Courtesy of Roxanne Ready via Flickr
As I’ve worked on getting Mansfield Communications’ Pinterest off the ground this past week, I found myself taking to the internet to learn as much about this site as possible. I wanted to know, which businesses were able to utilize Pinterest as part of a successful campaign, what content do people find interesting and relevant, how do users/brands organize their boards, and how can one use Pinterest to enhance their social media profile as a whole?
Pinterest functions as a virtual pin board where users can create pins for pictures, articles, or other content that interests them. You can create different boards to organize information under different topics, such as “Books Worth Reading”, “Favourite Spaces and Places”, and “Products I Love.” Its user base has been dominated by women, roughly 60% of users are female, and some sources have it listed at over 80%, making it especially important for brands that target female audiences to tap into this resource.
In spite of the fact that Pinterest is a social network that is still a mystery to lots of people, it’s increasingly gaining prominence, and has become a successful e-commerce hub. With 11 million unique monthly U.S. visitors, and 16 million users worldwide, businesses are starting to pay attention. From newspapers to car companies, a myriad of organizations are turning to Pinterest to connect with the public. The concept of the site makes it an excellent platform to display a brand’s personality, build a community, and foster loyalty. A few companies have utilized the site in clever ways. For example, Kotex has used it to kickstart a new campaign, Peugeot has utilized it as part of an interactive online contest, and Lowe’s managed to increase their Pinterest following by 30% by adding a Pinterest tab to their Facebook page.
It hasn’t taken PR pros long to realize the great power and potential of this site. Pinterest serves as a conduit for sharing interesting content with others, and provides a great opportunity to show a brand’s creative side. When used smartly, it can give the audience an image to associate with a brand, given the fact that Pinterest is an incredibly visual site. And what better way to get to know your audience than to create a place where you can interact with them, and possibly even target and identify new audiences?
Social networks come and go, and what’s hugely popular now might be nearly extinct five years down the road. While it may be too early to tell whether Pinterest is here to stay, it’s hard to argue with numbers, and the number of users are continuing to increase dramatically. It’s smart for brands to come on board now and figure out what works, what doesn’t, and how to get the most out of this platform. That way, you’re already ahead of the curve.
Here are some interesting brands/Pinterest innovators to check out:
Check out and follow Mansfield Communication’s Pinterest, and stay tuned for my next post, which examines the five questions you should ask yourself before starting a Pinterest for your brand.
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(This post was written by Chantal Skraba, Intern, Mansfield Communications)
Connect with me online:
Twitter – @cskraba
Pinterest – pinterest.com/cskraba/
Email - chantal@mcipr.com