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Survey: 17 Percent of Marketers Currently Using or Planning to Join Pinterest

MENLO PARK, Calif., Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "To pin or not to pin?" is a common question for companies today given the rapid growth of Pinterest, a social networking site where users collect and share photos of their favorite interests and hobbies. Despite the virtual pinboard's increasing popularity, however, a new survey by The Creative Group shows few organizations are ready to dive in just yet. Forty-four percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed said they have no current interest in using Pinterest for business purposes. Only 7 percent reported they're already using it, and another 10 percent said they intend to join the online pinboarding community.

The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service for interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals, and conducted by an independent research firm.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "Which of the following statements best describes your agency's/firm's attitude toward Pinterest?" Their responses:

We love it and already use it for business purposes 7%
It's caught our eye, and we plan to start using it for business purposes 10%
It's caught our eye, but we're still hesitant about using it for business purposes 17%
We have no interest in using it for business purposes 44%
Not aware/never heard of Pinterest 18%
Don't know/no answer     4%
100%

View the research highlights.

The survey also revealed differences by organization type and size: Advertising executives at large agencies were more active on Pinterest than those at smaller agencies and their corporate marketing counterparts. Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of advertising executives at agencies with more than 100 employees reported they are already using Pinterest as part of the marketing mix, and another 6 percent said they plan to create an account.

"With so many potential social media opportunities for businesses, marketers must carefully invest their time and resources in those that best match their demographics and brand personality," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. "Pinterest has attracted a huge following quickly, but companies may be waiting to see if its popularity will last and what the potential business uses are in order to determine if a presence there makes sense."

Farrugia added that the visual nature of Pinterest makes it a useful self-promotion vehicle for creative professionals. "Designers can use Pinterest to showcase their work and curate images they like. This approach can be especially helpful for those just starting their careers as it allows hiring managers to get a sense of their aesthetic and style despite having a limited portfolio."

The Creative Group offers three tips for using Pinterest to display your creative work:

  1. Organize your boards wisely. If you want people to peruse your pins, you have to make it easy and intuitive for them to find what they're looking for. Carefully consider what content you want to showcase, whether it's a collection of your own print and web work or fascinating infographics you've seen, and create a clear, concise title for each board.
  2. Create captions. Make sure viewers understand the context of your pins by labeling personal portfolio samples with the client's name (assuming you have permission), project objective, your role and any positive outcomes. When repinning, comment on why you found the image compelling.
  3. Build your following. The best way to attract more eyes to your Pinterest page is to engage with other pinners. Follow boards and users with similar interests, and then like, comment on or repin images you find inspiring.

 About the Survey
The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews -- approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

About The Creative Group
The Creative Group (TCG) specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and TCG's award-winning career magazine, can be found at www.creativegroup.com. You also can find TCG on Pinterest at pinterest.com/creativegroup.


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