Though Pinterest is an invaluable resource if you’re looking to enter the world of digital marketing, you may be wondering whether or not Pinterest marketing is a viable option in your country.
With different rules, regulations, and features available in different countries, not everyone stands to benefit from Pinterest marketing equally. So, is Pinterest the right choice for your country? Let’s take a look.
Reasons for Availability
The availability of Pinterest marketing can vary depending on several factors. First and foremost, consider the government’s rules and regulations on online activity. For one reason or another, certain governments have banned the use of Pinterest, while others may just restrict a few features. Either way, this can hinder the site’s usefulness to digital marketers in the affected countries.
Checking Availability
If you’re unsure whether or not Pinterest is available in your country, checking is simple and only takes a few minutes. First and foremost, see if you can download Pinterest to begin with. If it’s mysteriously missing from the selection of mobile apps, double-check on your desktop.
When creating a Pinterest account, you’ll be asked to enter your country of residence. Check to see if your country is on that list. If it is, you’re good to go! If not, Pinterest unfortunately isn’t available in your country.
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Availability of Features
Even if Pinterest itself is available, some of its digital marketing features may still be missing in your country. Let’s take a look at some of the most important features for digital marketers on Pinterest, as well as their regional availability status.
The Verified Merchant Program
The Verified Merchant Program, or VMP, is Pinterest’s way of distinguishing trusted brands and comes with a whole host of benefits. First of all, a blue checkmark will appear on your profile, letting visitors know you’ve been verified by Pinterest.
Next, you’ll gain access to a number of merchant features such as merchant details, showing the values you and your brand hold. In addition, all your product Pins will have a clearly-marked price tag, and your profile will gain an extra tab to distinguish shop items from regular Pins.
Countries that are currently available for the VMP are listed here. However, there’s no need to worry if your country isn’t eligible! Pinterest is always working to bring its features to new countries, so you may gain access to the VMP later on. Until then, it’s still entirely possible to use the site for digital marketing without the VMP.
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Ad Pins
With Ad Pins (promoted pins), you can pay to have your pins boosted, making them more likely to appear to your target audience in the places they spend the most time. You can also add a destination URL to your Ad Pins, redirecting people who are interested in your content to your brand’s website.
You can use this website to provide more in-depth details about your business or even sell products directly. Boosting the right pin at the right time can make a huge difference to your page, so if the feature is available, be sure to take advantage of it!
The list of countries eligible for Ad Pins can be found here. As is the case with the VMP, Pinterest is hard at work to increase the feature’s availability, so if you can’t use it, be sure to keep an eye out in case it does become available.
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The Importance of a Website
As a bit of an aside, let’s go over the importance of having a website for your business when starting with Pinterest marketing. You don’t have to be a web designer to make a functional website, and even a simple landing page can help your business immensely, giving customers a place where they can further engage with your brand.
A custom website is yours and yours alone, so you have much more control compared to a social platform. Pinterest is still an incredible marketing tool, of course, but you’ll see the most payoff when you’re using it alongside a site of your own.
“Pinterest is still an incredible marketing tool, of course, but you’ll see the most payoff when you’re using it alongside a site of your own.”
Product Pins
Returning to Pinterest features, Product Pins allow digital marketers to increase their brand visibility, reaching new audiences and creating new customers. Product Pins are designed to be clearly distinguishable from regular Pins so viewers will be able to tell whether or not a product is for sale by providing some basic information such as prices and brief descriptions.
In addition, Product Pins can be grouped into catalogs, allowing you to provide your customers with curated collections of your favorite goods. You can then promote the entire catalog as a single advertisement, increasing your shop’s visibility as a whole, rather than just a few of your most popular products.
You can check whether or not your country has access to Product Pins here. As always, be sure to revisit this page if your country isn’t listed yet. Chances are, the feature will open up to you sooner rather than later!
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