There are many social media platforms out there that you can use to market your construction company. Many will tell you to focus on Facebook and Instagram because of their popularity. Did you know that Pinterest has over 322 million monthly users and over 50 billion pins? Of those 322 million users, over 40% have household incomes over $100,000, making Pinterest marketing a great way to get leads for construction.
But how do you use Pinterest to get leads? That’s what we’ll explore, along with what to post and how often. As a bonus we’ll give you a simple Pinterest marketing strategy you can use to improve your visibility.
How to get leads with Pinterest marketing
Pinterest is a great social media platform for construction companies because it is visual. All “pins” (Pinterest’s term for posts) are tied to an image, whether it’s a photo, graphic, or infographic. Construction is a visual industry, and project photos are the number one marketing tool in our tool belt, making Pinterest a natural fit for the industry.
Pinterest users are often looking for ideas for their own projects, and what better way to get them to use your company than to show them your successes. But, once you get a user to “like” or share your post, you will need a way to convert them into a client. There are a few things you can do to help leverage your pins into clients: use SEO tactics, promoted pins, and referral detection.
SEO tactics
If you have done any internet marketing, website development, or social media posting, you know that SEO (search engine optimization) is one of the most important things you can do to help your content get found by potential clients. We won’t go into a lot of detail on what SEO is here but will focus on what you can do to optimize your presence on Pinterest.
According to OptinMonster, there are three places in Pinterest where you will want to be aware of SEO and what keywords you are using. The first area is on your profile. Make sure that you complete the profile fully and that you use words that might be used to search for your business, such as “home remodeling,” “custom home construction,” or “tile flooring.”
The next area you can optimize is your Pinterest boards. Pins are organized into boards, which is a way to group pins by purpose. Users can follow boards. Make sure your board names contain keywords relevant to your work, such as “bathroom flooring ideas” or “entertainment rooms.”
Each pin includes an image and a short description (up to 200 characters) that accompanies it. Use the description field to list details about the project or design you are posting about. Include keywords so searchers can find your pins when searching for ideas, such as “mosaic tile pattern,” “kitchen island,” or “den renovation.”
Promoted pins
Promoted pins are another way to gain leads. They push your pins to the top of the search list when certain terms are searched for and certain demographics are matched. You get to select the terms and the demographics that you want to target with your promoted pins. Then, you pay Pinterest to boost your pins, so they are seen at the top of the list by your potential clients. You pay only when someone clicks on your pin.
Katrina Van Oudheusden, aka Chef Katrina, gives some good advice about developing promoted pins that are successful:
- Use quality images that are 600 x 900 pixels
- Include a call to action on your image
- Establish a clear landing page on your website for your potential clients arriving through Pinterest
Referral detection
A third strategy, referral detection, involves some backend website programming, but it will allow you to find out where a visitor to your website came from (i.e. Google search, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.), and then you can tailor a specific offer for those visitors who came from Pinterest. You will need to set up a specific landing page and an opt-in offer for referrals from your Pinterest account. The bonus here is that you can tell where your site traffic is coming from and beef up your efforts in those locations.
What to post on Pinterest and how often
Pinterest users are most interested in food, fashion, and DIY ideas. While construction companies don’t usually post much about food and fashion, we can provide a lot of inspiration when it comes to DIYers. Now, we aren’t talking about giving away trade secrets or putting ourselves out of business by telling the world how we do what we do. Since construction is both a skill and an art, and there are many people with neither the time nor the patience to learn, we can remain safe in our businesses while sharing ideas and how-to instructions to those who are interested.
The best content for Pinterest is constructive and helpful. Users are looking for ideas and/or how-to instructions so they can try it themselves. Make sure that your posts are meaningful and have a greater purpose. Cat videos are best shared on another platform! DĂ©cor and design ideas, problems encountered and solved on a project, and instructions for how to do something are all helpful and will be popular with users.
Pinterest is a visual platform, so images are very important. According to HubSpot the most popular pins have images that are:
- Taller than they are wide
- Reddish-orange in color
- Do not include faces
- Are of medium lightness
Use a high-quality camera to take your photos, or if you are using stock images, make sure they are high quality and associated with your content. There are several free photo editors online than can help you edit your images and add text and other additions to help your pin stand out. Be sure to add your logo to any images you post. Your content will be instantly recognizable, and you can expand your brand awareness.
Include information about your pin in the description field. You only have 100-200 characters, so keep it brief. Include keywords that will help your content get found and include a short link that leads to a page on your website. This page could be blog post, a project page, or a special landing page with a special offer, discount, or opt-in offer.
CoSchedule says that it is best to pin 15-30 times per day on Pinterest. It may seem overwhelming to come up with this much content if you are just starting out. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be just your own original content. You can repin someone else’s post to one of your boards and add a comment. Begin with one or two original pins a day and spend some time cruising Pinterest for other additional posts you can repin, aiming for 1-2 repins a day as well. The key is to be as consistent as possible. Use post scheduling software to help you plan and send posts when you are busy doing other things. This will keep you from having to worry about creating new content every day.
A simple Pinterest marketing plan for construction
Profile – The first step in marketing using Pinterest is to maximize your profile. You want to complete as much information as possible, not only for better search results and SEO, but also because you will look more reputable and trustworthy. Make sure your profile appearance is consistent with your brand on other platforms and your website (same colors, fonts, logo, etc.). Be sure to include your logo on your profile and complete the bio section listing the services your company provides in 160 characters or less. Finish your profile by including a link to your website.
Content – Next decide what type of content you want to provide to your Pinterest audience. Pinners are mainly looking for design ideas and DIY inspiration. For example, you could break down a project into several pieces or areas, highlighting each one in a pin. Or you could provide advice for homeowners who run into maintenance issues in their home, using images to show the destruction that is possible if things aren’t kept up. Map out your content subjects as much as you can so you won’t have to think about it every day.
SEO – Use SEO tactics to make your pins more searchable. Make a list of keywords your potential clients might use to find your services, and incorporate them into your profile, board names, and pin descriptions as much as possible. This will help potential clients find you when they search using those terms.
Analytics – Pinterest allows you to see statistics on how well your pins are performing and what keywords are being used to find them. Use these analytics reports to determine what’s working and see what needs fixing. Don’t be afraid to try a new tactic and see how your engagement changes.
Revise – Use the information gathered in the analytics reports to revise your content schedule as needed to reach more people. If DIY pins are doing well, then make a point to include more. If project ideas aren’t getting much traction, then look at providing product reviews or some other type of content. The key is to respond to your followers and provide content that creates the most engagement.
Pinterest marketing wrap-up
Pinterest is a great social media platform for construction companies to use to generate leads. The key is providing consistent, useful content that appeals to your audience. Tactics such as SEO optimization, promoted pins, and referral detection will help you get more visitors to your website. Once there, you can convert them to leads and potential clients. Your approach doesn’t have to be complex. Start pinning, watch your analytics, and revise your content as needed. Good luck and happy pinning!
