Storytelling goes Pinterest – The perfect Pin

Which brand profile on Pinterest catches our attention so much that we can’t stop looking at it? That the images and content fascinate us and we can’t take our eyes off them? And above all, why? One answer to this is definitely visual storytelling. Over 200 million people worldwide use Pinterest every month, mainly women and 93 percent use the network to plan purchases and future purchases. Pinterest is therefore one of the stars of storytelling and companies should capitalise on this.

Basic Rules for effective Visual Stories

The image feed should be kept consistent in terms of motif selection and color scheme. A clearly defined visual language underlines the corporate philosophy, boosts recognition value and supports a perfect target group approach. Just like carefully selected filters, certain colors that are essential for the brand should appear again and again. In terms of content, Pinterest mainly features professional photos, videos, product images and tips.

Focus on the Story’s Hero

One example of how Pinterest can be used to optimize sales through good storytelling is Kayla Itsines’ network. She markets an online fitness program that is used by over ten million women worldwide. In addition to a perfectly coordinated color scheme, Kayla works with the following storytelling tools: She visually places the hero, her community, at the center of the action. She puts them in the spotlight by posting their pictures showing their success. Therefore she uses one of her account’s pinboards called BBG (Bikini Body Guide) Transformations with 72,951 followers.

Create Contrasts

By posting before-and-after pictures, Kayla’s followers are paying attention to another aspect of the fitness star’s visual storytelling: she works with contrasts. By using contrasts and opposites, the transformation of the hero is brought to the center of attention, showing the journey he has gone through and the challenges he has faced. The perfectly retouched Barbie in glossy format, on the other hand, bores the viewer. What’s missing here is the story.

Strengthening the Community as a Mentor

Kayla empowers her community by acting as a mentor who motivates and supports them with positive slogans. Here, she also interacts with her fans by posting and reposting.

Retrospective

Another storytelling tool on Pinterest is the retrospective. What did the brand look like in the past? What was the setting? How were the models dressed? Lufthansa, for example, lets us immerse ourselves in a retro world on the Vintage Lufthansa pinboard. We remember the past and take a step back in history.

Common Hero’s Journey

Perfect Pinterest storytelling can also be found at The Big Knit. In 2003, young and old people were invited to knit small wool hats. These were put on   and sold. With each purchase, 25 pence was donated to the Age UK charity, in total over  £2 million. The  campaign was played out on Pinterest with countless pictures of Innocent smoothies with their unique hats.  In this story, all the participants are part of the story, knitting together for a good cause with a common goal in mind. Together they head towards the completion of the hero’s journey, the happy ending that all the protagonists experience together. From now on, the participants and spectators of the campaign will associate this positive experience with the brand Innocent. Perfect storytelling!

Conclusion

Pinterest is one of the most promising channels for storytelling for good reason. The visuality and the great potential for interaction offer ideal conditions. Whether focusing on the hero, strengthening the community through the mentor or a common hero’s journey – there are numerous approaches to how companies can strengthen their brand through good storytelling.