• by Lolita Carrico , February 10, 2012

Last week, some colleagues and I were discussing the research released about Pinterest and its staggering impact on retailers: Pinterest – which technically is still in closed, invitation-only beta -- drives more sales to retailers than YouTube, Google + and LinkedIn combined and is nearly equal to Twitter’s referral traffic.

Pinterest’s growth has been incredible – with over 7 million unique visitors per month, consumers and brands are flocking to the virtual pin board to establish yet another touchpoint.

What’s so hot about the latest social media darling?

Pinterest has become one of the most popular social media sites for shoppers to visit before heading to a retailer’s website – and referral traffic to retailers rose 389% over six months.

Retailers aren’t the only ones feeling the Pinterest love. Blogs are also seeing a huge lift in traffic. Pinterest is “reinvigorating the blog,” said Alexis Zimbalist, VP and Social Media Specialist at SkuLoop, which offers a series of webinars for brands and retailers about effective social media strategies.  Zimbalist used the example of a mom blog that has received over 700,000 views for a recipe that became popular on Pinterest – the recipe garnered 77 Pins and had 0 Facebook Likes and only 5 Google + recommendations. 

How moms are using Pinterest:

Women currently dominate Pinterest making up nearly 70% of their active users. Moms are using Pinterest in a variety of ways to organize and learn more about their interests. They follow experts to be in the know about trends on a variety of topics from parenting, to fashion and design, to cooking. They’re also following friends and finding Pinners with similar interests to share and be inspired by.

They’re also following brands. Retailers like Nordstrom and West Elm have significant followings on Pinterest – similar to on Facebook, moms want to connect and interact with their favorite brands.

How can brands create a relevant, effective Pinterest experience?

Some of the best examples of brands effectively using Pinterest include Oreck -- the vacuum brand has boards dedicated to gorgeous wooden floor styles to a "Furry Friends" section featuring cute pets. It’s subtle but effective -- and engaging. Food Network's Pinterest boards highlight their recipes and products but also those from around the web.  Users are encouraged to share their recipes and ideas, making the experience that much richer. Indie women's retailer ModCloth has attracted over 10,000 followers thanks to multiple boards dedicated to style, trends and ideas that span beyond women's clothing. Whole Foods combines recipes, green living tips and crafts to offer a channel that perfectly addresses their core consumer’s lifestyle.

There are a variety of ways brands can effectively engage moms on Pinterest – the most important being the mantra of all social media presences: be authentic and offer useful content.