Written by: Kathryn Sturtevant
Pinterest has not only become the go-to for wedding planning, birthdays and other parties but it has changed the way businesses advertise for the holidays. Some businesses like Target, Walmart and Simply Juice have taken advantage of Pinterest’s popularity by targeting their customers earlier than ever before.
For me, there is no decision made without pulling out my iPhone and swiping through hundreds of pins, but I’ve noticed that I’m collecting holiday pins earlier every year. According to Pinterest, I am not the only Pinner that starts planning months in advance. Recent insights show that 45% of Pinners plan for the holidays at least 60 days out, which is 21% higher than the general population. So, when the rest of the digital world is getting ready to go back to school, or putting away their 4th of July decorations, Pinners are starting to create their Thanksgiving boards.
Being the partygoers that Pinterest users are, it is not a surprise that Pinterest has noticed an early increase of holiday pins being saved months in advance. As you can see in the graph above, Pinterest is reporting that 25% of planning pins are being saved 2-4 months before a specific event, including holidays. Companies are using this insight to better target their audience.
Successful campaigns have been able to engage their audiences by relating to their needs through the content they post. These campaigns have also optimized the best time to start advertising according to the trends set by consumers.
Simply Fruit Punch is a perfect example of how a company is taking advantage of Pinterest. They have marketed their juices with different recipes on Pinterest, like Holiday Sangria. Target continues with the holiday spirit by creating a whole Holiday Décor board that users can click on and it will take them to the ordering option on their website. Walmart created a video to help users plan ahead for Thanksgiving and prep food early.
To take advantage of holiday marketing on Pinterest by doing the following:
- Start holiday campaigns earlier than expected
- Stay on top of Pinterest trends
- Tailor the campaign to what users are pinning
- Add pictures, recipes or DIY ideas with the ads
- Infographics are a must
- Be consistent with your campaign
- Follow general SEO rules and focus on keywords
- Encourage engagement by using creative content, questions or trends
The holidays only come once a year, but by taking advantage of digital marketing opportunities, your efforts can make a huge difference to end-of-year revenue cycles. Pinterest is the perfect way to launch your holiday season marketing campaign and attract a larger audience.