Imagine a space where you can visually organize all your ideas, products, and thoughts, AND share them instantly with customers and audiences alike. A place that’s visually appealing and organized. Where could you find a place like this that could benefit your company and expand its reach?

We have one word for you: Pinterest.

Yes, the site adored by millions everywhere for organizing everything their heart desires, from the details of their future wedding and the lavish decor they wish to adorn their house with, to the delectable meals and sweets they’ve yet to create as they browse for hours on end.

As a business owner, you may have a confused look on your face as you scan this blog post and think, “What has this got to do with me? My company has nothing to do with those things, why would I want to put my services and/or products onto that site?”. Well, here’s a few facts for your noggin.

Pinterest is currently the second most popular traffic driver on the Internet, right behind Facebook but beating out Twitter (if you can believe it, Pinterest is actually holding and engaging users 2-3 times as much as Twitter is in similar times in their histories!).

Think this site is only for women? Contrary to popular belief, it has been reported that only 42% of adult women in the US utilize Pinterest, (worldwide is 79%) so the gender inequality on this platform is not what it appears.

With over 70 million users and 500,000 business accounts this visual search engine has captivated social media users for over five years now, and it’s not stopping! It seems to be the trend that people who use Pinterest are genuinely interested in what’s prominent and in demand; they are addicted to being engaged and “in the know” about a lot of businesses’ products and services.

You may also be wondering, “Well only young people use this site, it’s just a bunch of teenagers browsing through different pins”. Again, another myth!

Did you know that approximately half of the users on Pinterest are between the ages of 24 and 34 and roughly less than 25% of users are under the age of 24? This proves that everyone and their grandmother uses it (no seriously, we have a staff member here whose grandmother also uses Pinterest)!

Now that you’ve been served some facts about this soaring social media site, let us tell you why you need Pinterest for your business.

The Benefits

  1. It strengthens your brand. Every time someone pins your product to their board, your audience expands and your name becomes bigger! You can even add your business description, as well as links to other social media sites you have. Want maximum exposure? This is how you do it.
  2. You can create boards to show what you care about, and organize your products accordingly. Do you feel like you have the worst organizational skills? This site is a visual organizer that can help you so much in the long run. Creating boards that combine things your business cares about AND what kind of products you supply will make it easier for customers to recognize and be drawn to your business page.
  3. Pinterest converts more buyers than sellers. This might have to do with the fact that most social media posts that have pictures are more successful than with ones without. However, Pinterest has created a dream come true for most businesses, as it makes it ten times faster to click, like, and buy an item. It’s not as easy on Facebook and Twitter, where you see a product advertised on there; You probably aren’t as compelled to buy it unless it’s endorsed by a celebrity. Bottom line: Pinterest increases conversion rates and reduces sales cycles!
  4. We are all about Inbound marketing and social media; you could say it’s our expertise. That’s why we utilize Pinterest for our clients because Pinterest gets you more Inbound links for your business. Because all pins contain links to the sources they came from, customers can re-pin something from someone else who pinned your pin, and think “Hey! I like this company’s pins. I’m gonna go check out more of them,” and, voila, you now have more customers who appreciate your products.
  5. One of the most obvious reasons for implementing Pinterest into your business plan is that it drives a heavy amount of traffic. You can install “Pin It” hover buttons over images on your pages so customers can instantly pin your link to their account! As a reminder it is the second highest traffic social site next to Facebook, so if you’re looking for some exposure I think you’ll be on the right track.
  6. Have you ever noticed that Pinterest tends to keep track of major trends going on? That it knows what people are thinking about and what they want? Isn’t that great for you?! Pinterest provides market research for your business. As you scour through the endless sea of pins you start noticing what people want from day to day, and you can fine tune your pins and information according to that research.
    Also, check out this blog post all about how Pinterest recently revamped their analytics tools.
  7. If you don’t have a personal Pinterest account, you don’t know the potential of how many hours you could spend on there just pinning…and pinning… and pinning until the sun comes up until you fall asleep at your computer desk (or so we’ve heard…). With that being said, Pinterest’s user engagement is addictively high. You know why? Because it’s so incredibly easy to do, and it never gets old. This is good news for you because this is most likely where your products will be seen, pinned, and handled the most since people can’t help but share what they pin on there. Think about it.
  8. You get to be an authority in your industry. Because of the usefulness that your market research would provide for you, you become the face of the line of work you’re in. Think about being at the forefront of your industry. Pinners and customers alike will start to rely on you for your type of business the more you market yourself.
  9. People like to be connected; we’re social beings. What makes Pinterest so accessible for anyone is the fact that Pinterest can be easily integrated not only into your website, but also Facebook, Twitter, and other social outlets. For instance, when someone pins something, they can also post it to Facebook and Twitter, so that way you get more eyes on your content than you thought before! Of course, the “Pin It” button at the top of your company’s blog posts and pages also helps expand the exposure.
  10. Other than being ridiculously simple to work with, it also uses SEO to your advantage. When you Google keywords, a Pinterest site is usually within the top five results that come up. Even if someone searches a specific product, pins or a board will come up under the search results. You need to be a part of those results.

There is a reason why we are giving you the low down on why you need Pinterest for your business (other than the fact that we’re social media gurus and have our own blog and whatnot). Pinterest not only drives a huge amount of traffic to your website and uses a visual organization layout for your business but it also lets you get personal with customers. People are on Pinterest for their own personal amusement and benefit.

It’s also a space that allows them to be themselves and showcase what they care about. If you interact with people on there, you are getting personal with them in a personal and authentic space, and no other social media site has that advantage, my friend.

You can stick to the traditional social media outlets and still receive exposure, but just know Pinterest is growing everyday, and people are going to pin with or without you. Why not take the chance and pin?