Getting to generate extra income or improve those that are already achieved in other ways is the objective of practically everyone today. The Internet offers many options to achieve this, although not all of them are for everyone. However, taking advantage of social networks to obtain them is something within everyone's reach and one that could give you very good results is, perhaps, the one you would least imagine at first. So let's see How to take advantage of your Pinterest profile to sell physical or digital products.
Why sell through Pinterest
You may be wondering why you should start selling through Pinterest and not through other platforms or social networks that may even be more oriented and optimized for it. Well, the answer is very simple and is answered with another question, why not?
Pinterest It is one of the social networks that generates the most traffic. It won't be comparable to Instagram, Facebook or some more recent ones like TikTok, but still it shouldn't be despised. What's more, sometimes can be a much more stable source of income and profitable than others where more effort would have to be made to make themselves known and then remain visible.
In addition, you also have to take into account the potential audience your products are aimed at. Statistics are not always approximations, but when they are well understood they can help you a lot to decide whether or not you should invest time in certain actions.
For example, in the case of Pinterest, these data show that the majority of users who use the network are women and that the most searched topics are related to decoration, makeup, cooking, fashion,... That does not mean that they do not search for others such as technology, cars, motorcycles, etc., nor that there are men who use the network on a recurring basis, but it is good to know or have an initial idea.
How do I know if I should sell on Pinterest?
Knowing all of the above, the next step is to ask yourself whether or not you should use Pinterest to sell in your particular case. Although it is also true that there is no real limitation and anyone could use the platform for this and to sell any product, whether physical or digital. Even so, it is interesting to check if the user niche you are going to focus on is present or not.
To check if you could have options to sell your products on Pinterest, nothing better than doing some research. Use keywords related to your product and terms that you would use to find them. For example, if you sell technology products you could search Setups or work desks, home office, etc.
Many users share their leisure and work places on Pinterest, so positioning yourself in those areas could help you when selling accessories such as keyboards, mice or decoration products or that improve the experience thanks to large mouse pads, etc
Everything is a matter of locating the opportunities in order to reach that public that could be interested in these physical products that you sell. And if they are digital products the same, if they are courses for web page design, application development, etc., you will have to see how to attack them so that they feel attracted.
Understanding Pinterest as a sales platform
We have already given the first brushstrokes, but now it is time to understand much more in depth how Pinterest works and thus be able to take advantage of the social network as a sales platform.
Pinterest is a very visual social network. We have discussed this many times and it is so. Normally no one enters looking for a text with information but images that help them find inspiration. And you'll see if there's some kind of link that takes you to that page where you'll have all the details.
Therefore, that is what you are going to seek to take advantage of: the visual impact and then redirect it to where you are interested. Hence, you have to understand how the user behaves on Pinterest, what content attracts their attention the most, and what posting options there are.
As you know, on Pinterest you publish Pins, which are annotations that you share with other users so that they or you, in turn, can create a collection with everyone you're interested in, where you can have them ranked better or simply keep track of them quickly.
These pins are based on an image and text plus the classic use of keywords as tags. Then the collections also have or can have their own identifying cover, be organized by categories, etc.
What you have to keep in mind to everything you do within Pinterest must have a visual impact and be striking when read. So it is important that you take care of the image and help yourself from the so-called mental triggers, which are phrases or elements that attract the user's attention and invite them to click to learn more about it.
In Pinterest you will also have different options, being able to create everything from infographics to vertical designs. In the help section for businesses of Pinterest you can find detailed information and best practices for each type of format, which are the following:
- Standard
- ADIEX
- Products
- Collections
The standard content is that pin that you illustrate with an image and that in its description you add information of interest and even a link where it is discussed in more depth and that can be your own blog.
The video needs no explanation, it is a short snippet in the style of Instagram stories. That is, in vertical format normally that you share through Pinterest. Which links a bit with the PinStory that the platform also offers.
Then there is the Product publication where there is clearly a sales link and finally the collections that are like small galleries with several images of the same product or related to the theme.
Once you have your first pins with your products published, perfectly linked, etc., it's time to see what happens to them. This is something that the statistics will tell you and also the notifications when other users pin your posts. They will appear to you and according to their own classifications you will be able to get an idea of how they are finding you, how or with what they group you, etc. So you can make decisions related to possible changes that improve visibility and conversion.
To help potential buyers or make it easier to discover your products, you can use boards other than simple collections by type of product but as help/advice. That is, you could create a tablet with Perfect Gifts for less than 50 euros and link those products there that comply. Another one with the strangest X products, the ideal tools for professionals of…, etc. You could even make a mood board, of things that are seen in movies,... anything goes as long as you can attract more users.
Selling on Pinterest, a matter of consistency
As it could be said that it happens in any other platform and activity that you want to carry out, nothing better than perseverance. You won't break records overnight, but with a little bit every day you can achieve more than you imagine.
Selling on Pinterest is no exception and what you need is to have a continuous rhythm when publishing new content, analyze how it works and improve the following. Copying or being inspired by what is working for others until you come up with your own style or perfect formula.
So, summarizing a bit, these are the basic steps to take advantage of your Pinterest profile to sell:
- Analyze if your target audience is present on the network. Look for content related to your product and see if it generates interest
- Ready eye-catching images and texts that clearly explain what they can find in case of selling services or the main characteristics of the physical product that you sell
- Add links to descriptions to redirect the user to your store or to that of third parties through referral programs like the ones on amazon
- Generate collections and create practical use cases where the benefits of the product can be seen
- Be constant in the publication rhythm, do not let a lot of time pass between pins so that the platform sees that you are an active profile
- Review your own statistics to see what works and what doesn't, so you can take more accurate measures based on real data and not intuition
Lastly, as additional tips, You also have to take care of your profile with updated information, correct links to your website or to your personal Amazon page if you use their program for influencers or that of any page or service.
The idea is that everything is clear and optimized so that without the need for a titanic effort you can sell through Pinterest and that these sales become an important source of income in the medium and long term. Because there are thousands of users who access the platform daily to carry out searches and then continue browsing through the links to which they are redirected.