We’ve already taught you how to engage your Pinterest followers by crafting eye-catching images. Since then you’ve been pinning and posting like a pro, proud of all the progress you’ve made. We’re proud of you too, which is why it’s time to take your Pinterest game to the next level.
 
As it turns out, creating pinnable images that promote your business is only half the battle. (Excuse me, I mean half the fun …) The other half is optimizing your Pinterest page so you get more out of every pin, every follow and every board. Like all successful social networks, Pinterest is constantly evolving, adding updates and new features to keep its users hooked and its product relevant. That’s exactly what Pinterest’s done with the latest batch of new updates and coming-soon features.
 
Introducing the Buy Button
 
In early June, Pinterest made the announcement businesses have been begging them for: there’s finally going to be a buy button. This means users will be able to buy the various items they’re pinning using Pinterest. Beside these select items, a red “Pin It” button and a blue “Buy It” button will now appear. Click that button, choose your size and color, and check out using Apple Pay or a credit card. Best of all, Pinterest doesn’t plan to take a cut from the seller’s profits. It sounds too good to be true, but true it is. Thanks, Pinterest!
 
There is one catch – the buyable pins are currently only available to businesses that use Shopify, which can cost as little as $14 per month. Once you’re set up on that platform, enabling Buyable Pins can be done quickly and easily. If you don’t use Shopify, you may have to wait a bit longer for Buyable Pins, but don’t worry, they’re coming. While this may seem like an unnecessary expense or an extra step that isn’t worth taking, think again. The majority of people who use Pinterest do so as a way to bookmark and save things they want to buy at some point. By installing a buy button, you can help ensure that your product doesn’t languish on their boards, lost in an avalanche of “pinspiration.” Let’s face it, human beings love instant gratification. Not being able to buy your product instantly makes it far more likely that your product will not be bought at all. Is that really a risk you want to take?
 
Promoted Pins
 
When you put something on Pinterest, you do so with the hope that others will see it, like it and re-pin it to their boards. That’s why you spend so much time creating eye-catching and exciting images. But what if there was a way to get your images in front of the people who are most likely to repin them? Just as Facebook ads are targeted to certain demographics, Promoted Pins can now be targeted to specific audiences based on their interests, personas, or life stages – basically, all the other things they’ve pinned. Let’s say your business specializes in gourmet pretzels. Now, you make sure your beautiful pretzels show up on the screens of users who like to pin foodie images. If you want to gain more business among millennials, Pinterest can help get your pins on to the smartphones of users between the ages of 18 and 34. Right now, Promoted Pins are only available to certain business in the U.S. on a cost-per-click basis, but Pinterest is currently accepting spots on a waitlist.
 
This feature is expected to roll out over the summer, but so far we’re excited for the opportunities it will offer – and you should be, too. You’ll only pay for the visits your pin receives, you can track what’s working, and you can target your pin so the right people see it. It’s a pretty simple solution with a lot of benefits for businesses, and it will help make Pinterest the preferred platform for advertising and engagement.
 
Cinematic Pins
 
If you find yourself scrolling through images on Pinterest and then stop, convinced something on your screen was moving, don’t worry. You’re not imagining things. You’re seeing one of Pinterest’s new Cinematic Pins.
 
Cinematic Pins are a new kind of ad that only appears on mobile devices, and only becomes animated as users scroll past it. When you stop scrolling, the pin stops moving. The faster you scroll, the faster the image moves. It’s a slightly different take on animated ads that will make people pause and take a second look, which is exactly what Pinterest wants. Cinematic Pins are a great opportunity to share your product or business’s story in a new way, and offers new opportunities for innovation and creativity. Currently, Pinterest is working with launch partners to get Cinematic Pins up and running, but if the feature becomes as popular as we expect, it’s destined to become widespread.
 
Whatever You Do, Don’t Stop Pinning
 
It’s clear that Pinterest has been and will continue to be a major hub of social media. While it can be hard to keep up with the changes, it’s important to maintain your presence and keep pinning. If you need help navigating the updates and taking advantage of all the new opportunities this platform has to offer, contact Sage Island. Our marketing team knows how to use Pinterest to make your pins and your business work hard and look great.
 
Mike Duncan co-founded Sage Island in 1997, and since then has evolved the agency’s scope to include marketing strategy, creative design, technical development and a wide range of digital marketing services. With an integrated approach that leverages the power and measurability of the internet, the savvy Sage Island team develops strategies, builds brands, writes killer copy and delivers to clients all over the world. And they have an awesome time doing it. Sage’s collaborative working environment keeps creativity and innovation at the heart of the concept. With a 17-year history in Wilmington and beyond, Sage Island shows no signs of slowing down. To learn how Sage Island can grow your business, check us out at www.sageisland.com. To stay updated on the latest in digital marketing, follow Sage Island on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SageIsland, and on Twitter at twitter.com/SageIsland.