Is Pinterest Good for Small Businesses?

Yes and no.

This probably isn’t the answer you expected to hear. But don’t worry. I plan to elaborate on that.

Whether Pinterest is good for small businesses mainly depends on the types of those businesses. If your company is in the right niche, this media platform can be a delightful revelation, and you’d wish you had tried it earlier. But if you’re in an industry that doesn’t excite Pinterest users or your potential customers simply aren’t using it, you haven’t lost anything.

So, I guess the question now is: how do I know my small business is good for Pinterest?

And in this guide, I’ll try to help you understand whether it’s worth running ads on Pinterest for your online store and how you can grow your business on Pinterest. Of course, I’ll also discuss the pros and cons of Pinterest marketing so that you can decide whether you need it for your business.

Is Pinterest still relevant in 2022 and going forward? Let’s see.

What Is So Special About Pinterest?

Like most marketing platforms, Pinterest has its purpose. But as we all know, each attracts certain types of users. So, what makes Pinterest so different?

As one fantastic Pinterest representative told me, “imagine if Google and Facebook had a baby” – that would be Pinterest. And I thought it was too brilliant of an explanation not to share it with you because that’s exactly how I perceive this platform.

According to the Pinterest Global analysis from April 2021, 478 million people worldwide come to Pinterest each month, and 96 million users are in the USA. So if your business targets the US market, that’s how many people you have the potential to reach.

One distinctive feature of Pinterest users is that they’re planners. Oh, they looooove to plan and can gladly spend hours doing so on this platform. And that’s what you have to leverage when creating a Pinterest marketing strategy for your business or brand.

You can capture users with a high intent to purchase something on Google as soon as possible. You can also reach Facebook users with specific interests and entice them to buy your products right now. Or, you can capture a Pinterest user’s attention and make your product or service a part of their future plan. 

If you noticed, I’m already implying that converting a Pinterest user into your customer might take longer. Still, when it happens, the value of that conversion might be 2x bigger than on other platforms.

Long story short, most people come to Pinterest with purchase intent and not to socialize like on some other platforms. And that’s when you can help them find your pins and boards and inspire them to purchase.

It means that if you share or advertise relevant stuff and it reaches the right people, you won’t be distracting them. Quite the opposite – you’ll be inspiring and helping them accomplish whatever plan they have in mind. 

So, if you decide to go forward and use Pinterest for your business, remember that it’ll give you the power to influence what Pinners buy more than any other social or search platform.

But first, let’s help you determine whether your products or services fit Pinterest.

What Products Do Well on Pinterest?

76% of US millennial women are on Pinterest. If you know or think they’d love your product or service, you can start building your Pinterest business profile and developing a marketing strategy.

Of course, it’s not only women who use Pinterest; you can reach other demographics. Yet, since they make up the majority of users, you need to keep that fact in mind, as it might affect your chances of succeeding on this platform.

So, how do you successfully sell your products on Pinterest?

First, if you’re in the retail industry, you should definitely try Pinterest. I know “retail” is a very broad term. But here are some examples of what has the potential to get noticed easily on Pinterest:

Home Decor

Many pinners search for inspiration for their interior design, upcoming renovations, or brand-new home. If you sell home decor items, you should have used Pinterest for years.

Fashion

People love seeing fashion looks and finding something to for their style as well as discovering new trends. This includes everything from outwear, shoes, activewear, and bags to jewelry and more.

Events & Celebrations

Wedding dresses, birthday celebration decor, event planning services, party ideas, and much more. Basically, you can market anything that people might need to plan a perfect event.

Travel

Whether it’s a travel guide, travel tips, best travel outfits, or even travel photo editing presets, – Pinners like it all.

Wellbeing & Mindfulness

People often want to slow down, relax, and reflect in this fast-paced world. If your business offers something to help them do it, you can confidently try reaching these potential customers on Pinterest.

Food & Drinks

If there are two things most of us are interested in doing, it’s eating and drinking. Healthy recipes, unique kitchen appliances, lunch ideas for kids, easy homemade cocktails, you name it.

Beauty

Beaty from the inside out. Do you have anything to offer in this niche? Then you’re most likely to succeed on Pinterest with the right and consistent strategy.

Parenting

Raising kids isn’t easy. However, it is much easier with sound advice and inspirational ideas. So whether you’re offering daycare guides or simply want to share your knowledge, Pinterest can be a part of your marketing strategy.

Pet Care

Know how to help people be responsible and happy pet parents or sell products that would make their furry friends more joyful? Well, Pinners are waiting for you.

Hobbies & Interests

We all have many different hobbies and interests – from the most boring ones to the weirdest ones. And if your product or service relates to at least one of them, you could leverage the Pinterest platform to reach relevant users.

There could be many more ideas listed, but unfortunately, I don’t have enough space to mention them all. Generally, if you’re in the B2C industry, you should test Pinterest and see how it goes. It might be much harder for B2B businesses to market on Pinterest, but sometimes, with a well-thought-out strategy, even that can be possible.

If you’re still unsure whether it’s worth advertising your products on Pinterest, talk to us, and we can help you discover the most optimal marketing approach.

What Type of Content Works Best on Pinterest?

Always think about your target audience whenever you create content for your social media platforms or website. For example, what emotions do you want to provoke in them when posting a particular piece of content, and what actions do you want them to take? Once you’ve nailed that, you can focus on design, format, and other technical/visual things.

When it comes to Pinterest, your content should be inspirational and easy to relate to. Here’s how you can do it:

• Ensure you portray your product/service/brand in the context of people’s lives so they can easily imagine how they can use them and benefit from them.
• Don’t neglect your audience’s passions and plans. Instead, help them find what they’re passionate about and achieve their goals.
• Show the purpose of your product or service. It’s incredible if you have a great product. But why should people care about it? How can it help them or contribute to the community?

In terms of format, you can post and advertise pictures, videos, carousels, collections, and idea pins. Depending on your brand, it won’t hurt to try out various posts and see which ones work better for your specific needs.

Is it worth running ads on Pinterest?

If you have a superior product and want to test Pinterest as an advertising platform, then you should definitely run ads. Usually, businesses that use a mix of organic and paid posts see better results. 

So, don’t underestimate the power of both organic and paid reach on Pinterest, as it might be more powerful than on other platforms.

TL;DR: Make sure the content you share (whether a standard Pin or an ad) inspires Pinners and helps them complete their projects successfully.

How Do You Get Noticed on Pinterest?

Think of your Pinterest business profile as your website. What do users see when they visit it? Is it easy to understand what you offer and how they can benefit from it? 

Of course, everything takes time, and building a strong Pinterest presence isn’t an exception. But the more consistent you are with your strategy, the sooner you see it working. 

Here are a few things you can do to get your brand noticed on Pinterest:

• Organize your boards and sections by giving them relevant titles. For example, if you sell activewear, one of your boards could be Leggins and have sections like ⅞ Training Leggins, Seamless Leggins, Yoga Leggins, etc. In short, make it as clear as possible what you sell and how to find your products quickly.
• Use audience insights to analyze data and find potential ways to improve your Pinterest strategy and get noticed more by relevant users.
• Take advantage of the best-performing organic Pins by giving them a little boost with the help of paid ads. This will help you save time and reach more people with assets that have already proven to work.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. I keep on saying it all the time when it comes to marketing. If you never try, you’ll never know. Some things work well; some don’t. So try out a few ideas and stick to the ones that work for you and your business because there’s rarely a one-fits-all approach.
• Stay consistent. This rule applies to everything you do regarding your brand. For example, try using consistent colors, templates, and voice when creating content for Pinterest. Also, don’t forget to use your logo. Some users might not know about you yet, so make it easy for them to remember you.
• Spread positivity. Pinterest is all about those good, positive vibes. So whatever you create and decide to share on your business profile or ad campaign, make sure it’s positive. People come to Pinterest to get inspired – not to get bummed out.

Once you get the gist of it, you’ll discover even more ways how to improve your Pinterest marketing strategy and align it with your business goals and aspirations.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Pinterest

Pinterest is a fantastic platform that offers businesses many opportunities to grow and find new potential customers. However, as with everything in this world, it has its pros and cons. So, let’s take a look at them.

Pinterest Pros:

• Most Pinterest users come to the platform to get inspired and buy something to accomplish their plans, making them more motivated to take valuable actions.
• It offers a variety of organic and paid content formats, allowing you to experiment and share relevant information easily.
• It can help you spread awareness about your brand, increase website traffic, and possibly contribute to improving marketing efforts on other platforms.
• It takes half the impressions to convert someone on Pinterest than on social media.
• Pinners are more likely to spend 2x more money per transaction than people on other platforms.

Pinterest Cons:

• People on Pinterest take more time to convert vs. those on other platforms, so you need to be patient.
• It’s mostly popular among women, which makes it more limited in terms of reach and types of industries.

If you see that the pros outweigh the cons for your small business, then it’s worth giving Pinterest a chance to help you grow it.

So, Do You Need Pinterest for Your Business?

If your small business offers inspiring products or services that can help people follow their passion and turn it into reality, then all I can say is why not!

Pinterest is an excellent platform if you want to prepare for a specific trend and ensure users know about your brand and have a plan to use your products in the future. Remember, Pinners are planners, and it’s your superpower in Pinterest marketing.

If you’d like to discuss this visual platform in more detail, don’t hesitate to contact the Zima Media team. We’d be happy to answer any questions and create an effective Pinterest marketing strategy.