Traditionally viewed as a hot spot for product retailers for most of its history, Pinterest has been virtually ignored by B2B companies looking to reach their target market. However, with a rapid increase in the number of users on the network and a high level of referral traffic, now may be the time to stop ignoring the network and to take it seriously. Follow the tips below to increase the potential of your Pinterest B2B marketing strategy.
Think Visually
For those unfamiliar with the network, Pinterest is a virtual scrapbook filled with “pins” of images from around the web that link back to websites, online stores, blogs and more. Users wanting to save specific webpages, wishing to share them with their friends or to utilize the information, can pin finds onto one of their categorized boards. These boards are viewable to their followers. This allows for a viral spread of information and increased referral traffic.
The key to this is that users surfing Pinterest check out and repin pins that stand out to them visually, sometimes before they even have the time to consider the information a specific pin may have to offer. If content doesn’t have a visual aspect, it cannot be successful on Pinterest.
Key ways to incorporate images into your content, making it more easily shareable include using stock photos, adding visual examples, creating infographics and linking to graphs and other statistics. The more visual appeal, the better, especially in the world of B2B marketing.
Use a Tool or Two
Much like Facebook, Twitter and other social media giants, tools exist to provide insight to brands looking to market their products and services to specific users based on interest while monitoring brand presence on the network.
Last month, Tailwind, a Pinterest analytics and marketing suite announce the release of a new product – Discover. The tool provides B2B marketers with an interactive view of their customers, community and overall brand presence, allowing them to see all content performance related to a specific marketing campaign in one centralized location.
This allows for simple, easy to follow brand analysis that relies on the visual aspect of Pinterest, which means it’s one of the easiest ways to get a comprehensive look at Pinterest performance. By using a tool like Discover, B2B companies can take a look at what pins have had the most success along with which have led to the most referral traffic and conversions. This data provides insight for posting times, audience interest and other key components of any marketing campaign making it a must for a successful B2B marketing campaign on the network.
Check out Brands that Have it Right
One of the best ways to figure out how to market on Pinterest is to look at companies who are already doing it right.
One such company is CJ Pony Parts, a Ford Mustang parts dealer with a large online presence. By pinning a combination of blog posts, event information, parts, installation tutorials and special deals and promotions on Pinterest, the company has amassed a loyal following based on variety – a key to Pinterest viability.
Another B2B company making Pinterest work for them is KISSmetrics, an online analytics software provider. With infographic-rich pins that focus on helping brands reach their online potential, the information they post shows that if it’s useful, it’s worth pinning. If it’s worth pinning, the follower base will grow.
Take the time to look into other B2B brands that are finding success on Pinterest. These brands show that social media success is not limited to traditional social networks and can instead be found on newer, more interactive networks.
Think about your goals for using Pinterest and consider what matters to your target market. As long as your pins align with those ideas, you’re on the right path. Don’t be afraid to look into tools to make your job easier and follow the example of those who have started down the right path. Pinterest is just as relevant for B2B companies as to B2C brands; look for ways to enhance your strategy today.
