Pinterest is a mysterious place if you’re not active on it. However, once you realize that it is more of a search engine and a discovery network rather than a social network, all of the Pinterest statistics for marketing that I will go over below will begin to make some sense.
Before the Pinterest statistics, however, let me ask you:
When was the last time you ran a Google Images search and saw those iconic “P” logos everywhere? If you’re like me, it happens all the time. Pinterest is a fairly recent addition to the social network roster, and yet it seems like the site is everywhere. In fact, Pinterest boards get “posted” by Google all the time.
Like Instagram, Pinterest is made up mostly of pictures. However, unlike Instagram Pinterest is intended for people who want to plan that dream wedding. Or find awesome places for summer vacation. Or make the cutest holiday crafts. Instead of bragging about what they have, Pinterest users get their heads together and inspire each other.
This focus on the future is one of the reasons that marketers increasingly are finding Pinterest a great place to advertise their goods and services. Our helpful list of Pinterest statistics for marketing should help you determine what, if any, marketing revenue you should devote to the platform. First, we’ll look at the typical Pinterest user demographics, and then at the effectiveness of advertising here.
Who uses Pinterest?
Pinterest is, by all accounts, a relatively small social network. Founded in 2009, the network is noted for its browser extension and mobile apps. It’s also kind of quirky, in that most communication on Pinterest is through pictures pasted on “boards.” No “status updates” here. So, who uses Pinterest?
There are 322 million monthly users today
Admittedly, this is much smaller than Facebook or even Instagram. With that said, this figure is up by 30+% compared to its previous year. Given the base number, this is pretty fast growth. Facebook, with its much higher market saturation, doesn’t even come close in terms of growth rate.
Among American women connected to the internet, 41% use Pinterest.
One of the things I like about this statistic is that it only concerns itself with people who stand to benefit from content marketing: the Internet connected. It’s also interesting to note how the result is concerned with females.
In fact, it is estimated that
70% of Pinterest users are female.
If you are targeting a female demographic, Pinterest is where you want to be.
By contrast,
29% of all American adults are on Pinterest.
Again, we see that females are more likely to use Pinterest. Although the other statistic emphasized the importance of a potential user being on the internet, those who aren’t online probably weren’t involved in these surveys at any significant quantity. That’s because most American adults have some sort of access to the internet. And those who don’t are arguably not the people we’re targeting with content marketing techniques anyway.
34% of Americans with at least a college education use Pinterest.
By contrast, the same Sprout study tells us that only 22% of non-college graduates use the platform. What this tells us is that Pinterest users tend to be better educated, as a whole, than the general population.
Here’s the bottom line: by and large, the biggest demographic among Pinterest users is a well-educated woman. And as we all know, ladies buy a lot of stuff. That’s not to say that the guys don’t matter: after all, there are other statistics that indicate Pinterest use among men is on the rise. But for now, the biggest potential exposure from Pinterest advertising can be had by brands marketing to women.
Pinterest is for shoppers
This seems like an interesting comment at first, but hear me out. Originally, the platform as a whole was an ideas board, and it still is. However, it’s the type of ideas that make this such an excellent destination for those who are looking to buy goods and services. For example, a vacation ideas board might assemble ideas for the cutest bed and breakfast in some out of the way location. Or, a wedding ideas board might seek the “perfect” place to hold that awesome reception the bride and groom have been dreaming about.
Here are some statistics that bear out my assertion:
Among female “pinners,” 85% are planning a life event.
It’s no surprise that weddings are one of the life events that women love to plan on Pinterest. Making your own reception party favors and table decorations is all the rage as millennials seek to save money on the wedding. Of course, there’s nothing from keeping the guys from planning a bachelor party, either. Other events include children’s birthday parties, vacations, and even birth announcements. Each of these life events involve spending money on products and services.
70% of Pinterest users are looking for accessories.
Accessories, in the definition of this statistic, includes not only belts or scarves, but jewelry and watches as well. So, Pinterest users hope to purchase something nice to wear on a regular basis. This makes Pinterest marketing a potential gold mine for fashion companies, both male and female-oriented. And, it’s a great way to help shoppers select the “right” item for their needs: there’s nothing like not only seeing pictures of something, but also getting ideas of how it can be combined with other wardrobe items. That’s especially true when hoping to dress up a plain black dress or that fine Italian suit.
84% of users consult the site when making purchasing decisions.
That’s even more than the number of people who read online reviews of a product when trying to decide if they’ll buy it. Again, I think the reason is no secret: knowing how something can be used is helpful in figuring out whether or not to buy it. Another reason for this figure is somewhat subject-specific. Craft materials are a popular topic on Pinterest. If you’re looking to make something special, you might want to use Pinterest to try and find the perfect pattern or craft tips. These patterns will often list materials, which would then be purchased by a pinner hoping to make the item.
Pinterest users love finding cool stuff.
No, really. They do. Think about it this way: if you’re planning some sort of project, and looking for materials, don’t you thumb through some type of catalogue? Whether it’s clothes buttons or car parts, you have to find out what’s available somehow. That’s why you need a presence on Pinterest.
97% of idea searches on Pinterest don’t specify brand.
What I see in this statistic is that people aren’t necessarily looking for a specific product on Pinterest when they start looking for things. Instead, they’re open to finding what other users have posted to their boards, and then discovering how they were put together. As marketers, we have a huge opportunity here: Pinterest users have an open mind, just waiting for us to give them the right branded idea to meet their goals.
78% of users find branded content useful.
In some contexts, advertisements and other branded material can seem spammy or out of place. But when users are hoping to find the next great thing, branded content is perfect. Even better, some of it can be really organic. Why suggest ham with a spread of apricot jam for an appetizer, when you can add your own brand of jam and make a potential sale? Everyone knows that not all apricot jam tastes the same, or has the same texture. Therefore, recommending “your” jam is a great way to try and suggest it is superior for that particular recipe.
60% of users log on to “view pictures.”
Viewing pictures, of course, gives users ideas. But one of the great things about “viewing pictures” is that it gives opportunities for a soft sell. Not the in-your-face of regular advertisements or the flashy special effects of that Instagram photo, but the quiet incorporation of your products into something bigger. Or even a picture where the viewer doesn’t have to guess “where’d she get that?” It’s right there.
55% of users are looking for products.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what kind of product they’re looking for, but only that they’re looking for products. It might not be so much the type of glue that holds a basket together that a potential customer is looking for, so much as ideas on what to put IN the basket. Glue is boring (just read the label), while contents are interesting. Or, they’re hoping to find a bunch of products on a certain theme for that special event. This is where boards are so handy: One user can find associated items on someone else’s board and combine them in unexpected ways. Put your brand and products out there, and someone will find it useful enough to buy.
Pinterest users have follow-through
There’s no question that users of any social network are going to dream about cool things that will never happen, or that won’t happen for a long time. Little girls dream of their weddings even before puberty, and little boys think about what they want to be when they grow up…starting at age five. While there certainly are pinners who will dream about that “life event” for a long time before they happen, most of the time they’re hoping to act soon.
87% of Pinterest users have purchased something they discovered there.
Just by itself, this statistic alone marks Pinterest as an important selling tool for the right markets. After all, being on the platform gives a product or brand a great chance of being both discovered and purchased. Flipping through catalogues once gave a lot of people ideas and opportunities to discover new brands. Now, Pinterest is becoming one of the new venues of product discovery.
93% of users are planning future purchases on Pinterest
Any time you are trying to get ideas within your hobby, there is the potential for making a purchase. For sure, there are times when using up bits and pieces of something you already own is the main goal. But even in these situations, marketers have the opportunity to offer something that might help bring a project together. In another example, let’s look at the party. In addition to making their own party favors, pinners might need to buy balloons, table cloths, party rentals, DJ services, and all kinds of other products or services. A great thing about Pinterest is that pinners are planning ahead to ensure that everything is perfect before they buy.
98% of users have tried something they found on Pinterest
I think that’s largely because people go on Pinterest looking for ideas. It isn’t just products: recipes are posted everywhere, for example. Other pinners might enjoy a board post about how to fix something. Just remember that Pinterest content is largely visual, and mostly short-form. Videos are up and coming, however.
Pinterest marketing works
With all the “organic” sales happening through Pinterest, it might make you wonder if it’s worth doing Pinterest-specific marketing. I believe that for many brands Pinterest is a potentially lucrative place to advertise.
Why?
61% of Pinterest users have purchased something in response to a sponsored pin.
That’s more than half, and an especially powerful statistic considering that Pinterest users often go on the site when they aren’t looking to buy immediately. Sometimes they’re just browsing! And yet, sponsored pins are turning out to be a great way to sell.
Pinterest refers 33% more traffic to e-commerce sites than Facebook.
When you think about it, this statistic is absolutely staggering. After all, Pinterest has fewer than half a billion active users, while Facebook has two billion or more. Although to be honest, people don’t normally log on to Facebook for the purpose of shopping or getting hobby project ideas. Whatever the reason, using Pinterest to intentionally drive traffic to your site is smart business.
And finally, the best for last:
Every $1 spent on Pinterest marketing grosses around $4.30 in sales.
That’s literally double your money, when profit is taken into account. Overall, these statistics show that Pinterest marketing has a great return on investment.
The best part? In my opinion, it’s the fact that Pinterest users tend to be in a buying mood when they browse the site. Or at least, they want to indulge their hobby a little bit. For these reasons, they are a bit more open to new ideas and new products. What’s not to love?
Has your company found success with Pinterest marketing? Which of these Pinterest statistics was most important to you? Feel free to chime in below!
And if you’re looking for some Pinterest advice, make sure you check out these Pinterest-related articles of ours:
Neal Schaffer is a leading authority on helping businesses through their digital transformation of sales and marketing through consulting, training, and helping enterprises large and small develop and execute on social media marketing strategy, influencer marketing, and social selling initiatives. President of the social media agency PDCA Social, Neal also teaches digital media to executives at Rutgers University, the Irish Management Institute (Ireland), and the University of Jyvaskyla (Finland). Fluent in Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, Neal is a popular keynote speaker and has been invited to speak about digital media on four continents in a dozen countries. He is also the author of 3 books on social media, including Maximize Your Social (Wiley), and in late 2019 will publish his 4th book, The Business of Influence (HarperCollins), on educating the market on the why and how every business should leverage the potential of influencer marketing. Neal resides in Irvine, California but also frequently travels to Japan.