In the bustling market of online business, it is essential for UK artisans to utilise every tool at their disposal to effectively market and sell their unique, handmade products. One unlikely hero in the realm of online marketing is Pinterest. This social media platform can be a powerful tool for showcasing artisanal crafts, promoting brand visibility, and ultimately driving sales.
Harnessing the Power of Visual Content
Pinterest is first and foremost a visual platform. It thrives on images, videos, and infographics. This unique feature makes it an ideal platform for artisans to showcase their handmade products. The key is to create content that is not only interesting but also visually compelling.
Creating Quality Pins
To start with, you’ll need to create pins for your products. A pin is essentially an image or video that users can ‘pin’ or save to their personal boards. Quality pins go beyond just a picture of the product. They tell a story. They might show the product in use, highlight its unique features, or even provide a glimpse into how it’s made.
A well-crafted pin can drive interest and curiosity, motivating users to click on it for more details. Pins can also include a direct link to your online store, making it easier for potential customers to purchase your product.
Utilising Infographics
Infographics are another effective way to market your handmade products. They can be used to explain a complicated craft process, showcase different uses of a product, or highlight the benefits of using handmade products. Infographics are highly shareable and can significantly increase your product’s visibility.
Building a Pinterest Business Account
A Pinterest business account provides access to important features like analytics, ad creation, and a shop tab—features that aren’t available to personal accounts. These tools can greatly enhance your ability to market and sell your products.
Understanding Analytics
Pinterest Analytics gives you valuable insights into how well your pins are performing. You can see which pins are receiving the most clicks, re-pins, and likes, giving you a clear idea of what type of content your audience prefers. This data can guide your future content creation and help you tailor your marketing strategy to your audience’s interests.
Utilising the Shop Tab
A shop tab allows you to showcase your products in a more organised and visually appealing manner. It also provides users with a seamless shopping experience. By clicking on an item in your shop, users can view product details and pricing, and they can even be redirected to your website to make a purchase.
Leveraging Pinterest SEO
Just like Google, Pinterest has its own search engine. By optimising your pins and profile for Pinterest’s SEO, you can improve your visibility on the platform. This involves using relevant keywords and hashtags in your pin descriptions and board names, as well as in your profile description.
The keywords should reflect what potential customers might search for when looking for the kind of products you offer. For example, if you sell handmade leather bags, you might use keywords like “handcrafted leather bag,” “artisan leather purse,” “handmade handbag,” and so on.
Engaging with the Pinterest Community
Pinterest is not just a platform for sharing visual content—it’s also a social network. Engaging with the community can help you build relationships with potential customers and other artisans.
Joining Group Boards
Group boards are a great way to reach a wider audience. These are boards that have multiple contributors and are often centered around a specific theme. By joining group boards related to your niche, you can share your products with a larger group of interested users.
Collaborating with Other Artisans
Collaborating with other artisans can also be beneficial. You can create joint boards, share each other’s pins, or even host contests or giveaways together. This not only increases your visibility but also helps you build a supportive network within the artisan community.
Using Pinterest Ads to Boost Sales
Pinterest Ads are another effective way to increase your product’s visibility and boost sales. You can target your ads based on users’ interests, demographics, and the kind of content they interact with.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your online business to the next level, Pinterest offers a plethora of tools and opportunities to showcase your handmade products, connect with potential customers, and drive sales. By harnessing the power of visual content, building a Pinterest business account, leveraging Pinterest SEO, engaging with the community, and using Pinterest Ads, UK artisans can maximize their online presence and make their mark in the competitive market of handmade products.
Optimising the Use of Rich Pins
Rich pins are a special type of Pinterest pin that add extra details to the pins from your website. These pins are available in four types: app, product, recipe and article. For UK artisans selling handmade products, product rich pins are the way to go. These pins include real-time pricing, availability and where to buy your product.
Creating rich pins requires some technical know-how as it involves adding metadata to your site, but it’s well worth the effort. When users save your pins, rich pins keep your most current product information—like prices, availability and product description—updated. This can help you communicate the unique value of your handmade items compared to mass-produced items that users might find in traditional online marketplaces.
Moreover, rich pins can make your crafts online more shareable and informational, which can be particularly valuable for small businesses looking to grow their customer base. By offering rich, detailed information right on the pin itself, potential customers can make informed decisions directly within Pinterest, thereby increasing the chances of them clicking through to your online store and making a purchase.
The Eco-friendly and Sustainable Appeal
In today’s increasingly eco-conscious society, more and more consumers are shifting towards products made from sustainable materials. Many UK artisans are known for their commitment to sustainability, often using recycled or responsibly sourced materials to create their unique products. Pinterest can be an effective platform for highlighting this eco-friendly aspect of your handmade products.
You can create pins and boards that focus on the sustainable materials and processes you use in your crafts. Show users how your products are different from the mass-produced items they might find elsewhere. Share photos or videos of your crafting process, highlight the eco-friendly materials you use, and explain why these matter. Such content can significantly appeal to eco-conscious Pinterest users and can differentiate your products in the saturated online market.
Instead of just selling crafts, you’re also sharing a story and a mission that resonates with your target audience. This can not only boost your sales but also build a loyal customer base that shares your commitment to sustainability.
In a world that’s increasingly shifting to digital, it’s more important than ever for UK artisans to have a solid online presence. Pinterest, with its visual content focus and unique features, presents a significant opportunity for showcasing and selling handmade products. By creating compelling pins and infographics, optimising for Pinterest SEO, engaging with the community, using rich pins, and promoting an eco-friendly message, artisans can reach a wider audience and drive sales.
Remember, Pinterest is not just about selling – it’s also about telling a story. By showcasing the craftsmanship, sustainability, and unique appeal of your products, you can attract a loyal customer base that values and appreciates the artistry involved in handmade items. With patience, creativity, and strategic use of Pinterest’s tools and features, UK artisans can succeed in the competitive online marketplace.