Want to Market to Millennials? Get on Pinterest

If you think Pinterest users are all middle-aged women, think again. According to new information reported in Chain Store Age, Millennials account for more than one-third of Pinterest users worldwide. What’s more, Millennials are more likely than other demographics to agree with the statement that Pinterest is “a guide to life and a place to teach me how to do things.” Nearly eight out of 10 Millennial Pinterest users agree with that statement. The upshot? If you want to market to Millennials, you need to get on Pinterest.

A whopping 75 percent of content pinned by Pinterest users is from businesses, and Millennials are a driving force behind the use of the social media site as a shopping tool. Consider: Some 80 percent of Millennials say Pinterest helps them find things they want to buy; 72 percent say it helps them connect with brands they love; and 71 percent say it recommends relevant products to buy.

Clearly, Millenials rely on Pinterest as a source of shopping ideas, education and inspiration. There are two particularly hot areas for Millennials: Health and fitness (84 percent of Millennial Pinterest users say the site is where they find health and fitness information and products, compared to 64 percent of all all Pinterest users) and baby and parenting information (66 percent of Millennials use Pinterest to find this type of information, compared to just 45 percent of all Pinterest users).

How can you use this information to attract more Millennial customers?

• If you don’t already have a presence on Pinterest, get one–especially if you’re in a health and fitness or child-related industry. However, even if that’s not your industry niche, you can attract Millennials interested in these topics by tweaking your Pins a little bit. For example, a restaurant could highlight its selection of gluten-free menu options or its appealing kids’ meals to attract Millennial parents or those concerned about health.
• Educate your customers. How-to pins, step-by-step directions or other informational Pins are popular with Millennials seeking to learn new things or find out how to do something better. Think visual: For example, can you explain how to do something by showing the process in a series of photos?
• Drive Pinterest traffic to your website and vice versa. Be sure to add the Pin It button to your website. You can also get hovering Pin It buttons that give users the option to pin whenever they mouse over a product photo on your site. When customers can pin from your website, it helps them create a “wish list” of products. Plus, every time someone pins one of your products, it gives your product more exposure on Pinterest.
• Be authentic. Millennials respond to authenticity and honesty. Look for images that capture what your brand is really about — don’t try to be fake.
• Take advantage of all the ways Pinterest helps you sell. For example, you can buy Promoted Pins to get your pins seen by more prospects.

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