Most stationery brands are already active on Instagram. That social media platform lends itself well to the visual aesthetics of greeting cards and consumer goods.

But brands shouldn’t depend on one social app alone—and there is another visual-first platform that many stationery companies might be overlooking: Pinterest.

Pinterest has around 459 million monthly active users, and that audience overlaps heavily with the target audience for a stationery brand. Roughly 60% of Pinterest users (Pinners) are women, who also disproportionately comprise stationery buyers. 

Brands can use Pinterest to build shoppable collections of their stock products, they can post Pins that are relevant to their brand: Pins featuring inspirational quotes, beautiful handwriting, and so on. 

New Features Are Making Pinterest Shopping Easier

Pinterest is making the platform more friendly for brands and retailers. 80% of people who visit it weekly said they discovered a new brand on the Pinterest app.

The app has optimized its new shopping features:

• Early in 2021, Pinterest launched shoppable Product Pins that let brands upload their products. They can also be used for collections ads, slideshows, or shopping ads—which include product details like price, stock status, and buy link. 
• Last year, Pinterest launched Shopping List, allowing shoppers to save Product Pins in one place. Pinners will even receive price drop notifications if their saved Pins are on sale.
• Additionally, Pinterest's shopping spotlights showcase trending content selected by experts—such as Marie Claire and InStyle—introducing users to new brands.
• Furthermore, in July 2021, Pinterest added a twist on Pins for influencers: now influencers who refer a purchase can get a commission from Pinterest.

Which Stationery Brands Are on Pinterest Now?

• The Kawaii Pen Shop has 129.6k followers on Pinterest, and its boards feature collections of its own stationery, posts about Kawaii Pen Shop from followers, as well as watercolor drawings and inspirational quotes. 
• The DTC brand Otrio Stationery has curated a mix of inspirational quotes, brainteasers, and Pins showcasing its own stickers and pens to an audience of 143.8k followers. 
• Smaller brands, like Written Word Calligraphy, have built followings of 7.9k people by pinning calligraphy tips and quotes penned in Written Word’s custom styles. Plus, its presence on the app mimics the neutral coloring of the brand itself.

How Should a Business Get Started on Pinterest?

First, brands should be sure to enter their Pinterest business account in the app’s Verified Merchant Program. It's a free program that gives businesses:

• A Shop Tab,
• A verified checkmark at the top of their profiles,
• And access to metrics and shoppability features like Product Tagging. 

To apply, brands have to ensure that they include current pricing and in-stock information for each of their products that they list on the app. Merchants also need clear return policies. 

Pinterest Tips for Stationery Brands 

Once they’re on Pinterest, stationery brands should:

Create a Product Catalog

The first step toward creating a thriving Pinterest storefront is building out a product catalog on the app.

Businesses can manually upload their products, pricing, and shipping and refund policies, or they can connect a store through Shopify or ChannelAdvisor, to auto-populate their information within Pinterest.

Add Merchant Details Information

A new update to Pinterest now lets verified businesses include labels that represent the company and what it stands for, such as “Black-owned” or “inclusive” or “responsibly sourced,” in their public profiles. 

Post Weekly

Pinterest itself recommends that brands create new Idea Pins every week in order to get the most reach out of its algorithm.

Don’t Know What to Post? Seek Out Trends

Pinterest updates a detailed “trends” page which highlights the types of Pins that are gaining the most traction on the platform. The trends are broken down by category, like Fashion and Home Decor, so stationary brands can find the most relevant posts to their product. 

Have a Customer Support Team Ready

Businesses can turn on direct messaging on Pinterest in their Pinterest for Business dashboards, allowing customers to message them directly with product questions. Chatdesk Teams hires real fans of your brand to field customer inquiries across all social platforms.

To see how Chatdesk Teams can help brands streamline the eCommerce experience on Pinterest, schedule a demo!