BW Confidential - Issue #11 - September/October 2012 - (Page 48)

Digital focus Pinterest strategies The beauty of pinning After blogging, Facebooking and Twitting, brands and retailers are now turning to pinning to improve their online reputation and maybe even boost sales by Nadia Di Martino F or beauty brands and retailers looking to spread the word about their products, Pinterest, the virtual pinboard for sharing and commenting on images, may be the answer. Its visual power fits in perfectly with an industry that relies mostly on image; it provides an immediate global reach being the third biggest social media network behind Facebook and Twitter; its core demographic is ideal as 80% of users are women between 25 and 40 with an average disposable income of between $30,000 and $110, 000, according to marketing company MediaPost. Also, 12% of the total pins are already fashion and style related. “Pinterest is a great example of social proof in action and how we can be influenced by the ‘collective’,” comments Simon Norris, ceo and digital expert at Nomensa. “We feel highly motivated when we view a product or service that has a lot of pins and it’s also a lot easier than writing a review—think turbo-charged reviews.” Best practices According to Patricia McElhinney, social media project manager for marketing agency Greenlight, beauty brands need to avoid just promoting their products to make Pinterest work. “They should create boards that are culture and lifestyle related, such as behind “ Add the Pinterest logo to your site to encourage sharing, particularly on your blog and let your social media followers know about it. Pins that include prices receive up to 36 % more ‘likes’ then those that do not Social media specialist Kirsty Lemare the scenes or preliminary sketches for products. Brands can learn a huge amount from their followers, as they are offering up a lot of information about their interests. They can ask people to pin pictures of themselves with ” their products and then repin them onto a themed board, or have open boards for competitions such as pinning a style or ask users to create boards to share with others,” she comments. Jo Gifford, director of social media agency Cherry Sorbet Creative highlights how “everyone likes to feel that a brand is listening to them, that an individual has a voice and chance to be part of the bigger picture.” Integrating Pinterest is cost effective and fairly easy, says social media specialist Kirsty Lemare: “Look for relevant bloggers, interest groups, consumers, and begin by repinning their images and commenting where relevant. Add the Pinterest logo to your site to encourage sharing, particularly on your blog and let your existing social media followers know about it. Pins that include prices receive up to 36 % more ‘likes’ then those that do not.” To manage pin campaigns, brands can use Pinerly, the first analytical Pinterest app to schedule pins, calculate reach and give some statistics to aid overall social media strategy, says Cherry Sorbet’s Gifford. Google reader can also help brands measure pins, simply by using RSS (Real Simple Syndication) for keywords. “Analytics is key and most brands 48 September-October 2012 - N°11 - BW Confidential credit: istock

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BW Confidential - Issue #11 - September/October 2012

Cover
Contents
Comment
Update
- Brand & retail news recap
- Companies on the move
Take note Market facts, figures & trends
Best of BW Highlights from our e-publication
Launches The latest in fragrance, skincare & make-up
Interview Collistar ceo Daniela Sacerdote
Insight: Fragrance Creation
- Category overview
- Industry factfile
- Viewpoint
- Emerging markets
- Naturals
Wellness
- Spas management
- Spa case studies
Retail
- Sephora & emerging markets
- Store concepts
Digital focus Pinterest strategies
Strategy spotlight Trends to inspire
Market watch: Middle East
- Regional overview
- Industry viewpoint
- Prestige retailing
Radar Six up-and-coming beauty brands
Packaging Trends in luxury
Last word Sagentia's Peter Luebcke on devices

BW Confidential - Issue #11 - September/October 2012