Pinterest's dominant female demographic has gained the attention of companies like Nordstrom's and Lands' End. Similar to Twitter and Facebook, users can re-pin, like, or comment on any posts that are of particular interest to them. This allows companies like these to track trends that are developing around their brand. If a particular Lands' End product is receiving notable attention, it sends a very clear signal about that product.
Lands' End has taken Pinterest to the next level by offering their first campaign on the site. Their 2011 Holiday “Pin it to Win it” contest is looking to get their fans involved for the chance to win one of ten $250 gift cards. Users simply need to pin together 10-20 of their most coveted products onto a canvas and pin it to their homepage. It's a great opportunity for fans to win some free stuff, while an even better opportunity for Lands' End to track which of their products gain the most attention.
Other non-apparel companies are looking to take advantage, but they need to be a little more creative to gain interest. Pinterest wants be more than just a promoter as stated in their “Pin Etiquette.” These guidelines outline 5 simple suggestions to ensure a positive and useful experience. The third urges you to “Avoid Self Promotion” requiring marketers to think of new ideas on how to engage rather than promote.
A popular topic recently was Holiday gift guides as seen on Time and Real Simple Magazine's Pinterest pages. Offering up friendly tips, advice, or even recipes is a great way to avoid the promotion and develop conversation. Typical brands should use Pinterest for discussing the idea surrounding your brand, rather than the brand itself. It will lead to further development of your brand position as well as better conversation for your fans.
Real results are already being generated by Real Simple Magazine. They are claiming that Pinterest has rendered more referrals for them than Facebook this past October. That's right, more effective than Facebook. If benefits of this magnitude are already being realized, there is no telling where the Pinterest wave will end up. Get on board early to see if Pinterest can help you gain brand awareness and positive support.