So we see you’re looking for a different kind of relationship with your millennial customers. One that is new and exciting. Well look no further because Pinterest has it all. You’re probably here because you’ve heard about Pinterest’s newfound marketing significance and you want to get to know it a little better before you really commit. Well we’ve got you covered. Here are a few basic tips to help you navigate this social media platform and facilitate better engagement with your millennial audience.
- Create Your Brand Personality
Now, Pinterest is different from most social media platforms in that it is heavily about lifestyle marketing. In order to successfully engage with your millennial audience, you need to show these pinners that your company is something they would like to be associated with. This is the perfect opportunity to showcase what your company is about. Create a board that gives pinners the chance to peek into life at the company. Don’t be afraid to show a little skin! Include real pictures of employees, the workspace, or fun out-of-the-office excursions that can be relatable to your audience. Millennials love digging into the “Why” behind your brand. This is the perfect way to demonstrate the ideals and values of your company so that users can see the relatability between your company board and the other boards you create.
- Know Your Segment of the Audience
Using this concept of Brand Personality, think about what activities or products your particular millennial audience would be interested in. Think about the bigger picture. For example, are you selling camping products? If so, not only will you need to create a board that shows all of the wonderful camping gear you sell, but you’ll also create boards that exemplify the other interests of your target audience. For example, what else would campers be interested in? Nature, hiking/climbing, pictures of dogs in hammocks…all are associated with your main focus. See where we’re going with this? Choose the lifestyle you want to portray that relates to your product/business, and you’ll be able to engage pinners who otherwise might not be interested.
- Explore your Followers
Use Pinterest as a tool to find other interests of your followers. Know what your users are pinning to get a better understanding of who they are and what their needs are. From there, pin their pins! This is a great way to show your millennial followers that their interests coincide with yours and gives them the recognition that they yearn for. How many times have you heard, “OMG, that famous person re-grammed my photo on Instagram!” or “That famous person just retweeted my Tweet!”? This acknowledgement shows pinners and followers that their contributions and involvement are valued and appreciated.
- Use Hashtags
This may be common sense on other platforms, but using hashtags with Pinterest is just as important as using them with Twitter or Instagram. Putting hashtags on all of your pins helps maximize search results. Also, just like with most other social media platforms, you’ll want to create a hashtag that is specific to your brand and what your brand stands for. For example, Herschel Supply Co. has created the hashtag called #welltravelled in which they market as their own type of “slogan” throughout their Instagram account. This has driven their followers to engage with one another, using the same hashtag to show their travels with Herschel products. Not only can hashtags provide better SEO with Pinterest, but it can also add to brand identity just as it would with Instagram or Twitter. Check out this awesome list of The Do’s and Don’ts of Hashtags from Hootsuite for more help.
- Pay Close Attention with Pinterest Analytics
Ah, the good old analytics function. This is the final important part of Pinterest marketing. This is where you really get to know your target audience. Depending on how often you post, you should be checking the analytics page around once a week. This helps determine every aspect of how your marketing is going. It tracks everything from the demographics of your followers, to how well each of your specific pins and boards are doing. This page will literally become your new best friend, (…sorry Karen). Once you get a good idea of what pins are doing well, and what pins aren’t, you’ll be able to better cater your content to the wants and needs of your followers…ending in the best (user engagement) relationship you’ll ever have!
So…there you have it, the 5 basic tips to help your business reach millennials with Pinterest marketing. Now, what are you waiting for? Go get ‘em, Tiger!
Blue Bear Creative is a Denver social media agency focused on helping food and beverage brands market to millennials.
Author: Callie Morrocco
Sources:
-Pin Image: http://readwrite.com/2014/05/13/pinterest-tv-show/
-Dog Image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/136726538662525753/
-Tiger Image: http://data.hdwallpapers.im/roaring_tiger.jpg
-https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-use-hashtags/
-http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31147/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Mastering-Pinterest-for-Marketing.aspx
