Pinterest made a splash last year in the social media world, as the network evolved from a startup service to a full-fledged media hub with countless cult-like members. The digital pinboard’s 40 million monthly active users may pale in comparison to giants like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but it’s impossible to overlook the network because of its staggering conversion rates.
In the first half of 2013, Pinterest has made some serious changes to its user interface and marketing capabilities. As Brafton’s Social Media Horse Race infographic highlights, 13 percent of B2Cs and 3 percent of B2Bs generated leads from Pinterest in 2012, but the network’s content analytics feature will help brands tailor their campaigns around viral pins. More, updates to the user experience will bring out images’ vibrant colors, showcasing products in high definition on all types of screens.
Pinterest brings back some old features
Recently, Pinterest made additional changes to its UX – to bring back features that were previously removed from the interface. Unlike other social media hubs, Pinterest took member feedback into account when adjusting its navigation features, and reintroduced three previous functions and one new addition.
Pinterest took member feedback into account when adjusting its navigation features, and reintroduced three previous functions and one new addition.
Some of the features could increase engagement opportunities and extend brand exposure: The ‘See It Now’ feature will show users what they just pinned to their accounts with a click of a mouse, and the ‘Pinned From’ function will help brands generate referral traffic from their original images that get repurposed to personal accounts. Now when a company publishes its latest infographic to Pinterest, viewers will know where to go to see more social media content even when graphics have been published through non-branded boards. Lastly, users can mention other members directly from a post by using the ‘@’ character before the username.
Stronger search means greater lead-gen opportunities
There are also some new features on Pinterest’s interface. The social media network announced in a recent blog post that it revamped its internal search function to bring relevant media to the forefront of various queries. The social hub has long needed a stronger search feature, and hopefully the update will improve brands’ lead generation opportunities. Members will also notice a new notifications function that will inform people when their pins have been Liked, repinned or otherwise engaged with.
Businesses may be able to increase website conversions and socially assisted sales with the new updates to Pinterest. The social network understands its role in ecommerce, and recent updates show that it’s ready to become an active part of brands’ online marketing agendas.
