Getting Started on Pinterest
Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social networks out there. Today, 29% of U.S. adults use Pinterest. 40% of those users have a household income of more than $100K, and 93% of active users say they browse the site to help plan purchases and inform upcoming buying sprees.
With these statistics in mind, it’s easy to see why your consignment store should be using Pinterest if it’s not already.
If you’re like many consignment store owners, though, you’re confused about where to get started. This guide is designed to help make it simpler and more straightforward for you.
Let’s dive in.
A Brief History of Pinterest
Pinterest was founded in 2008 by Ben Silbermann, Evan Sharp, and Paul Sciarra. Over the next four years, it grew to what many people called an “overnight success,” not realizing, of course, that it was actually years in the making.
Today, Pinterest is one of the most powerful mobile shopping and browsing apps on the web. Nearly 85% of all Pinterest searches happen on mobile platforms, and 50% of customers who use the app have reported making purchases after seeing a promoted pin. It’s a valuable ecommerce tool that every online retailer should be using.
How to Use Pinterest for Your Business: 5 Actionable Tips
Want to use Pinterest to drive awareness to your site and earn sales from your customers? Here are five tips to start using today:
1. Let Your Customers do the “Pinning” for you
Install the Pinterest pin button on your product pages. This way, your website visitors can take images from your online store and post them on their Pinterest boards. This, in turn, makes it easier for other people to discover (and purchase) your products.
2. Create a Business Account
Don’t make the fatal mistake of using your personal Pinterest account (if you have one) as your business account. Instead, establish two separate accounts (here’s a video to help you set up a business account, if you’ve never done it before). This allows you to double down on your Pinterest activities as an individual user and a business, and to ensure that your business presence stays professional and on-brand at all times.
3. Design Your Boards Intelligently
If you’re an online retailer using Pinterest, you have the unique opportunity to design boards in a way that attracts more interest for your online store. For example, if you run a clothing consignment shop, you could organize your boards to represent:
- “Back to School” looks
- Colors we love
- Vintage finds
- Fall fashion
- Etc.
When you curate your boards in this way, you make it easier for customers to sort through your products, while also presenting a professional and polished face to the digital world.
4. Add Prices
If you have certain items that are always (or are currently) in stock, consider augmenting them with prices. This helps push purchase-ready buyers over the edge and encourage the kind of shopping your store wants.
5. Seek to Inspire
Your boards should be inspirational and beautiful, above all else. No matter what you do, be sure you’re aiming to excite your buyers. Feel free to get as creative as you want with your boards, and to curate a mixture of your own products and products from across the web. At the end of the day, you want to inspire potential customers to take the leap and make a purchase.
The Case for Pinterest
Pinterest is a powerful marketing tool for online retailers and can be an excellent addition to your online marketing arsenal. By using the five tips above and developing your own creative relationship with Pinterest, you can draw more buyers, spread the word about your products, and earn the views you deserve.
