Why Pinterest is so important in the interiors marketing mix.
Pinterest has been on our radar for a while now and is coming further to the forefront of what we see as one of the biggest growth channels for many of our clients. We’ve been promoting our clients on the platform for the last few years with great results and have seen a large shift in how seriously Pinterest is now taking the social commerce aspect of the platform.
Since shopping has moved online it’s definitely lost a bit of its charm, of course it’s not the same experience as going to the highstreet but that’s not the case with Pinterest. Pinterest sells itself as the ‘positive corner of the internet’ which we as an agency strongly agree with.
The experience on Pinterest is unlike any other social platform.
Why is that? Shopping on Pinterest is conscious shopping, people are coming to the platform looking for ideas and searching for specific keywords for inspiration. We see it as a visual alternative to Google search, people have intent when they are searching on the platform, they know what they’re looking for and want to be shown inspiration to fulfil their search.
Pinterest works for all types of brands, whether you’re an online-only retailer, a retailer with a digital presence and retail stores or even manufacturers who are wanting to increase their brand awareness.
97% of searches on Pinterest are unbranded* which means people are looking for something in particular but not necessarily a brand, they are coming to the platform to be inspired. This is why it’s so important as a brand to be part of the mix. When people are searching on Pinterest, they are often in the planning stages of a project and more open-minded to ideas.
Research shows 50% of people still prefer to buy offline*, however people look for their inspiration digitally first and then take their journey offline when they are at the purchase stage. Even though this is the case, it still means that 50% of people prefer to buy online!
Pinterest blends the best of both worlds, combining the offline and online experience for users. A place where people can shop for themselves, because Pinterest makes it possible to shop without pressure, just like in real life. Creating a positive experience.
There are two elements to having a successful presence on Pinterest. Firstly, the organic side of the campaign which involves creating SEO friendly pins / boards that inspire your audience and show Pinterest you have an active presence on the platform. Secondly, running adverts to your specific, tailored audiences, ensuring your pins are being shown to the right people at the right time, with the right message.
Adverts on Pinterest really stand out, because they fit in. Adverts are more authentic and customised to what the users are searching for. Take for example, if a user is searching ‘Pink bedroom ideas’ and a beautiful picture of a pin including a brand’s pink bed shows up in their feed, that’s on the money right? The brand logo appears beneath the image so not only are they getting brand awareness they are also fulfilling a user’s search with relevant content.
Brands need to enhance their connection with consumers. Shopping has really evolved and the way people are buying has changed forever. Brands that are doing well are those who are connecting with their audiences – whatever the future of shopping is, brands have to be doing more than just sell sell sell.
Now is the time to embrace social (and Pinterest in particular!) to make sure you’re not left behind.
*Milka Kramer, Country manager, UK & Ireland Pinterest, Shopportunities: Pinterest, Portas and reinventing the shopping experience