Recently, Pinterest made a few notable updates to its search feature, making it easier for potential customers to find your business on this popular social media platform. Here is how the function has changed, and how your business can benefit:
More Comprehensive Suggestions
There used to be three different search avenues, one each for pins, pinners, and boards, and the user was left to decide which route would be the best to take in search of the information needed. With the new search feature, keywords bring up a collection of suggestions that contains all three categories of possible choices. Pinterest reports seeing over twice as many people successfully finding the right content they were looking for with this improvement.
Search Now Has Spellcheck
According to Pinterest’s business blog, 12% of the platform’s searches contain spelling errors. For a service that boasts 70 million active users, 12% can be a serious hindrance. Pinners typically browse Pinterest on their smartphones – devices notorious for autocorrect errors and tricky keyboard navigation. With that in mind, Pinterest’s search now includes a spellcheck function that can also predict results users are looking for. Eliminating the need to redo a search reduces abandoned search attempts and the number of steps it takes for consumers to find your business.
Improved High-Profile Visibility
Prominent names and brands relevant to users’ search queries will now appear as verified accounts, annotated with a checkmark. For users wanting to connect with their favorite companies, artists, or bloggers, the checkmark will help them connect with confidence and find exactly what they are looking for. As a company, verifying your account through Pinterest will add credibility to your business.
Your Pinterest Presence
Pinterest has over 500,000 active business accounts, and statistics have found that 52% of shoppers consult Pinterest before making a purchase. 47% of shoppers are actually motivated to buy based on recommendations from pinners.
With these numbers and the above search updates in mind, consider these 5 basic guidelines for maintaining or creating awareness of your brand on Pinterest:
1. Post Often
Your followers are looking for inspiration. A consistent feed of quality images can motivate customers to pin and purchase your products. Pin in themes. Create new boards to organize your visual concepts, and keep the tone of your pins cohesive, both in text and pictures. Pinterest’s business analytics can help you determine the best days and times to post.
2. Be Social
Followers want the content of your boards to speak to them, and they want to be followed back. Engage by replying to recent comments and re-pinning pins from followers boards that can be useful to your brand’s image. Brainstorm ways to involve your fans, like starting a board featuring customer photos, or one showing your company getting involved in the community.
3. Use Text Thoughtfully
Pinterest limits the character amounts you can use to describe your pins. Make the most of the text allowance by including strong keywords and links to your website in an organic, non-pushy way. Pins that encourage the most engagement have descriptions ranging from 200 to 300 characters in length.
4. Link Mindfully
Make sure the links you include take pinners straight where they want to go. If your business has several landing pages for each of its categories, make sure the correct one is used every time. Simple mistakes like this can make followers lose faith in your brand.
Cross-promote from your other social media accounts. Since Pinterest has such a high pinner-purchase conversion, send followers there from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
5. Expand Your Brand
Pinners use Pinterest to get creative. Your business should do the same. Multiple boards allow you to test a fresh marketing direction, or perhaps present a whole different facet of your business to attract even more followers. This is a great place for trying something new while still maintaining your brand’s signature image through core boards and engagement.
Get Pinning
Updates to any social media platform should make you stop, reevaluate, and tweak your business’ social marketing strategy. If your company doesn’t already have a Pinterest account, take this information and start pinning. The potential for sales and customer awareness are too strong to pass up.