Pinterest 101.2: Using Pinterest Succesfully
Welcome back to Pinterest 101!
In part 1 (which you can read here), we gave you a brief introduction on Pinterest, plus a simple how-to guide. In part deux, we’ll be showcasing interesting Pinterest campaigns that we ourselves are learning from. Perhaps they’ll inspire us to create cooler, more effective digital campaigns for our clients?
Storyboarding: The Peugeot Panama Story
Peugeot Panama was one of the first few brands that used Pinterest in their integrated marketing. Facebook, Twitter and their website were also used in a holistic campaign that gained traction with online users.
The way the brand has arranged its pinboards is fantastic: it has created what are essentially advertisements for its vehicles that can be read from left to right. They also used boards to showcase the benefits of a specific product. For example, to promote their Boxer range (which has more space), they created a board called “the biggest things” to show big things that can fit into this spacious car. This tapped on the basics of consumer engagement: simplicity and share-ability.
Selling101 : Etsy on Pinterest
E-commerce sites like Etsy are starting to realise the power of the pin. The e-commerce marketplace is making it easier for Pinterest users to pin and organise products, via integrated Pin It buttons on item pages, alongside the now-ubiquitious Tweet and Like buttons. According to Leena Rao of Tech Crunch, “Etsy says that its members are big fans of Pinterest (and so is Etsy), so the integration makes sense. Etsy is also using Pinterest’s price display feature.”
From rings, clothes and even jewellery, Etsy’s 46,000 followers repin products from their marketplace for other consumers to see. All products are linked to Etsy’s site where users can then purchase the products they desire.
Speaking to Users
Kate Spade New York has been recognised across the fashion industry for its exemplary social and digital strategy. Using the themes of colour and inspiration, Kate Spade taps into consumer insight: they adore images that inspire, and desire a brand that inspires them.
The concept is simple: share what inspires us with our users. Using the theme of colour, Kate Spade posts images of beautiful dresses, travel locations and even fabrics to serve as inspiration for their fashionista clientele.
Catherine Wellborn from The Organized Executive’s Blog attributes the success of Kate Spade New York’s success to the following 3 important drivers:
- Create boards that represent your brand and your customers—not just your products and services. Kate Spade sells women’s clothes and accessories, and yet one of its most popular boards is “travel colorfully,”which features beautiful images from around the world—and almost no images of Kate Spade products. Smart customers will appreciate the value you’re adding to their experience on the site, instead of bombarding them with relentless product placement.
- Don’t over-promote yourself. Even on the “dress colorfully” board, fewer than half of the pins are from the brand’s own sites or feature its products. No one goes on social media sites to be advertised to. Don’t stuff your products and services down your followers’ throats. It’s appropriate to include them on your boards, but if that’s all you’re pinning, you won’t build up a large or loyal group of followers.
- Use hashtags wisely. Every image that Kate Spade pins includes a hashtag associated with its board, such as #travelcolorfully, or #celebratecolorfully. Instead of including hashtags to emphasize the brand name or product line—for example, “#KateSpade #dresses”—Kate Spade uses them to subtly emphasize its unofficial motto: “Live colorfully.” Furthermore, consumers may think twice about repinning something with #CompanyName in the label.
Pinterest’s unique, simple and engaging way of framing content makes it a winner in our eyes. The examples above are just some of the interesting ways marketers have been using Pinterest to promote their brands and engage with users. As Pinterest picks up locally, expect more exciting and engaging campaigns: locally and worldwide!
