By now, the ecommerce benefits of social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are well known, having become an integral part of online retailers' strategies. Better yet, retailers have figured out how to convert followers into customers, with nearly one in three Facebook users making a purchase after liking, sharing or commenting on a post according to a survey from Vision Critical*. But what about the visual bookmarking tool Pinterest? Does pinning a coveted item on a mood board then move that customer to purchase that item? What do international retailers need to know about adding Pinterest to their social media platform strategy?
If you look at the sheer numbers alone, there's a good argument to be made for adopting Pinterest as part of your ecommerce strategy. The company just announced that it now has 100 million active monthly users, doubling the number of pinners in the past 18 months and the number of searches by a staggering 81 percent in the past year. Data show that millennials sign in to Pinterest as much as Instagram. And according to the digital marketing statistics aggregator DMR, the majority of Pinterest's 2014 expansion took place outside of the United States, at a 135 percent growth rate. The network is currently available in 32 languages internationally, with growth expanding at its most rapid clip in Internet-saturated countries like UK, France, Germany, Japan and Brazil.
To be sure, these are impressive numbers, but it's also worth taking a look at what's going on behind them when it comes to ecommerce. Currently, two-thirds of Pinterest's content is driven from the website of a business, and the platform announced earlier this year that it will soon let users shop directly from pins with its highly demanded 'buy button.' But the company notes that even without the buy button enabling more instant ecommerce, users come to the site with a clear intent to make purchases, without distinguishing between sponsored and unsponsored content.
Even better news for retailers: The average Pinterest customer spends 50 percent more than regular customers, converting pins to both online and in-store purchases and developing brand loyalty for those companies whose boards appeal to their aesthetic preferences. That may be why 83 percent of active users prefer to follow a beauty brand than a notable celebrity (Ahalogy); the quality of pins and their relevance to the audience matters more than who is doing the pinning. For online retailers, the visually driven Pinterest may be the great equalizer when it comes to capturing loyalty among international customers.
As with all social media platforms, there's plenty of room for Pinterest to grow; according to Pew Research Center, only 28 percent of adults who are online use the tool. From an international perspective, just 8 percent of European Internet users have a Pinterest account (Globalwebindex study). But as Pinterest broadens its reach, ecommerce players can pave their presence on the channel now. Understanding your international audiences and tailoring pins to meet their purchase patterns and preferences is a good start. Limit item descriptions to 200-300 characters, and follow best practices for your images, keeping in mind the same culture and language norms that guide your other international marketing initiatives. By paying attention to Pinterest, you can make sure you capitalize on its growth as it evolves further into an international ecommerce tool.
*From Social to Sales, Vision Critical
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