How moms are using Pinterest—and why you should be, too

Are you using Pinterest to market your business? If you are marketing to moms at all, you need to be on the social media site, reports a new study of how moms are using Pinterest. Here are some of the most useful findings from the 2015 Pinterest Media Consumption Study.

Moms, the “chief planning officers” of the family, rely heavily on Pinterest in planning future events — whether that’s their Christmas gift lists, their plans for decorating the family room, or fall recipe ideas. In many cases, Pinterest is used as a way to pin products that mom may want to buy later on.

According to the study, more than half of moms use Pinterest while shopping in stores, referring to their own and others’ pins as a sort of visual shopping list. They’re not just window-shopping: More than 40 percent of active Pinterest users (defined as those who use Pinterest at least once a month) have actually purchased something as a result of a pin.

For many moms, Pinterest is starting to edge out other social media platforms. Nearly half of active pinners who are moms say Pinterest has replaced other social media sites for them. And if you’re looking to market to moms rather than non-moms, Pinterest is the place to be, because moms are much less likely than non-moms to use the other big visual social site, Instagram.

Who is the typical mom using Pinterest? The answer might surprise you.

• Almost one-third of moms using Pinterest have full-time jobs.
• Moms on Pinterest are 12 percent more likely than non-moms to describe themselves as early adopters.
• Moms on Pinterest are 13 percent more likely than women without children to try new things after finding them on Pinterest. Almost one-fourth report they regularly “browse through everything on the site” just to see what’s new.

So how can your business best engage with moms on Pinterest?

• Know what attracts Mom’s attention. Moms tend to pin content about children, family activities, decorating, travel and recipes.
• Think seasonality. Holidays are big events for moms using Pinterest, who frequently get a head start planning months in advance by pinning decor, recipe or party ideas.
• Focus on the family. Of course, children have birthdays, christenings, first Communion’s and other events all year long. If you sell children’s toys, books, clothing or accessories, anytime of year is the right time to pin.
• Consider Buyable Pins. While this program is still in its infancy, it’s a smart bet that time-crunched moms will love the idea of being able to purchase products on Pinterest with just one click. Learn more about Buyable Pins.

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