Why users are flocking to Pinterest

Pinterest sells itself as the ideal place to find ideas from wedding planning to fun DIYs. According to Pinterest Business, 90% of weekly ‘Pinners’ make purchasing decisions on the platform; it comes as no surprise that people have flocked to Pinterest during these trying times, in hopes of finding new ideas and inspiration to keep them busy, entertained and help them find new products to purchase.

During lockdown in the UK, there has been an overall increase in activity on social media but Pinterest has experienced record levels of engagement - with searches rising 55% YOY, ‘saves’ increasing 40% YOY, and the number of Pin boards created increasing by 45%. (Source)

This surge in engagement can be explained by the position people have found themselves in during the ongoing lockdown due to COVID-19. People have excess time - particularly at home - with 9.1 million jobs (Source) being furloughed and the majority of the population working from home.

People have needed inspiration when it comes to finding activities or projects to occupy themselves. The leading trends Pinterest has recorded during this time have consisted of new cooking ideas and recipes, and family games to keep households with children entertained, especially as UK schools remain closed. Pinterest recorded a 1,657% increase in searches for ‘work from home with children’ and a 331% increase in people searching for ‘home games for children’ (Source).

Beyond inspiration

As places such as gyms and hair and beauty salons have also shut temporarily, this has led to a spike in the number of people needing to cut their own hair or do their own nails or facials. Pinterest has recorded a 205% increase in searches for ‘home bodyweight workouts’, a 417% increase in searches for home haircuts, 321% increase in homemade eyebrow wax recipes and a 159% increase in ‘DIY manicures at home’ tutorials (Source).

Not only are people looking for new ideas but their loss of freedom has led to an increase in planning for the future. For example, people are dealing with postponed weddings and holidays. Now seems like the time to look ahead with a sentiment for a better future growing within our communities, leading to many plans for future events and activities.

How can Pinterest help your business?

During this time of uncertainty, businesses have started craving insights on current consumer behaviours and mindset - Pinterest has a wealth of data where they have looked at emerging trends and behaviours. They have found an increase in businesses looking for data insights to help guide and readjust their marketing strategies.

This surge in trying to find new ideas and plan for the future means businesses have an opportunity to pull in new customers and increase their market share. By looking at what consumers are searching for, it creates a clear picture of what they are in need of and therefore take the opportunity to fulfill those needs. Pinterest has even produced a guide for businesses named ‘People need ideas. You have them.’ to help brands communicate and market better to their audiences. See here: [LINK]

An example of a UK business taking advantage of these newfound consumer needs is Birdseye who have used Pinterest to produce boards that centre around recipes parents can recreate with their kids. Meanwhile Argos have produced a series of videos on how to help kids stay occupied during lockdown.

Other companies finding ways to fulfil people’s needs during lockdown:

As the budget for traditional advertising contracts due to people spending less time outside (and are hence less likely to see advertisements on billboards, buses and tube stations), the time to take advantage of digital marketing has become more important than ever. Although the potential is not as great as on other social media platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest could become the ideal place to capture those searching for ideas and inspiration.

Will Pinterest be able to attract more businesses?

According to their Q4 2019 report, the social media platform has found continuous growth in the number of monthly active users, and this number has definitely spiked during the pandemic. But will this mean more businesses will start using the platform? (Source for graph below)

The answer is uncertain, and only time will tell if the increase in the number of users will attract advertisers.

How Mighty Social can help

As Pinterest specialists in integrating the platform into social marketing strategies, we can help you find new customers. It may be an ideal opportunity to shift some of your budget to a platform where you know you’ll find your users, and convert them into customers.

Reinvent your Marketing Strategy with Pinterest