Warning: If Your Nonprofit’s Not on Pinterest You’re Outdated

Mission-related candy sushi — clever idea for ocean-themed treats from Monterey Bay Aquarium

Wouldn’t you know I’d leave the trenches just when things got Pinteresting? I missed out, but I’m here to tell you… YOU don’t have to!

If we know anything about human beings, we know these two things: (1) they love a story, and (2) a picture is worth 1,000 words.  A new guide to visual storytelling practices reveals that when information is presented orally, people tested 72 hours later remember only about 10%. That jumps to 65% when pictures are added! Pinterest is a dream come true for nonprofits wanting to engage constituents with their mission.

Imagine. You could write a static newsletter article about volunteers delivering food to a homeless shelter. Or you could link to live video of the volunteers cooking up a batch of meatballs; then pin the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards. Think you don’t have pinnable content? See my actionable tips on Maximize Social Business: 24 Ways to Use Pinterest Trends to Drive Cause Awareness and Fundraising.

Pinterest today is a social media giant and huge sharing network. It’s the third most highly-trafficked social network in the U.S., retaining and engaging users as much as 2-3 times as efficiently as Twitter at a similar time in its history. 80% of pins are repinned from other’s boards. So if you offer original content, folks will be hungry for it – repining and spreading your content.

And what do we know about successful businesses? They do audience research. And they’ve learned that Pinterest referrals spend money. In fact, recent data reveals they spend 70% more than referrals from non-social channels. Plus, 28.1% of Pinterest users have an annual household income of at least $100,000. That’s why you’ll see so many businesses starting to put up Pinterest catalogues – price tags included. Hard copy catalogues and stand-alone websites? So yesterday.

See what other nonprofits are doing on my Pinteresting Nonprofit Fundraising board. Pinterest users are passionate, and nobody does passion better than nonprofits.

If you’re doing something interesting, let me know and I’ll add it to my board. Happy pinning!

 NOTE: 24 Ways to Use Pinterest Trends to Drive Cause Awareness and Fundraising also has links to lots of other Pinterest resources.

If you’d like more tips like these, and have not done so already, please subscribe to Clairification to receive regular blog posts jam-packed with useful tips and links to other helpful resources. And check out my  ‘Hop on the Boards’ Nonprofit Pinterest eBook and Resources Guide — 39 full pages jam-packed with everything you need to know about Pinterest, one of the least effectively utilized strategies today for creating awareness and driving donor support.