Pinterest Sparks Online Traffic

A newcomer to social media, Pinterest is quickly gaining popularity among its users. The online pinboard allows users to pin their favorite products to their own personal boards to bookmark and share with other Pinterest users. Not only is it a great way for consumers to keep track of their favorite things, it is becoming a great resource for companies to connect with consumers as well as direct traffic to their website. Here are some reasons why Pinterest could be a great asset to your company’s social media:

Consumer generated recommendations: According to Socialnomics.com, 78 percent of consumers trust peer recommendations while only 14 percent trust advertisements. Getting users to recommend your product can be a difficult task for businesses. Pinterest helps users share their favorite products and interests in a quick, easy and visually appealing way. The site even offers the option to post to Facebook and Twitter, giving businesses more exposures through other social media sites. It is proving to be a great way for users to connect with brands and increase brand loyalty.

Drives traffic to your site: The  way Pinterest works is it allows users to ‘pin’ things they find on the web or from other Pinterest user boards. Users can then ‘repin’ them on their own boards for others to follow. The pin is linked to a business’s website, allowing the user to click the photo and be taken back to the original website — where they can purchase the item or browse more items on the site. Pinterest is helping businesses drive traffic to their websites and generate brand awareness.

Pin it!: Soon, right alongside the Tweet and Facebook share buttons businesses will be offering the option to pin on all of their products. One company, Land’s End has already kicked off this trend. For the holidays, the company launched a campaign and contest using Pinterest called “Pin it to Win it.” The contest is building brand awareness for their sub brand, Canvas, and offers another way to share products socially and for users to connect with brands. Other big name companies like Old Navy and Target are using Pinterest to promote their products. Other niche companies like ASOS and Ruche are using the site to gain brand awareness.

Pinterest is another avenue that allows users to influence the popularity of brands. Start exploring what Pinterest can do for your company.