The Social Media Platform That’s More Than Just an Image Sharing Site
The fact that social media can be a seriously useful tool for ecommerce is no great secret. However, even some fairly savvy merchants and marketers might not be fully leveraging one of the best and fastest-growing platforms in the social media game.
No matter what you’re selling, Pinterest is a tool you will not want to underplay.
Ecommerce Via Pinterest
In case you’re not familiar with the platform, the functionality of Pinterest depends on two key features: virtual pegboards and pins. Users create themed boards and then “pin” noteworthy items to relevant boards.
Pinterest is a great way to attract eyes to your products or services because it is a very visual platform.
The site even offers interactive pins specifically for merchants, which allow other users to purchase products directly through the site or the mobile app. In fact, Pinterest went so far as to add a dedicated shopping functionality to the app late last year.
The new addition created The Pinterest Shop, basically offering an ecommerce store within the social media platform. Buyable pins are gathered in one place.
Pinterest understands the potential of their service as a sales tool. A recently study showcased some impressive stats:
Anything from apparel and artwork to recipes and room décor, it’s all available on Pinterest. So how can you make the best use of the platform?
- Create a Board: Boards are basically the categories into which you sort your pins. You can keep all of your products on one board, or you can make different boards for different categories of products.
- Upload Images: Your board won’t be very impressive if there is nothing pinned. So, start by uploading images of your items, along with original captions.
- Tag Your Pins: Add keywords within the description and caption in order to guide your customers to the merchandise.
- Link Your Pins to Your Website: You can allow customers to purchase items through Pinterest, but you can also link your pins directly to your website.
This will be an easy way not only to sell more, but also to attract more potential long-term customers who will continue to check out your brand if they like what they see.
Build Healthy Customer Relationships
Ultimately, branching out via Pinterest is about connecting with your customer base. The site currently sees more than 100 million active users every month, and that number is only projected to continue growing.
Social media is a major part of building brand identity and awareness. It is also a way to build customer trust and make connections with the people who shop with you. Pinterest adds another way for consumers to share your products, expand your audience, and connect with your brand.
By adding an ecommerce element to the social media platform, profitability options will continue to increase as well.
