Pinterest

In recent months, countless brands have been jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon, and who can blame them? After all, Pinterest surpassed 10 million unique U.S. visitors quicker than any other standalone website in the history of the Internet. It has over 10.4 million registered users, with 2 million of those logging in daily via Facebook and 9 million logging in monthly via Facebook.

About 97% of Pinterest users are upper middle class females between 18 and 34 years old, and they are a group that is not typically well-represented in an online start up's demographic. Normally, you may also see the bulk of these users come from states in New England or the west coast areas, but Pinterest seems to have really hit home with America's heartland - the majority of its user base is spread across the midwest and into the central southern states. Such an unusual early adopter demographic begs the questions about what brands are actually utilizing Pinterest and how.

HGTV, for example, is a popular brand on Pinterest, which seems like a natural fit given the nature of the TV network and its emphasis on do-it-yourself projects. HGTV pins items from its website and blog in an effort to lead users back to those very sources for a full rundown of the projects. West Elm and other brands that provide products for decorating and furnishing spaces also thrive in this demographic by offering decorating tips and showing their products in a real world setting. Once items are pinned, users can view the images and be redirected back to the original blog or website source for more information. Pinning to Pinterest is a great way to lead consumers back to your home base.

HGTV is just one of many examples of how useful Pinterest may be in driving traffic to your brand. If you are looking for your own Pinterest strategy, there are a few things to keep in mind:

If you are a company that sells products, try to put your products in a visually appealing setting that would entice a user to pin it. Pinterest has a beautiful layout that relies heavily on imagery. Having an image that can portray your product in an aesthetically pleasing manner will help it stand out.
If you are a celebrity or musician, try pinning things that you find interesting, such as your favorite recipes, fashion, music and more. We all know you eat, shop and surf the web, so let your fans know what it is that you like; they'll enjoy those insights into who you are and what you enjoy.
No matter what it is that you do, take advantage of the built-in Twitter and Facebook integration. It's an easy way to let your fans or consumers know you have a presence on Pinterest.
While Pinterest success won't lend itself to every business, artists, bands, musicians and "lifestyle" businesses may be missing an opportunity by not having a Pinterest account. You can begin by slowly pinning items that you feel best represent who you are and the lifestyle of your target audience. If you need assistance in developing a strategy for your brand, our digital strategy team at MCN is always happy to help.