Why Use Pinterest?

Maybe you want to up your Pinterest game. Or you keep hearing about the potential of Pinterest. Or you’re curious. While you also wonder, “Is it worth learning another platform?” After all, you may have a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc., etc. Why use Pinterest?

Pinterest is unique in who it attracts and how it offers content to users. In the right circumstances, it’s a powerful tool in your online portfolio. Before launching into the strategy and technique, here’s how I see Pinterest, and why it’s a big piece of my online puzzle.

Pinterest is a search engine. What Google and Bing are to web pages, Pinterest does for images. It’s a feast of images that are served to visitors either with an algorithm- “oh, you liked this, so you’ll probably also like this and this,” or when a visitor searches on Pinterest. Such as “Star Wars Party ideas”. If your pins are ready to be found, they can lead people to click through the pin and find you.

So if you have anything online, from a business to a brand to a creative entrepreneur, Pinterest helps people find you. Whether you are a travel destination, or a wedding planner, or crafter, or a photographer, people want to find you. Pinterest helps connect them to your content, business, brand, or service.

That sounds lovely, but how is that different from other social media sites?

Time is Forever on Pinterest. On a social media feed, posts tend to scroll down and scroll down. So when someone searches your business, they see the most recent posts. However, if they search you on Pinterest, all the posts are presented. And if your content has keywords (more on that later), you’ll show up in other searches. Your content lives forever. I still get traffic from content I posted years ago.

Users “Hang Out” on Pinterest. Pinterest is a chill space. Pins tend to be positive and uplifting. While politics exist, it’s easy to avoid. Pinterest doesn’t feature the arguments that can be draining on other social media platforms. People share things they like. This means that people browsing Pinterest are usually there to hang out, learn, or unwind. They enjoy discovering new content. And that can lead them to you.

Users Collect Ideas on Pinterest. The first place I go for party planning, recipes, or travel ideas is Pinterest. I can easily browse and glance at many visuals that inspire me. And, when I see something I like, I click or tap to learn more about whatever that pin shares. I’ve discovered artists, purchased gifts, and learned skills from browsing Pinterest. And sometimes, I go back to a pin that I found awhile before to purchase a gift or service. When people search Pinterest, again, they want to find you.

It can be free. Pinterest does have sponsored content, and you can opt into that if you would like an extra boost. I do not use paid advertising for my content. You can build a massive community without spending a dime on paid content.

Future posts will share how to use Pinterest to bring more clients, visitors, or connections to your website. I don’t mind starting from the ground floor, then building up towards more sophisticated techniques. We all start somewhere. And whether you’re considering starting an account, or building your account, I’m sure we can all build amazing spaces. I’m happy to help!