Pinterest is, in the words of NY Mag, eating its competitors alive. The fast growing social media platform caters to older women – generally a demographic group with both disposable income and an openness to new purchasing experiences – yet small businesses have been having a tough time using Pinterest as a marketing platform.

The introduction of a new analytics platform on Pinterest should make things much easier. If you’ve registered for a free Business Account, you can now access analytical reports that tell you the number of users who engage with their pins as well as information on what countries those users are from, what their interests are on the social network and off network data for those who have Pin It buttons installed on their websites.

It’s important to understand that these reports are tracking organic content – the Pins you put on your own boards – and not Promoted Pins, which is Pinterest’s year-old foray into advertising. Delving into these numbers will allow business owners to maximize the value of the content they don’t have to pay to share.

Discovering who is enjoying your pins is critical information. Are you reaching your target market effectively? If you’re not, it may be time to adjust your content strategy – and if you find your pins are resonating with people you hadn’t thought about as your customers, it’s definitely time to think through how you can convert that interest into sales.

Understanding the interest Pinterest users have in your organic content is a key step in creating Promoted Pins that deliver real value on your investment. Every advertising campaign needs to be rooted in a solid understanding of who your customers are and what they appreciate; this is as true on Pinterest as it has ever been on any other platform. The better you understand your customer, the more effectively you’ll be able to connect with them.

If you haven’t examined your Pinterest analytics yet, I’d urge you to do so now. If you know your business needs Pinterest, but you’re not sure where to start, give us a call. We’ll get you started with a strategy that’s customized to connect you with your customers, in your marketplace, so you can enjoy increased sales.