How Pinterest Works to Boost Your Business & Sales

For many, Pinterest is that social network where only women hang out and spend their time-sharing beautiful pictures from all walks of life. Pinterest currently has 459 million users worldwide, including 98 million in the US.  But turns out, Pinterest is much more than that. If you know how Pinterest works, then, as a business, you can use it to your advantage.  

Many users (both male and female) tend to depend on it for different things. Right from finding unknown recipes to planning their baby shower to creating their own designer collections. The social network is huge, and there is an endless supply of ideas for everyone. 

If you look beneath the skin of this fast-growing social media site and try to understand how Pinterest works, you’ll see what all it can do for your business — regardless of the niche you are operating in.  

What is Pinterest and How Does it Work?  

Pinterest is a visual discovery platform that allows users to find, save, and share images or videos of their interests. Users can create boards, which are collections of pins, to organize their ideas. Pins are the images or videos that users upload or save from the web. Users can also follow other users or boards that match their interests.  

Pinterest is different from other social media sites in several ways:  

• Pinterest is not about socializing, but about discovering. Users are not looking for likes, comments, or followers, but for inspiration, information, or solutions. 
• Pinterest is not about the present, but about the future. Users are not sharing what they are doing now, but what they want to do next. They are planning their goals, dreams, or projects. 
• Pinterest is not about consumption, but about action. Users are not just browsing or watching but acting. They are clicking, buying, or trying.

These differences make Pinterest a powerful tool for businesses that want to reach potential customers who are actively looking for their products or services.  

How to Use Pinterest for Business 

Pinterest can help you grow your business and sales in various ways, such as:  

1. Driving traffic to your website or blog 

Pinterest is one of the top sources of referral traffic on the web. According to a report by Sharea Holic, Pinterest accounted for 5.04% of all website referral traffic in 2020. You can drive traffic to your website or blog by creating pins that link back to your content and optimizing them for search and engagement.  

1. Building brand awareness and loyalty

Pinterest can help you showcase your brand personality, values, and story. You can build brand awareness and loyalty by creating boards that reflect your brand identity and voice, and by engaging with your audience through comments, messages, or collaborations. 

1. Generating leads and conversions

Pinterest can help you attract and convert potential customers who are ready to buy. You can generate leads and conversions by creating pins that showcase your products or services, and by using features such as rich pins, promoted pins, or buyable pins.  

How to Optimize Your Pinterest Strategy  

To get the most out of Pinterest, you need to have a clear and effective strategy. Here are some tips to optimize your Pinterest strategy:  

• Know your audience. You need to understand who your target audience is, what they are looking for, and how you can help them. You can use tools such as Pinterest Analytics, Google Analytics, or Audience Insights to learn more about your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviours. 

• Create quality content. You need to create content that is relevant, valuable, and appealing to your audience. You can use tools such as Canva, Pic Monkey, or Adobe Spark to create stunning images or videos for your pins. You can also use tools such as Schedule Headline Analyzer or Buzz Sumo to find catchy titles and keywords for your pins. 
• Optimize your profile and boards. You need to optimize your profile and boards to make them easy to find and follow. You can use tools such as Tailwind, Pin Groupie, or Board Booster to schedule, manage, and grow your pins and boards. You can also use tools such as Yoast SEO, Keyword Tool, or Pinterest Keyword Finder to optimize your profile and board names, descriptions, and categories for search engines and users. 
• Promote your pins and boards. You need to promote your pins and boards to increase your reach and engagement. You can use tools such as Pinterest Ads, Viral Woot, or Pin woot to create, run, and track your paid or organic campaigns. You can also use tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, or IFTTT to share your pins and boards across your other social media platforms. 

In conclusion, Pinterest is more than just a social network for women. It is a powerful platform for businesses that want to boost their traffic, brand, and sales. By understanding how Pinterest works and how to use it effectively, you can leverage its potential and grow your business. Pinterest is not a fad, but a trend that is here to stay.