipe or project, clicking on it, and being taken to a homepage for a vast blog with pages and pages of posts and full categories and having to try to dig around to find what you were looking for initially. The internet is a big place, so if I heave to sift through a bunch of stuff to get to the content I want I’ll just leave. And I’m not alone. Sending traffic to the right landing page will ensure that the traffic you’re working so hard to get (and sometimes paying to get, as is the case with PPC) is going to stick around and have a positive impression of what you have to offer.
4. Moderation Actually Gets More Attention
Sometimes on Pinterest users will go on pinning binges – pinning every detail of their dream wedding, any tattoo they would even remotely consider getting, every article of clothing in their newly launched spring collection, and so on. Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s fine to have a theme; after all, people do have distinct interests and brands do have core business areas, but over pinning all at once bombards followers and is a good way to get ignored. Pinning more consistently over a longer period of time (instead of just pin-blitzing) will actually get you more attention. The same is actually true with all types of social media and content creation, from Facebook and Twitter to blogging. You don’t have to overdo it, you just have to keep up with it!
5. Timing is Everything
There are some really brilliant and stunning pins that don’t get the traction they deserve because they’re just out of season (and conversely, there are some mediocre pins that get popular because people are just excited about the circumstances surrounding them). For instance, a well-researched list of the best beaches in a certain state with beachgoer reviews pinned right after a hurricane comes through won’t get as much traction as a so-so pumpkin carving tutorial pinned in October. As a business this is an important lesson to learn when launching products, publishing press releases, engaging in online marketing, and so much more. Always take a good look at your industry before pushing business-related items out so that you can ensure that you are getting as much traction (and return on your investment) as possible!
Looking for an internet marketing agency to manage your company’s Pinterest page? Look no further than LionShark Digital Marketing!
Kate Pierce is the owner of LionShark Digital Marketing LLC, a West Michigan internet marketing company. Her areas of expertise include Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Web Consulting for small businesses, Copywriting and Local Online Marketing. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and enjoys cooking, watching sports and spending time outdoors. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about marketing theory and SEM trends… so beware!
Find LionShark on Pinterest!
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