Pinterest marketing is the use of the Pinterest platform to drive traffic to a specific destination such as a website, landing page, blog post, product page, or even another platform.
That is, Pinterest marketing is when a user comes to the Pinterest platform to search for specific ideas or to get inspiration, which includes much related content in the form of pins as she looks through the feeds and clicks on the one that catches her attention and ends up saving it for immediate or later decisions.
And there are mainly three types of users of the Pinterest platform.
The first user is the personal user who primarily uses Pinterest for specific ideas and inspiration.
The second main type of user is business owners, who use Pinterest to drive traffic to their business websites, such as eBay, Etsy, or Amazon.
And the third main type of user is bloggers who use Pinterest to drive traffic to their blogs.
Unlike platforms like Instagram and Facebook, Pinterest is not primarily a social media platform.
Instead, Pinterest works as a visual search engine where users actively search for ideas, solutions, and inspiration.
And generally, people use Pinterest to discover content related to business, lifestyle, fashion, education, coaching, wellness, and more. It has become a powerful source of inspiration for creators, coaches, students, and entrepreneurs.
Many business owners focus heavily on social media platforms and underestimate thre the power of Pinterest for their businesses.
This is a missed opportunity because Pinterest attracts users with high intent-people who are already searching for something specific.
Why Do People Use Pinterest Marketing to Drive Traffic?
Understanding what people are looking for in Pinterest marketing starts with understanding user behavior.
As said earlier, Pinterest is an intent-based platform.
That means users come to Pinterest with a purpose: to make decisions about what they will do in their real lives.
Whether it’s looking for:
- The best recipe
- Email marketing tips
- Healthy meal prep ideas
- Interior designs ideas
- Branding inspiration
Pinterest users have a unique mindset; they use Pinterest for discovery when making decisions.
In conclusion, they come to take action, maybe to save ideas or shop items.
And users’ discovery begins with what are called Pinterest Pins.
That is, Pinterest shows relevant content called Pins based on search terms.
So what are Pinterest Pins?
A Pin is a visual piece of content (image, graphic, infographic, or video) designed to attract attention and encourage clicks.
And Pinterest pins work in three circles: the decision, consideration, and decision stage.
That is, when a user clicks a Pin, they are taken to a destination such as:
- A website
- A sales page
- A lead magnet
- A blog post
- A signup page
And users can save the pins they love because they want to revisit them later and actually try them; not just like them.
Let’s take a look at this Pinterest user example on how they search for specific words and ideas to make decisions.
Sarah is a busy professional who uses Pinterest for interior decor ideas.
She uses the keyword “Interior decor,” and Pinterest shows her different pins on this keyword. This is an intent stage.
And she looks through the feed; she sees pins that catch her attention, she clicks on a pin and saves it- which is the consideration stage
In the decision stage, Sarah went back to the saved pins to recheck the ideas, jot down the essential items for her room decor, and head up to the destination site to place her order.
This is how Pinterest marketing works: your content gets discovered through search, your Pins attract clicks, and those clicks drive traffic that can generate leads or sales.
Why Is Pinterest Different from Other Social Media Platforms?
Most social media platforms suggest content into users’ feeds, whether they ask for it or not.
That is, other platforms will show you what someone has done or is doing right now.
Pinterest works differently. People show up on the platform for a reason- they come for discovery.
Instead of scrolling passively, users actively search for what they need. That means your content is shown to people already interested in your topic.
This makes Pinterest especially powerful for businesses because it connects your content with the right audience at the right time.
And there’s a common misconception that the Pinterest platform is only for food, fashion, and decor businesses.
The platform’s versatility goes beyond these popular interests. People who use Pinterest create and save diverse content from different niches and use it for inspiration.
In short, Pinterest is less about going viral and more about being discoverable. And Pinterest is quieter than other platforms.