Pinterest Marketing and Advertising

When we dig into digital marketing inevitably promoting a business on social media has to come into play when we get beyond the basics of setting up a serious online presence and go about creating regular content for our ideal consumers.

That means platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastadon, Twitter/X, and others often dominate the conversation. However, one platform that has steadily risen in prominence and offers unique opportunities for businesses is Pinterest.

With in excess of 450 million active users globally, Pinterest provides an expansive yet niche environment for advertising and marketing. If your business isn’t yet leveraging Pinterest, it may be time to reconsider.

This blog post will delve into the unique value of advertising on Pinterest and why it could be the game-changer some business needs. Let’s start by examining Pinterest’s audience.

Pinterest as a Visual Search Engine

Pinterest is often categorized as a social media platform, but it is more accurately described as a visual search engine. Users come to Pinterest not just to connect with friends or share life updates but to discover new ideas, products, and inspirations. This intent-driven use makes Pinterest an ideal place for businesses to showcase their products or services.

Unique Demographics

The demographic makeup of Pinterest sets it apart from other platforms.

Approximately 60% of Pinterest users are women, with a significant portion of them being in the 25-54 age bracket—a key demographic for many businesses. Furthermore, Pinterest users tend to have higher household incomes, with many users reporting an income of over $75,000 annually. This audience is not just browsing; they are actively seeking out products and ideas to improve their lifestyles, making them prime targets for businesses looking to drive conversions.

High Purchase Intent

One of the most compelling reasons to advertise on Pinterest is the high purchase intent among its users. According to Pinterest Business, 83% of weekly Pinners have made a purchase based on content they saw from brands on Pinterest.

Unlike other platforms where users might be passively scrolling, Pinterest users are actively searching for inspiration to plan their next project, purchase, or event. This intent-driven behavior translates into higher conversion rates for businesses that advertise on the platform.

Longevity of Content

Another significant advantage of Pinterest over other social media platforms is the longevity of content. While posts on platforms like Instagram or Facebook may lose visibility within hours or days, Pinterest content has a much longer lifespan.

Pins can continue to circulate and generate engagement for months, or even years, after they are initially posted. This extended lifespan means that your advertising dollars can continue to work for you long after the initial campaign period, providing a much higher return on investment (ROI).

Visual Appeal and Branding

Pinterest is a visually-driven platform, making it perfect for businesses with aesthetically pleasing products or services. Whether you’re in fashion, home decor, food, or travel, Pinterest allows you to create visually appealing ads that can significantly enhance your brand’s image. Even for industries that aren’t traditionally visual, creative approaches can be used to highlight the benefits of your products or services in a visually engaging way.

Advertising Options on Pinterest

Pinterest offers a range of advertising options to suit different business goals and budgets. Here’s a breakdown of the main types of ads available:

Promoted Pins

Promoted Pins are standard Pins that businesses pay to promote to a wider audience. These Pins appear in the home feed, category feed, and relevant search results, seamlessly blending with organic content. Promoted Pins can help increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, and boost conversions.

Video Pins

Video Pins allow you to showcase your products or services in motion. Given that video content is generally more engaging than static images, Video Pins can be an excellent way to capture attention and convey more complex messages. These ads can be particularly effective for demonstrating how a product works or telling a brand story.

Shopping Ads

For eCommerce businesses, Shopping Ads on Pinterest can be particularly powerful. These ads are designed to showcase your products directly in users’ feeds, complete with pricing and availability information. When a user clicks on a Shopping Ad, they are taken directly to the product page on your website, simplifying the purchase process and increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Carousel Ads

Carousel Ads allow businesses to feature multiple images in a single ad. This format is ideal for showcasing a range of products or highlighting different features of a single product. Users can swipe through the carousel, creating an interactive experience that can drive higher engagement.

Collection Ads

Collections Ads combine lifestyle images with product images, creating an immersive shopping experience. These ads are ideal for brands looking to inspire users with how their products can fit into their lives. When users click on a Collections Ad, they are taken to a full-screen experience where they can explore the featured products in more detail.

Keyword Targeting

Pinterest’s keyword targeting is one of the most powerful tools available to advertisers on the platform. By targeting specific keywords that users are searching for, businesses can ensure that their ads are seen by people actively looking for related content. This targeting capability helps drive highly qualified traffic to your website or online store.

Audience Targeting

Pinterest also offers robust audience targeting options, including the ability to target ads based on users’ interests, behaviors, and demographics. You can create custom audiences based on your existing customer data or retarget users who have previously interacted with your brand on Pinterest or your website.

Actalike Audiences

Similar to Lookalike Audiences on Facebook, Pinterest’s Actalike Audiences allow you to target users who share characteristics with your existing customers. This feature can help you reach new potential customers who are likely to be interested in your products or services.

Measuring Success on Pinterest

Pinterest provides comprehensive analytics tools that allow you to track the performance of your ads in real-time. These tools provide insights into key metrics such as impressions, clicks, saves, and conversions. By analyzing this data, you can refine your advertising strategy, optimize your campaigns, and maximize your ROI.

Conversion Tracking

Pinterest’s conversion tracking feature allows you to measure the effectiveness of your ads in driving specific actions on your website, such as purchases or sign-ups. This data is invaluable for understanding the direct impact of your Pinterest advertising efforts and for making data-driven decisions to improve future campaigns.

Pinterest Tag

The Pinterest Tag is a powerful tool that enables you to track the actions users take on your website after interacting with your Pinterest ads. By installing the Pinterest Tag, you can gather data on conversions, build remarketing audiences, and optimize your campaigns for better results.

Summing Up Advertising on Pinterest

Pinterest advertising and marketing offers a unique and highly effective way to reach a motivated audience with a high intent to purchase. The platform’s visual nature, combined with its powerful targeting capabilities and extended content lifespan, makes it an ideal choice for businesses looking to drive awareness, engagement, and conversions. Whether you’re a small business or a large brand, Pinterest provides the tools and opportunities needed to achieve your marketing goals.

If your business hasn’t yet explored Pinterest as part of its advertising strategy, now may be the perfect time to start. The platform’s distinctive advantages can help you reach new audiences, enhance your brand’s visibility, and drive meaningful business results.

If you’re like to learn even more about Pinterest advertising and marketing continue onward to learn about my interview with a Pinterest advertising and marketing expert.

Pinterest Marketing Interview

In this episode of the Digital Marketing Solutions podcast, I talk with Sherisse Marie, who is a Pinterest marketing consultant online at SherisseMarie.com. 

Some of the points we discuss in this podcast episode include:

• Who she is, her background, and relevant experience.
• Just what attracted her to Pinterest in the first place.
• How Pinterest is different or unique from competing social media outlets.
• How to use Pinterest to maximum effect with the goal being to attract more views and then conversions.
• Pinterest use studies or examples
• Pinterest marketing and advertising.
• Pinterest advertising rates compared to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Video in Pinterest.
• Where she sees Pinterest headed in the future.
• And of course much more!

About

Sherisse Marie Sutherland is a Pinterest marketing consultant who also works with clients on branding, identity, and content creation.

If this video doesn’t display for any reason, you can watch the interview at BitChute.