When putting together a marketing plan that includes digital media, Pinterest isn’t normally at the top of the list. Facebook and Twitter tend to reign high, with Instagram, Youtube and LinkedIn also being mentioned. However, without considering Pinterest, you could be missing out on over 100 million users!

Launched in 2010, Pinterest, much like Instagram, is an image based app that allows users to endless scroll through a number of posts. However, unlike Instagram, users can search for specific things easier and each individual post can be linked directly to a website, making it better for brands and companies to link their services and products.

When it was first launched, Pinterest was probably most known for bride-to-be's looking for wedding inspiration or foodies looking for a fun and interesting recipe, however since it developed into a place for creativity and inspiration, and people looking to make purchases. According to market research firm, Millward Brown, 93% of users used Pinterest to plan or make a purchase with 52% having seen something on Pinterest and making a purchase online, and 72% making a purchase offline.

While the app is a fantastic tool to reach a new audience, before you create an account it is good to understand the users of Pinterest and how they fit in with your brand. According to Pinterest, the app is very female dominant, with 71% of the users being female, while 67% of users are under 40. However, it is good to note that of the female users, 34% of the ones aged 35 to 55 have a household income out over $100k, and while the number of male users is low, it is rising with a 120% increase in 2015.

So, what next?

Like most social media platforms, you can set up a business account on Pinterest. This allows you to list what type of business you are, link your website to your account and have options to promote pins or see analytics. There will be steps to verify your business website and also how to add a Pinterest icon to your website, but Pinterest has a guide which explains how to do this.

Once you are all verified, you can then set up your profile. Make sure to use a great image to represent your company, include a short but snappy profile bio and don’t forget to add your website link.

Starting Posting!

Once you are all set up, the next thing to do is start posting!

Pinterest is a visual app, so it is a good idea to use great images to entice users. Use images that you think will stand out and make sure they are of a good quality so that they don’t appear blurry.

Top Tip: vertical pins are better than horizontal ones (which tend to be cut off). Also the best ratio for Pinterest images is 2:3 or 1:3.5.

As well as having a set of fab images, you need to make sure the content it links to is also of high quality! Just think if you have a good image and someone clicks to your website, you need to have content to match otherwise the user will click, causing a high bounce rate on your website (and no one wants this!).

While linking to your website is a great tool, some users may not like this, so another option would be to turn your website blogs or content into infographics. You can use tools like Canva to help you design visually please masterpieces!

As well as your normal posts, you can also promote certain posts which can increase your chances of being seen.

Bonus Tip: Social media is about building your image online but it is also about building a community. With Pinterest you can re-pin other posts that relate to yours, comment on pins to encourage creatively and support, or even find your clients and re-in their items too.