How to use Pinterest to promote a fashion business

With its 250 million users, Pinterest is much smaller than other social networks: Facebook has a massive user base of 2.2 billion, while YouTube gathers 1.8 billion, Instagram counts 1 billion active users and Twitter, 326 million. But marketers looking to promote fashion brands shouldn’t overlook Pinterest just because of its smaller size, as it is a very powerful tool to reach out to new customers.

“Pinterest is not about social vanity. It’s not about how many likes or followers you get. Pinterest users are planners. People who are thinking ‘I have a wedding to attend in six months. What should I wear?’”, explained Jackie Klimes, Strategic Partner Manager at Pinterest, during a webinar in collaboration with data analytics firm Launchmetrics.

According to Klimes, 97 percent of searches on Pinterest are unbranded: users type “black shoe” or “pleated wedding dress” instead of specific brand names or products, since they are looking for ideas and inspiration. That means Pinterest users are much more open to discover new styles and brands than a Facebook or Instagram user may be -- after all, that’s what the platform is for. Klimes also gave some good news for fashion brands: some 35 million of Pinterest’s 250 million users regularly look for fashion ideas, which puts fashion consumers among Pinterest’s most engaged groups.

But how can brands stand out on Pinterest, considering there are more than 23 billion fashion ideas available on the platform? Klimes shared a few useful tips.

Keep in mind how people search for products

“Start saving pins that are relevant to upcoming trends, seasons and events around 45 days early. Remember they are planners!”, noted Klimes. Brands should also optimize pins for discovery, using strong keywords and detailed descriptions of the products. Gucci, for example, named one of its pins “silk scarf with floral print”. It’s also extremely important to make sure pins drive to quality landing pages, as there’s nothing more frustrating than clicking on the “visit” button only to find a 404 page or content that doesn’t deliver what was promised.

Make use of board sections

On Pinterest, users can create sections within their boards. For example: a brand can have a board called “Spring/Summer 2019 collection” and then sections within it for each product category: scarves, dresses, T-shirts etc. Neatly organizing your content will not only increase your chances of being discovered, it will also give a nice impression to users visiting your company page.

Images should be top-notch

Pinterest is a visual platform. The more attractive your pictures are, the bigger the probability somebody is going to click on them. So make sure to use high quality shots of your products and edit them in creative ways. For example: arranging several runway looks in a grid; deconstructing outfits; zooming in on interesting prints and details.

One more useful tip: Pinterest recently added the possibility to add videos and multiple pictures to the same pin. Be among the first to use these new features and you’re sure to stand out, as most images on Pinterest are static.

Use boards as a storytelling tool

Klimes also advises brands to be creative when making new boards. You can use Pinterest for much more than just listing products and collections. Burberry, for example, has a board called “The Tale of Thomas Burberry”, while Vogue has one titled “100 ways to wear Gucci” highlighting street style photos which feature pieces from the label.

Collaborate with influencers

Although Pinterest is not about social vanity, users do tend to follow their favorite bloggers, instagrammers and youtubers there as well. Partnering up with influencers and celebrities on Pinterest is, therefore, an excellent way to reach out to potential customers. Nordstrom, for example, has partnered up with actress Sarah Jessica Parker on a board called “A Day in Her Shoes”. The actress founded her own shoe label following the major success of Carrie, her shoe-loving character in HBO series Sex and the City.

Bridge online and offline

Pinterest has a feature called “Pincode” -- its own version of a QR code. When scanning the code with a smartphone, consumers are directed to a related Pinterest board. Some brands have been using this code on packaging, retail spaces and events to communicate further with their customers.

Pictures: screenshot Pinterest