How does Pinterest work for marketing?

Pinterest has evolved from a virtual pinboard for personal inspiration to a powerful marketing tool used by businesses around the world. With over 450 million monthly active users as of 2024, Pinterest offers brands a unique platform to promote their products, services, and content to a highly engaged audience. But how exactly does Pinterest work for marketing, and what strategies can businesses use to harness its potential?

In this article, we will break down how Pinterest works for marketing, offering actionable insights and practical tips that any brand can use to get started or optimize their existing strategy.

What Is Pinterest?

Before diving into its marketing potential, it’s essential to understand what Pinterest is and how it functions.

Pinterest is a visual discovery and bookmarking platform. Users "pin" images, videos, and other content to boards based on their interests, from recipes and home décor to fashion and travel. These pins link back to the source of the image, whether that’s a blog post, e-commerce site, or landing page. Many businesses work with a pinterest marketing company to help them optimize their strategy, create compelling visuals, and drive targeted traffic to their websites, ensuring they reach the right audience effectively.

While Pinterest is often categorized as a social media platform, it functions more like a search engine. Users search for ideas, products, and inspiration and save them to their boards. In fact, many Pinterest users approach the platform with a goal in mind, such as discovering new products or finding solutions to their problems. This makes Pinterest a valuable tool for businesses looking to connect with potential customers in a purposeful, intent-driven way.

Why Pinterest Works for Marketing

There are several reasons why Pinterest has become a popular platform for businesses. Let’s break down why Pinterest works for marketing:

1. Highly Visual Nature

Pinterest is an image-centric platform, making it ideal for businesses that have strong visual content. Whether you’re selling physical products, creating infographics, or sharing inspiring images, Pinterest allows you to showcase your brand visually, which can have a significant impact on consumer behavior. The visual-first nature of Pinterest helps brands make a memorable impression and attract the attention of users who are actively searching for products or ideas.

2. Long-Term Content Lifespan

Unlike many social platforms where posts quickly disappear in users’ feeds, content on Pinterest has a much longer shelf life. Pins are discoverable months and even years after they are posted, depending on how popular they become. This gives businesses the opportunity to continually gain traffic, visibility, and engagement from a single piece of content. For example, a pin showcasing a product or blog post can continue to generate clicks and sales long after it’s originally posted, offering lasting ROI.

3. Targeted Search Engine

Pinterest functions similarly to a search engine, with users actively searching for ideas, products, and solutions. When used strategically, businesses can optimize their pins to show up in search results when users enter relevant keywords. This search-driven discovery can drive targeted traffic to your website, allowing you to reach potential customers who are already interested in your offerings.

4. Demographics and User Intent

Pinterest’s user base is unique. According to Pinterest’s 2023 statistics, the platform is popular with people aged 18 to 49, with a particularly high concentration of women (about 60%). Pinterest users are often in the discovery phase of their purchase journey, actively seeking new products and ideas. This makes the platform perfect for businesses looking to introduce their products to users with high intent to purchase.

5. E-commerce Integration

Pinterest’s e-commerce tools, such as Shop the Look and Product Pins, allow businesses to directly link their products to the platform’s visual content. With these features, users can click on a pin and purchase the item without leaving Pinterest, providing a streamlined shopping experience that helps businesses increase sales.

How to Use Pinterest for Marketing

Now that we’ve covered why Pinterest works for marketing, let’s dive into how businesses can use it effectively. Here are some key strategies to help you get started:

1. Create an Optimized Business Profile

To start marketing on Pinterest, you’ll need a business account. A business account gives you access to Pinterest Analytics, advertising features, and other tools that can help you track performance and optimize your marketing efforts.

Make sure your profile is optimized for your target audience by following these tips:

• Profile Picture: Use your business logo or a clear image that represents your brand.
• Username: Choose a username that is simple, easy to remember, and matches your brand.
• Bio: Write a compelling bio that clearly explains what your business offers. Use relevant keywords here to improve searchability.
• Website Link: Add your website URL to drive traffic back to your site.

2. Create Engaging Pins

Pins are the foundation of Pinterest marketing. The key to success is creating high-quality, visually appealing pins that capture attention and encourage users to click through to your site. Here are some tips for creating effective pins:

• Use High-Quality Images: Clear, well-lit images that are visually appealing and relevant to your content will perform better.
• Vertical Images: Pinterest recommends using vertical images with a 2:3 ratio (e.g., 1000 x 1500 pixels), as they take up more space in the feed and are more likely to be clicked.
• Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Make sure your pins include a call to action, such as “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Get Inspired.”
• Text Overlay: Adding a text overlay to your image can help explain what the pin is about, especially if the content is unclear just by looking at the image.
• Keyword Optimization: Use relevant keywords in your pin descriptions, titles, and image alt-text to increase visibility in Pinterest search results.

3. Organize Your Boards

Creating boards that are relevant to your audience and products can help improve the organization of your content. Boards are collections of related pins, and they help users find content that matches their interests. Here’s how to organize your boards:

• Create Niche Boards: Organize your content into specific categories (e.g., “Fall Fashion Trends,” “Home Office Inspiration,” “Healthy Recipes”) to attract the right audience.
• Pin Consistently: Regularly pin content to keep your boards fresh and updated.
• Collaborate on Group Boards: Collaborating with other businesses or influencers in your industry can help broaden your reach.

4. Use Pinterest Ads

Pinterest offers various advertising options that allow you to reach a broader audience beyond your organic reach. Some ad options include:

• Promoted Pins: These are regular pins that you pay to promote, allowing them to appear in users’ feeds or search results. You can target your ads based on keywords, interests, and demographics.
• Shopping Ads: These ads allow businesses to promote their products directly on Pinterest. When users click on the ad, they are taken directly to the product page.
• Video Ads: Video ads are a great way to engage users and tell a story about your products or brand.

5. Leverage Pinterest Analytics

Pinterest Analytics is an essential tool for tracking your marketing performance. It helps you understand how your pins and boards are performing, which types of content resonate with your audience, and what keywords are driving traffic. Here’s what to track:

• Impressions: How often your pins appear in users’ feeds or search results.
• Engagement: The number of times users save, click, or interact with your pins.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on your pin and visit your website.
• Audience Insights: Learn more about your audience, including their demographics, interests, and behaviors.

By analyzing this data, you can fine-tune your strategy, optimize your pins, and improve your performance over time.

6. Promote Your Pinterest on Other Channels

To maximize the reach of your Pinterest marketing efforts, cross-promote your Pinterest account on other social media platforms, your website, and through email marketing. For example, you can add Pinterest buttons to your website or encourage your social media followers to check out your Pinterest boards for more inspiration. The more traffic you drive to your Pinterest profile, the better your chances of growing your audience and increasing engagement.

Best Practices for Pinterest Marketing

Here are a few more best practices to consider when using Pinterest for marketing:

• Pin Frequently: Unlike platforms like Instagram, where you may post once a day, Pinterest rewards frequent pinning. Aim for a consistent schedule of 5-10 pins per day.
• Focus on High-Quality Visuals: Pinterest is a highly visual platform, so your images need to stand out. Make sure your content is visually appealing, well-lit, and eye-catching.
• Use Rich Pins: Rich Pins are special types of pins that include extra information, such as product details, availability, and pricing. They are great for e-commerce businesses looking to showcase their products.
• Engage with Your Audience: Don’t just post and forget. Engage with users who interact with your pins, respond to comments, and repin relevant content.

Conclusion

Pinterest offers a unique opportunity for businesses to reach an engaged audience in a visually-driven environment. By creating high-quality pins, optimizing your profile, and using Pinterest's advertising and analytics tools, you can build a successful marketing strategy that drives traffic, increases brand awareness, and generates sales.

With consistent effort and a targeted approach, Pinterest can become an integral part of your digital marketing strategy in 2025 and beyond. By using the tips and strategies outlined in this article, you can start to see how Pinterest can work for your business, helping you reach potential customers and achieve your marketing goals.