Pinterest, once thought to be a platform for just middle-aged women and young girls, is much more than just cookie recipes and hairstyle tips. In reality, people of all ages, both men and women, are turning to Pinterest for inspiration, which should be great news for marketers. As we enter the new year, it has become the third most popular social media platform, giving you an excellent opportunity for marketing visibility. Social media has become a second home for digital marketers, offering many ways to share content, and Pinterest is now one of the top choices available.

Here we walk you through five ways that Pinterest can be your newest marketing homestead:

1. Let Audiences Bookmark You

With the click of a button, consumers are exposed to numerous products and services that they want more information on. That’s the beauty of Pinterest. Rather than pushing your brand or product onto consumers, they are under the impression that they searched for that content, so it must be beneficial for them to look into. Many companies have even created a clickable icon allowing you to pin their products right to your designated Pinterest board. This creates convenience and allows consumers to feel as if they are adding something to a virtual wish list, versus losing sight of the product once they leave your page. Keep this pinning feature in mind as you continue to launch notable products and services.

2. Become Part of the Window Shopping Parade

While Pinterest is already divided up into categories, that doesn’t stop users from searching for specific items or services. For this reason, it is important to make sure that you are using accessible hashtags that are commonly searched for. For example, if you are a clothing brand, instead of pinning a picture of a shirt followed by the hashtag #shirt, you may find it much to your benefit to hashtag something more search friendly such as #fallfashion. This gives your marketing an edge that makes your product appear to be not only a shirt, but a fashionable shirt for fall. Pinterest has become somewhat of a window-shopper’s paradise. Take advantage of that by making sure you show up in the carousel.

3. Set Yourself up as the Solution

When pinners add something to one of their many classified boards, they are under the impression that this pin will add value and provide a benefit in either the near or distant future. Pins about future homes are very common amongst young adults. If you are a company that works with interior design or real-estate, it may be in your best interest to target these young dreamers and showcase how you can make those dreams come true. Other examples can include health food suppliers or hair care products. Put yourself in the position of the pinner and think of why you may be searching for a specific topic or product and then channel that as you set out to create your pin.

4. Extend Your Content Reach

Pinterest is an extremely versatile social media platform in that you can share images, quotes, and blogs all through the same outlet. As a marketer, you should be taking advantage of this to extend the reach of your content to its furthest potential. How-to articles and blogs are amongst some of the most fulfilling pins of today. More times than not, pinners are looking for an answer or explanation on how to achieve a desired outcome, and that’s what you can provide. Pinning blogs and articles relevant to search queries is your ticket to board visibility.

5. Reach a Larger Target Market

As stated earlier, Pinterest has become the third most popular social media outlet. Men have been amongst the largest growing demographic of pinners as of late. Who says you have to have a niche target market when you could be reaching men and women of all ages with the click of a button? Take the time to focus your marketing strategy on how it can be portrayed to this mixed demographic. While it is beneficial for certain products or services to be branded towards only males or only females, don’t limit yourself when it comes to your pinning.

Use these tips and go forth as the expert pinner you were born to be, and pick up some of your own tips along the way. Pinterest is continuing to evolve, so don’t limit yourself to only 5 strategies, the opportunities are endless!