To pin or not to pin?

Pinterest has taken the digital marketing world by storm and brands are committed to using this platform to collect, share and inspire customer involvement on a whole new level. However, many companies have been wary in integrating Pinterest as a part of their marketing strategy since it is thought to only help target a certain strata of women. This assumption, while true in the beginning has recently been challenged on the grounds that while Pinterest gained momentum through female crafting enthusiasts who wanted to share their interests, it has rapidly evolved into a sharing platform that hosts major brands like the Major League Baseball, GE and the Wall Street Journal (all of whom are very actively engaging their social media audience through Pinterest). Moreover, some still question the profitability of this site for brands based on the grounds that social engagement does not necessarily translate into a purchase. However, none of these critics can ignore the fact that according to shareaholic.com: ‘Pinterest officially surpassed Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube as a source of referral traffic back in January, and Twitter this February’. What this means is that Pinterest is on its way to become the best recommendation engine online and is rapidly becoming a substantial source of revenue potential and leads for customers and B2B sites alike. This trend is further expected to boom, with Pinterest membership now open to all. So grab a board and start pinning, after the entire digital world awaits.