Consumers embarking on home design or improvement projects often head to Pinterest as their first stop before making any decisions. There they can look for inspiration, pin photos and links to boards to visit later, and even shop directly from the platform. For home furnishings retailers and interior designers, this offers a perfect opportunity to get your products and your work in front of these potential customers. Read on to learn why your company should be on Pinterest.
Who should be using Pinterest?
Interior designers and home furnishings retailers can both find success on Pinterest. The visual nature of Pinterest makes it the perfect marketing opportunity for anyone involved in the business of home design.
What original content should you pin?
Users flock to Pinterest to gather lifestyle inspiration for everything from food to fashion to wedding planning. Because it’s such a visual platform — it calls itself a “visual discovery engine” — Pinterest is the perfect place for blog posts, lifestyle photography and completed interior design project photos. For retailers, product photos can also be effective when paired with Pinterest’s shopping tools.
Pinterest is used more as a search engine than a social network, so your content strategy should focus more on SEO and less on hashtags. Choose keywords that users might search for when starting a project. Opt for “living room design ideas” over “#designinspo,” for example.
When should you create or switch to a business account?
Now! A free Pinterest for Business account allows you to access analytics and other features that a simple personal account does not. Each post offers detailed engagement stats, and the account can be linked to your website to track pins of each page. You’ll also be able to create ads targeted to a particular audience to boost your popular pins, at a cost. For retailers, the Verified Merchant Program takes a business page a step further, making it easy for users to find trustworthy retailers and purchase their products. If you already have a personal account for your business, you can make the switch to a business account and carry over all of your previous pins.
Where should you promote your pins?
Businesses can take advantage of Pinterest both on the platform itself, as well as on their own websites. By adding a Pinterest button to each page of your website, visitors can pin and share your blog posts and product photos to their own pages with the click of a button. You should also be maintaining your Pinterest account directly from the platform, creating an easy-to-navigate series of boards to help users find what they’re looking for. Pins on your boards can be a mix of your own content and thematically similar content you find on Pinterest.
Why should you use Pinterest?
Pinterest differs from traditional social media platforms in that its focus is less on connection and community and more about inspiration and information gathering. It’s a visual search engine, used by people who are looking for something specific to inspire them. Putting your designs, insights and products front and center can help increase your visibility, web traffic and, ultimately, sales.
How can you use Pinterest with design clients?
Beyond promoting your business, Pinterest can also be an effective tool for gauging a client’s design style, especially if they aren’t sure how to define it. Have your client create their own Pinterest boards filled with images that inspire and excite them. Then review the boards together, finding common themes, colors and styles to help solidify your design direction.
