The next "shiny new object" in social media is Pinterest, a two-year-old social bookmarking site that lets users collect and share things they like on the web.
Users create online bulletin boards, or "pinboards," for popular categories such as home decor and food. Members can use the Pinterest "Pin It" bookmark tool and iPhone app to save things they see and "re-pin" the images to their friends.
I like it because it is a visually appealing way to demonstrate and share your interests, much like an online scrapbook. People like visual cues, and that’s what Pinterest is all about.
Pinterest’s traffic grew more than four-fold between September and December of last year, generating 7.51 million unique visitors in December alone, according to marketingland.com. In fact, according to a ComScore report, Pinterest was the fastest stand-alone site in history to pass the 10-million-user mark.
You’re probably not surprised that 87% of Pinterest users are women. Interestingly, the site has an impressive age range with 80% of users fairly spread out between ages 25 to 54.
It’s also not surprising that fashion brands and lifestyle brands such as Whole Foods are using Pinterest; any brand that is visually compelling and appeals to women is ideal for his new social media platform.
But what about the tire industry?
Tire companies and dealers are certainly interested in the female market (or should be anyway), but a pin board full of all-season tire photos does not exactly scream “viral.”
If you are a retailer, what about posting your coupons for people to share; the more visually interesting, the better? How about posting photos of your employees at work? People buy from people, after all. Or you could post educational videos on tire maintenance, etc. Anything that helps female consumers save money or keep their family safe has potential on Pinterest.
You never know how these things go, one day they’re hot and the next they’re not. But if you are marketing specifically to women, keep an eye on Pinterest. Take a look at how other retailers and brands are are using it.
But remember, Pinterest is just like any other social media platform (i.e., Facebook, Twitter) in that you have to devote time to building your audience and interacting with them. If you are having difficulty finding enough time to manage your Facebook page, don’t spread yourself too thin.
Christine Taylor is vice president of social media marketing for JTMarCom,a Nashville-based marketing agency that helps companies with online reputation management and integration of social media into their traditional marketing programs. With a combined 35 years of experience in the tire industry, the agency places a special emphasis on working with tire and automotive aftermarket companies. Follow Christine on Facebook and Twitter (@chrisgtaylor). She can also be reached at 615-714-5469.
