You might have missed it, but Pinterest is evolving for the better! And while I can’t force you to use Pinterest, I can present some persuasive reasons as to why you should give this platform a second thought for your business!
When many people hear “Pinterest”, they think of ideas, inspiration, DIY, tips, hacks, and basically more free information.
I’ve come to realize that even in 2022, many business owners are still skeptical of Pinterest’s ability to convert an audience.
I personally have my largest audience base on TikTok. It’s been eye-opening how many people still do not believe that Pinterest can lead to conversions, or sales, for business owners.
Let me say, this honestly kills me. So, in order to remedy this misconception, I’ll be showing you three ways that Pinterest can help your business sell more and convert your audience.
Pinterest Presents
Pinterest Presents for 2022 aired this past week and they gave a great overview of where they are headed this year.
All I have to say is wow, there was a lot of great information shared. It really helped me understand, as a marketer, how the platform is working to support businesses and brands so they can not only share inspiration but build their profit on the platform.
As a result, I felt a sense of urgency to break down what I learned from Pinterest Presents. And conveniently, this also will help crush objections that have been swirling around Pinterest more recently within my audience.
#1 The Audience on Pinterest
One point that was really driven home during Pinterest Presents was the growing amount of negativity in the world and on other platforms. In contrast, Pinterest has made it its mission to be an “oasis” for people.
In the presentation, they shared that 8 out of 10 people reported they feel positive when using Pinterest. 9 out of 10 people say that Pinterest is an “online oasis”, and when compared to their social media competitors, only 3 out of 10 people reported these same feelings.
As a means of supporting this goal of inspiring the audience and focusing on positivity, Pinterest introduced the Creator Code which they referred to as, “Their commitment to kindness for all creators to sign”.
The Creator Code is not new, but it clearly shows Pinterest and the intent that is there to keep the platform a different and more positive space.
We know that Pinterest evokes different feelings in its users. Even though you might not have a different audience on the platform, their mindset is different for sure compared to when they are using other platforms.
Speaking of their mindset, Pinners are planners. They come to the platform to plan for their future. Because Pinners are planners, this is also why trends are so important on Pinterest and should be a core part of your marketing strategy!
If you’d like to learn more about using trends in your Pinterest marketing strategy, this blog post is all about using trends predicted to rise on Pinterest!
#2 The Unique Shopping Experience on Pinterest
Remember when Pinterest used to be frustrating back in the day? You’d click on a beautiful and inspiring image, and the chances were solid that you would be led astray. Meaning, when you’d click through to the site, the Pin would not deliver on the promise.
These memories are going way back in the archives. What I mean is that I think this happened way more frequently when in the earlier days of the platform.
I’ve noticed that some people still think that this is the name of the game on Pinterest. To be inspired but only let down after they can’t actually get what they want.
On the contrary, Pinterest has worked on continually improving the user experience, and they’re making it easier than ever to shop!
They mentioned that they want Pinners, “to go from a spark of an idea to making it a reality”.
Here are some of the highlights featured that will help improve the shopping experience:
- Merchant Details– this is a way for brands to highlight a brand’s values and communities they represent. Pinterest mentioned this is a good way to increase your conversion rates. In order to have Merchant Details, you do have to be a part of the Verified Merchant Program.
- Checkout on Pinterest is now in beta with select merchants. They also have plans of rolling it out more broadly later this year. They explained that it will be as easy as, “see it, love it, buy it”. Basically, Pinners will be able to buy directly on the platform without ever having to leave!
- Pinterest API for Shopping is also launching, which will allow retailers to scale their catalogs. This will allow brands to keep everything as up-to-date as possible. If you’re interested in the Pinterest API, reach out to your Pinterest rep.
#3 The Pinterest Funnel and How It’s Primed for Conversions
I touched on this a bit earlier but it’s a common misconception that Pinterest is just a top-of-funnel platform. This means that brand awareness is definitely not the only successful objective you can accomplish on Pinterest.
As a matter of fact, I would say most businesses and content creators aren’t using it solely for awareness and discovery. They’re using Pinterest as a tool to move potential customers down through their funnel.
During Pinterest Presents, they shared that 97% of searches are unbranded, but that it drives 10X higher branded searches by Pinners upon leaving the platform.
It’s clear that even if they don’t take action on the platform, it is driving more action.
Pinterest is not blind to the fact that brands clearly want to make a profit from their marketing efforts. They continue to make changes to the platform that result in a smooth (and better) full funnel experience.
Part of this full-funnel development is not only the ability to checkout on Pinterest. There’s also a breakdown of the steps that come before an actual purchase.
We know that Pinterest is the king of inspiration. During Pinterest Presents, they actually considered the inspiration phase of the funnel to be two different parts. These parts can be broken into insight and movement.
The inspiration gives Pinners insight and the insight helps them move towards making a decision.
Here’s what I envision for the breakdown the Pinterest funnel:
Give Pinterest a Chance
Love it or hate, Pinterest is going to continue to evolve. As a business owner, I think it’s vital we embrace these changes, rather than ditching the platform.
I think that summarizes pretty well why they are making these changes. Pinterest wants to make it easier than ever for brands to close the sale on their platform.
There truly is no other platform quite like Pinterest and if you’re sleeping on it, it’s a mistake!
If you know you’re ready to take Pinterest seriously, download my FREE Pinterest strategy guide AND check out my signature course, Pinterest Marketing Magic.
