Brands and businesses that are invisible on social media will miss a chance at engagement that their competitors might seize. More importantly, there are already well-known cases of brands that successfully revitalized their images or launched themselves thanks to social media wins. The benefits to a successful social media brand presence are significant, even if the route to get there isn't clear-cut.
The first step is choosing the right platforms to invest time and resources in. Which platforms to be on is a crucial question, even for the most deep-pocketed brands.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we review each of the top social media platforms (
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Here's an overview of what to consider when deciding whether to be on Pinterest:
- Pinterest has a few clear advantages: It is undoubtedly the best social media platform for showcasing products and driving commerce, because of its focus on "things," rather than relationships and messaging. At BI Intelligence, we've likened Pinterest to a multi-platform digital catalog. A Georgia Tech study of June 2012 activity on Pinterest found that the most common verbs on the social network were "use," "look," "want," and "need," highlighting its potential as a shopping tool. It can be particularly effective for brands that target women. Pinterest users are five times more likely to be women than men. They also tend to be well-educated and have high income.
- But reach and gender tilt are issues: Pinterest has a relatively small audience of 48.7 million users globally (admittedly it is continuing to expand at a rapid rate). Its clear gender tilt is an advantage from one angle, since women tend to control household spending decisions, but plenty of gender-balanced and male-focused brands will need to focus on platforms where men aren't significantly outnumbered.
- As is a lack of flexibility: There's also some lack of flexibility on Pinterest. The image-centered pin format is a bit more rigid than Facebook posts, or tweets. There are fewer features available to pinners.
- So, is Pinterest right for your brand? Design-forward and women-focused large brands, as well as major apparel brands and retailers, should have a Pinterest presence. For smaller brands in these same niches, Pinterest might also be a good place to focus their efforts. But smaller brands and brands focused on services should not prioritize Pinterest.