How to Use Pinterest for eCommerce Marketing Success

If you haven’t added Pinterest to your eCommerce marketing strategy yet, now is the time. This image-based social media platform is ideal for promoting products and driving traffic to your website. And with more than 300 million active monthly users, there’s a large audience that you can reach with your pins.

However, most brands clumsily overlook Pinterest as a channel entirely. Pinterest can be a great tool for brands of all shapes and sizes to connect with new customers. Pinterest boards see millions of browsers each day searching for new products, ideas, and everything in between. Pinterest should be leveraged for both organic and paid search campaigns. Pinterest has a business manager tool that makes setting up paid media campaigns as easy as any other social platform, but of course there are some tricks to the trade.

Here’s a look at some of the things to keep in mind as you use Pinterest to market your eCommerce business and drive sales:

1.Use high-quality images in your pins.
When potential customers are browsing through their feed on Pinterest, they’re attracted to beautiful visuals. So, make sure that your pins stand out by using bright, high-resolution images. You can also use infographics and videos in your pins for additional visual interest. Work with an independent contractor or hire an agency to help create assets for the pins that communicate your brand ethos and campaign goals.

Play around with different types of posts that range from blogs, product imagery, infographics, lifestyle brand photos, videos, and even stories. As the attention economy runs increasingly rampant, any time you can get your brand in front of a customer’s eyes, it is a win.

2. Create pins that are optimized for search engine ranking.
Just like with any other type of content that you create, you want your pins to be optimized for search engines. This means using relevant keywords in your pin descriptions and titles. When potential customers search for those keywords on Pinterest, your pins will show up in the search results—giving you a great opportunity to drive traffic to your site. Pinterest can be used for both paid and organic so ensuring you are following organic search best practices is important to achieve the best results.

3. Use rich pins on your website.
Rich pins provide extra information about the products that you’re promoting on Pinterest. For example, if you’re promoting a product from your online store, a rich pin will show the product’s price, availability, and where people can go to buy it. Rich pins make it easy for potential customers to learn more about the products they’re interested in—which makes them more likely to make a purchase from your store.

Making use of rich pins can help attract more eyes on your posts and give you more chances for conversions, ultimately.

4. Promote special offers and discounts on Pinterest.
People love a good deal—so make sure to promote any special offers or discounts that you’re currently running on Pinterest. For example, if you offer free shipping on all orders over $50, include that information in the description of your pin. You can also promote coupon codes and time-sensitive deals in your pins to encourage people to act fast and take advantage of the savings.

Most brands are able to upkeep their Instagram feed with lifestyle and product information images with some sort of social media team. Pinterest is another feed that brands can fill with content and attract new customers. Pinterest users browse for inspiration and brands can use this vehicle to display their own levels of creativity and relate to their target customers
5. Host a contest or giveaway on Pinterest.
Contests and giveaways are always popular on social media—and Pinterest is no exception. You can use a contest or giveaway as an effective way to promote your eCommerce business and drive traffic to your website or online store. Just make sure to include clear instructions in your contest pin so people know how to enter the contest and what they can win.

Here are a few more advanced tips for the brands that are already up and running on Pinterest but want to see improved results.

• Become a verified merchant
• Add follow buttons
• Cross-post videos to Pinterest
• Avoid shortening website links
• Collaborate using group boards
• Pay attention to Pinterest Analytics
• Use the Pinterest app for Shopify

If you’re not using Pinterest as part of your eCommerce marketing strategy yet, now is the time to start! This image-based social media platform provides ample opportunities for promoting products, driving traffic to sites, and increasing sales—all thanks to its large user base (over 300 million active monthly users) and powerful features (like rich pins). So get started today by creating some eye-catching pins and optimizing them for search engine ranking! Your bottom line will thank you later.

For a more complete look at Pinterest marketing for eCommerce, check out this guide.