Blog Introduction Paragraph: Pinterest isn’t just a platform to pin that next DIY project. It’s also a powerful visual platform that can drive traffic and sales to your e-commerce business. Since its launch, Pinterest has steadily grown to become one of the most popular social media platforms today, with over 400 million active users worldwide in 2023. With the right strategies, Pinterest marketing can help your e-commerce business reach a wider audience and increase sales in a more evergreen way than running ads or posting on Instagram every day. As a Pinterest manager for e-commerce businesses, I’m going to share 9 simple steps to help you unlock the full potential of Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses in 2023 today.
Table of Contents
Understand the power of visual storytelling and use it to engage potential customers
One of the significant advantages of Pinterest marketing lies in its visual nature. People come to Pinterest to discover new ideas, whether it’s home décor, fashion, or food. As an e-commerce store owner, you can leverage this by telling your brand’s story through captivating visuals. This helps create a connection with potential customers who are interested in your category of products. Make sure your visuals align with your brand’s overall aesthetic and tell a story that resonates with your customer base.
2 things to remember when using storytelling in Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses
- Use Idea Pins with Multiple Slides + A Combination of Static Images and Videos (if you want to repurpose Instagram reels into Pinterest idea pins, check out this post here)
- Remember that Pinterest user intent is DIFFERENT than other social media platforms. Pinterest users are DOERS and looking for POSITIVE inspiration and things to buy that will improve their lives.
Use visuals such as infographics and videos to promote products
Just like other platforms in 2023, Pinterest offers a range of visuals beyond just images. Infographics and videos, for instance, can make for compelling content if done right. These visuals can help showcase your products’ features and benefits, making it easier for customers to understand why they need to purchase your product. You could also use video to showcase behind-the-scenes footage of your e-commerce store or even provide tutorials. Infographics, on the other hand, are great for summarizing information, making them perfect for product comparisons or reviews.
TL;DR: Pinterest users THRIVE on informational content more than users of other platforms
Choose high-quality photos to attract potential customers
Pinterest users have an eye for quality, so if you are planning to use Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses, you need to make sure your visuals are top-notch. Whether it’s product images or lifestyle shots, make sure your photos are high-quality, well-lit, and correctly composed. Make sure they’re also optimized for mobile viewing since most Pinterest users access the platform via their smartphones.
As a Pinterest manager for e-commerce businesses, I’ve seen firsthand that choosing the right keywords and employing different Pinterest strategies does NOT work if the photos aren’t engaging. A brand shoot or having brand photographer on retainer will go a long way when maximizing your investment into Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses.
Use the right keywords to attract potential customers
Like any other search engine, Pinterest relies on keywords to understand user search intent. To make your products more discoverable, use relevant keywords in your product descriptions and boards. Use keyword research tools like Pinterest Trends to identify popular and relevant keywords for your niche. This is one of the only ways to make sure your products appear in relevant searches and get in front of your ideal customer.
A quick caveat to this though: knowing what your ideal customers are searching for is CRUCIAL. for example, you might be a sustainable fashion brand (which is fab!) and think that you should focus on keywords like “ethical fashion” and “slow fashion” when what you ideal client is REALLY searching for is “high-quality bodysuit” or “the perfect t-shirt”. These examples come straight from one of my favorite e-commerce businesses that I manage Pinterest for: BettyxBow!
Make sure your pins have catchy titles and descriptions that will draw attention to the products you’re selling
While keywords are important for getting your pins in front of the right audience, your pins’ titles and descriptions can make or break your Pinterest marketing strategy’s success. After all, you don’t just want them to find you, you want them to click-through and start shopping!
Make sure your Pin titles and descriptions are attention-grabbing while still being relevant to what’s shown in the image. Use keywords in your titles and descriptions but make sure they still sound natural. Instead of stuffing your descriptions with keywords, take the time to write full, detailed descriptions that explain your products and their value.
Leverage user-generated content
When looking at 2023 marketing trends, UGC content is at the top of the list. User-generated content, or UGC, refers to content created by your customers, like reviews, photos, or videos. UGC can be an excellent addition to your Pinterest marketing strategy since it helps build trust with potential customers. Encourage customers to share photos and reviews of your products by creating a branded hashtag or running a UGC contest. This type of content is particularly useful if you have an established customer base and are looking to strengthen your brand’s connection with them.
Don’t have an established brand (yet)? That’s okay! You can hire UGC creators and in fact, the UGC industry may surpass influencer marketing in 2023.
Use a mix of influencers, promoted pins, and fresh content to get maximum reach
Why limit that Influencer shout out to a 24 hour Instagram story? As an e-commerce business owner, you may be tired of hearing that you need to do everything, but when you are on Pinterest, it’s worth it because the content is longer lasting.
Influencer Marketing on Pinterest
Influencer marketing can be an integral part of a Pinterest marketing strategy for e-commerce businesses because of the unique advantages Pinterest provides when it comes to targeting potential customers. With influencer marketing, you gain access to a larger audience by extending your reach beyond existing followers and tapping into external networks.
On top of that, using influencers expands your content possibilities. By leveraging influencers’ creative ideas and proven strategies, you can create content that stands out from the crowd. Finally, influencer marketing gives you the opportunity to build relationships with those who have an existing connection with your brand—building trust and loyalty among their followers.
Using Promoted Pins in a Pinterest Marketing Strategy for E-commerce Businesses
On top of that, Promoted pins can be a great addition to an organic Pinterest marketing strategy for small e-commerce businesses because they are targeted and effective. Promoted pins allow you to reach a larger, more relevant audience than traditional organic content and can help drive traffic directly to your website or an individual product page. They also offer detailed analytics that provides insight into what content resonates with users, allowing you to tailor your organic content accordingly.
At the time of writing, the recommended minimum budget for promoted pins in 2023 is $35/day (as per the Pinterest ads team).
Creating fresh content on your blog
New blog posts or fresh content is essential for a successful Pinterest marketing strategy because they are an effective way to draw in more viewers and followers. As Pinterest is a highly visual platform, images are key to engagement and growth. Posting new blog posts or articles that include compelling visuals will draw in more viewers and keep your audience engaged with your account. Additionally, by regularly publishing new content, you can establish yourself as an authority on the topics that relate to your business. This builds trust from potential and existing customers alike, which can ultimately lead to higher conversions and sales.
Pinterest has made it clear over the last couple of years: fresh content is KEY to ranking on Pinterest. It creates a better user experience, too, because one of the biggest complaints Pinterest users have is being shown the same 20 pins over and over again. Remember, Pinterest users are looking for fresh new ideas and to be inspired when they are searching on the platform!
Track analytics to understand what content is performing best for you
Analytics are an essential part of any successful Pinterest marketing strategy. Pinterest analytics provides valuable data on how your pins perform, including impressions, clicks, saves, and engagement rates. Use this data to understand what content performs best for your e-commerce store and adjust your strategy accordingly. You should also use A/B testing to try out different images, titles, and descriptions to see what works best.
I know this part is not the most exciting when thinking about using Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses, which brings me to my final thought:
Create a Strategic Pinning Plan and hire a Pinterest Manager to help you execute it
Putting a strategic pinning plan in place is the key to achieving Pinterest marketing success. This should include a detailed plan on pin frequency, types of content, and target keywords to ensure maximum reach and engagement. You NEED to be consistent to generate more sales on Pinterest!
With that in mind, I know that as a busy e-commerce business owner, you don’t have time to do everything yourself. A Pinterest Manager can help manage your account to ensure the successful implementation of your plan, leaving you with more time to focus on your business. If you are looking for an experienced e-commerce Pinterest marketing manager, connect with me here!
Pinterest Marketing for E-commerce Businesses in 2023
If you’re an e-commerce business owner, now’s the perfect time to jump aboard the Pinterest marketing bandwagon and harness the platform’s power to create a strong online presence (that will ultimately lead to making more sales for your product-based business. With millions of users flocking to the site daily, Pinterest is the ultimate treasure trove of opportunities for businesses looking to engage their customers and drive sales.
To create a winning Pinterest marketing strategy, I highly recommend you use the steps outlined in this guide to stay consistent – and make sure to track your progress. When using Pinterest marketing for e-commerce businesses in 2023, there is a variety of strategies at your disposal to drive traffic and revenue to your online store. So why wait? Start leveraging the tremendous potential of Pinterest today to take your e-commerce business to the next level! If you need help, learn more about working together here.
