It might surprise you to know that the social media platform which has the highest conversion rate for e-commerce store owners is not Instagram, Twitter or Facebook – it’s Pinterest. While Facebook still drives more traffic to e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, it does not achieve quite the same heights in terms of conversion rates or in average sales orders.
A 2015 study found that of 2,000 Pinterest users surveyed, 96% of them admitted they used the platform to research product information, while 93% said they used it specifically to find purchases. Clearly, this is a massive market that may well be going untapped. To leverage its enormous potential and make sure it works for you, follow these simple guidelines to maximum your e-commerce performance and increase conversion rates.
1. Optimise your own Website
The first step is making your website Pinterest-friendly. Including a “Pin-it” option on all of your products gives you an incredible way to achieve greater exposure through the help of existing customers. Tapping into social media this way should be top of your priorities when it comes to expanding your e-commerce store.
2. Capitalise on Rich Pins
On Pinterest itself, invest in using rich pins, which are capable of containing more information than just the image itself. This includes pricing, availability and a direct link to your store, thus seamlessly paving the way for a sale.
3. Include Prices on Photos
Even if you don’t use a rich pin, make sure all of your photos have a pound sign and a value on them. Including pricing alerts people to the fact that the product is indeed for sale, first and foremost, as well as preparing them mentally for the outlay when it comes to the checkout stage.
4. Pick your Moment
It’s important to make sure you post content at the right time. Coinciding your posts with the times that more people are likely to be online will increase the exposure for your products and your company, thus driving up interest and sales. Studies have shown that during the week, the best times to upload content is between 2pm to 4pm and 8pm to 11pm, with weekends being even more advantageous.
5. Organise by Theme
Subtly organising your products into themes rather than simple categories will distract audiences from the fact they are being marketed to, thus letting their guard down and making them more amenable to a sale. For example, a page entitled ‘Wrapping up Warm’ as opposed to ‘Outdoor Clothing’ will generate more interest and trust.
6. Integrate Pinterest with your Marketing Strategy
Dovetail your Pinterest activities with all of your other marketing strategies to make sure your products and images are reaching the maximum amount of potential leads. This includes integrating your Pinterest efforts with other social media platforms and your email marketing campaigns.
7. Optimise to Maximise
Though Pinterest is primarily about the images, don’t sacrifice your copy in the process. Specifically, don’t skimp on SEO keywords, since these will be instrumental in climbing those all-important Google rankings and ultimately driving traffic to both your Pinterest page and your online store.
8. Leverage Existing Customers
Encourage existing customers to post photos of themselves using your products on Pinterest and to leave personalised reviews at the same time. This will not only provide you with another useful marketing tool (with minimal effort on your behalf), but will also add a human touch to the services you offer.
9. Connect with the Community
Once you’ve leveraged your customers, don’t neglect them! Respond to comments, repost other Pins and generally listen to what your target market has to say. This will breed trust and confidence in your brand, thus making them more likely to make a repeat purchase in the future or increase your exposure via word of mouth.
10. Analyse the Analytics
Using Pinterest is a constant work in progress – don’t rest on your laurels. Assess the analytics offered by Pinterest (or a third-party company) to determine which threads and lists are performing best and capitalise on that.
Need Help? Never Fear, Fluid is Here.
Though adding a Pinterest string to your bow can pay off great dividends, staying on top of all of this information can seem like a daunting task. That’s why our dedicated digital marketing team at Fluid Digital are here to help you every stay of the way, whether it be organising your e-mail campaign, re-designing your e-commerce store or analysing the figures. To find out how we can make Pinterest work for you, get in touch today.