As one of the fastest growing social networking sites of 2012 and the fourth largest traffic driver on the web, Pinterest has garnered a reputation for impressive referral rates and an engaged user-base. Pinterest has proven itself as a viable component to the social media marketing strategies of countless brands and retailers. This article outlines some of the ways in which businesses can optimize their efforts on Pinterest in order to drive more traffic back to their ecommerce websites.

To Use or Not to Use the Pinterest Price Bubble?

Although many brands will by default utilize the Pinterest price banner (formerly a price ‘banner’), it remains unclear whether or not the price banner increases click-throughs and sales. Some research suggests that it does in fact increase sales while other studies have shown that it works best if the price has been added by a secondary pinner and not the retailer. The lesson here is: don’t make assumptions one way or the other; try including as well as excluding the price bubble and observe the effects on traffic and sales.

Enhance SEO with Pinterest

Often overlooked is the fact that, unlike Facebook and most of Twitter, Pinterest content is indexed by Google and other search engines. To increase your visibility use relevant keywords and key-phrases in the 160 character afforded to you in the ‘about’ section on your Pinterest profile. Pinterest affords users 500 characters for their pin descriptions, making it a much more promising space for text based content. Be creative and use this space for something that will be meaningful and interesting to people interested enough to view the image. Consider adding notes, commentary, location / usage information and any other product related information that may be relevant (recipe instructions?). Find a balance between using effective keywords and achieving readability without falling into the abhorrent practice of keyword stuffing.

The Importance of Image Names and Sizes

The recent introduction of Pinterest’s new look has poured even more focus on the image. The maximum width for enlarged pins in Pinterest is now 735 px (up from 600). Do not make the mistake of neglecting the file names of your images. It is disturbingly common for Pinterest users to upload photos with trivial, standardized names, such as ‘IMG_5879.’ Having descriptive, keyword conscious filenames will make it easier for search engines to find your images. When pinning images from your website, double check that the images have alt text associated with them. Try not to fall into the practice of using obscure product names; use keyword conscious terms that connect your viewers to your content.

Consider the Core Appeal of Pinterest versus Other Social Networks

Pinterest stands out as a social network in that it is interest based rather than time-line based. Pinterest content can have much more lasting value than content on Facebook and Twitter were content will tend to fade away as it disappears from user’s feeds. Pinterest content has the capacity to remain engaging for long periods of time provided that people remain interested. Do your best to post content that will stand the test of time (easier said than done I know). For instance, avoid posting contest pins with dates on the images. Pinterest is beginning to pull ahead of many of its social media peers when it comes to the ecommerce industry. This is due to who the users on Pinterest are and what they are looking for from the platform. Allow me to elaborate: About 70 percent of Pinterest users are female and 50% are parents. Quite surprisingly, nearly a third of Pinterest users have a household income of $100,000 or over. This translates into visitors referred by Pinterest spending 70% more at ecommerce sites than visitors from other sites. What’s more, according to Pinleague, acquiring a Pinterest follower costs on average five times less than it does to obtain a Facebook fan. So it seems that gaining a following on Pinterest can be easier than it is on other social networks – granted you take the right approach; Pinterest users are attracted by compelling imagery above all else, not cheap sales pitches. Optimizing your Pinterest marketing strategy is a unique challenge. Even though you will have to expense extra time and creative thinking to this challenge, the potential benefits in terms of ecommerce transactions outweighs the cost. Pinterest is changing the way consumers discover products online and given its growing popularity, will surely continue to be a force of change in the ecommerce industry.

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Leverage Pinterest for your Marketing Campaigns with Wishpond’s Pinterest Contest app. Run a Pinterest contest to engage fans to submit and vote on Pinterest boards, on Facebook, Twitter, Websites, and Mobile Devices.

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