• by Holly Pavlika , Columnist, October 3, 2014

Pinterest is at the forefront of changing media habits and some of the most active users are Millennial Moms. Not just a giant recipe box for planning meals, Pinterest plays an important role in anything she is planning. According to Bob Gilbreath, the president of Ahalogy, a leading Pinterest marketing optimization company, the Millennial mom is using Pinterest for search and planning all along the entire purchase funnel.

“Pinterest is a go-to resource for today’s Millennial mothers. And Pinterest is a powerful social search engine. It starts with her looking versus doing something specific. Then narrowing down to one or two things. And finally she’s ready to buy and go do it. Pinterest plays a part along the entire purchase funnel,” says Gilbreath. 

Pinterest is also a great insight tool. Marketers who typically used ethnographies to create snapshots of target audiences have a valuable resource at their fingertips with Pinterest. If you’re looking to study the wants and desires of a Millennial Mom’s life you no longer have to pay research companies. “Boards are named for utility. For example, “Places I want to see,” “I want to be a better mom,” “Perfect holiday’s at home” and “Halloween in a rush” all provide insights into her head, heart and shopping intentions. “And often these boards show husbands and wives planning together or girlfriends planning together,” says Gilbreath. “Pinterest boards are gaining insights into the lives the Millennial moms.”

Brand are on the Pinterest bandwagon, but are they doing it well? “Kraft is doing a great job utilizing Pinterest. They understand content marketing. Pinterest is an incredible media channel for content. Kraft has been doing recipes for years, but on Pinterest they start with great recipes, prioritize the content and are very active. They change the boards often, follow what’s trending in search to make decisions on what content to release and when. And they are using earned to make decisions on what to promote. Plus they invested in Pinterest early on.”

So what should brands keep in mind?

• The best brands look beyond the main consumer need to fulfill the broader needs of the target audience. It’s important to deliver content to the Millennial Mom on multiple purchase levels. 

• Treat Pinterest as a branded magazine. It doesn’t have to be in your category. Don’t be afraid to be broader that the product. 

• "Embody your category" and make it about how the brand fits into her every day life.

• Show projects she can do together and opportunities for sharing moments with the child. The Millennial mom loves quality time with family and child.

• Post multiple times a day, seven days a week to reach her. Some topics have most activity on Saturday and Sunday. And frequent pinning helps you learn and you shift content to the type of content she wants. 

• Have multiple boards to satisfy the Millennial Moms diverse needs.

• Provide an authentic experience after the click by providing the content she is looking for. You have the potential to turn her off if what was in the picture isn’t on the page she landed on. 

• Give her genuine and valuable content. Contests can be seen as artificial and not in keeping with the platform. She is not necessarily there to participate in a contest.

“Remember,” says Gilbreath, “Millennial Moms are a mobile generation and are bringing Pinterest into the store. The story is still unfolding … but Pinterest has the possibility of reversing showrooming? She is pinning a group a dresses or tops and then going to store to find the pants. And Pinterest’s new features — Pinterest guide search and chat — are changing habits.”