It’s Saturday night and I need inspiration for my outfit. No wait, I want to stay in and cook myself a nice dinner instead. Or maybe, I want to make a trip to Hobby Lobby and work on my latest DIY project for my apartment. Regardless of my weekend plans, one thing is certain, I find myself turning to Pinterest more and more often for visual inspiration, whether it be for fashion, a dinner recipe or a craft for my apartment.
In fact, in 2011, the most influential social networking site was not Twitter, nor was it Facebook, Tumblr or Google+ . It was, in fact, Pinterest – the image-based social networking site that has made its way into the top 10 social networking sites. Between June 2011 and December 2011, the site grew more than 40 times in terms of visitors, making it a viable platform for the latest brand marketing campaigns.
Beginning with a simple concept, Pinterest is rather self-explanatory to use. Members create virtual pinboards where they can archive photos into categories and follow other members to keep up with the photos they are “pinning.” The photos are simple — embedded with links to take a user back to the origin of the photo — and visually appealing in their high-resolution display. With the site’s increasing popularity and simplicity, brands are finding ways to capitalize on the network’s growing success.
But how can a brand use Pinterest to its advantage? PR executive Constance Aguilar explains to Mashable the strategy behind how Pinterest can increase brand awareness and consumer engagement:
Hosting Contests
Brands have the ability to connect and build awareness amongst their target consumers by hosting contests on Pinterest. For example, Aguilar suggests brands hold contests like “Best Pinboard” or “Most Repins.” So, if you’re a clothing brand, have Pinterest users post pictures of outfits using store merchandise or if you’re a food company, have members post pictures of recipes they have made using the brand’s products.
It’s as easy and engaging as the best photo contests that overwhelm brand pages on Facebook and Twitter. With Pinterest serving the community as a place for posting captivating pictures, brands can build a visual interaction between themselves, their products and their customers.
New Product Feedback
Every brand wants customer feedback and approval when launching a new product. Consider the 2010 backlash toward Gap when it released a new logo, only to revert back to its original after consumers reacted negatively toward the change. Companies need consumer reactions in order to gauge how they feel about a new product, and Pinterest can become a perfect platform for accomplishing this goal.
Since users can comment on photos “pinned” on Pinterest, brands can easily gather opinions, comments and concerns — both positive and negative — on any given image. It is the ideal platform for introducing a new product, idea or logo. And this is also one time when the smaller membership numbers of Pinterest, as opposed to Facebook or Twitter, can be used to a brand’s advantage. Comments will be smaller in number, more focused and easily organized under the one specific image.
Reveal your Brand’s Personality
Revealing personality is especially beneficial for brands that do not have a product line, such as magazines, celebrities, associations or foundations. For example, a nonprofit organization can create a Pinterest board showing photos of different philanthropic events, fundraising efforts and community interactions. Another example could be a magazine that can pin photos of past and present magazine covers, sponsored events and the behind-the-scenes shots from editorial photo-shoots.
All in all, if your brand is not selling something tangible, Pinterest can create a visual experience for your consumers. Therefore, just because you don’t have a retail presence, it doesn’t mean you are exempt from social networking. Pinterest can help your brand quickly connect with an audience by showing the brand’s story, history and everyday operations.
Pinterest has great potential for brands looking to interact with their consumers and create a more visually enticing online presence. Using photographs and the idea that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” brands can increase consumer awareness and engagement around their products and company culture.
So how will you stay competitive and engage your consumers on a new level in 2012? Try adding a Pinterest page to your brand’s social media efforts.
