Are image tagging social networks a brand's best friend?

Image tagging social networks allow users to collect online visual content they find interesting or attractive and arrange it in a virtual scrapbook, which they can share with their peers.

The well documented rise in popularity of these social networks (over other social networks) could and should be seen as a fresh opportunity for brands looking to mark their presence in an already crowded landscape of digital marketing channels. I'm talking about sites such as Pinterest and Fancy

As is often the case with a new social network, brands have delayed their approach due to a lack of compelling case studies. There's no time like the present for forward-thinking brands to exploit these tagging sites as they reach a tipping point.

Although not particularly "new", Pinterest can now boast a user base of over 10m users with a 4,000% increase in site visitors in the six months leading up to Christmas. Fancy and Pinterest offer a very user-friendly, attractive and image-heavy interface, which can often present the products more effectively than on a brand's own website.

I've looked back on my journey since joining the two sites and have come to realise that brands can really make something of these inherently social channels – here are just some of the ways that brands and marketers could use these popular image tagging networks to their advantage.

Showcase new or existing products

Put simply, brands can show off their product lines to a growing audience. I recently purchased a new jumper direct from Urban Outfitters after seeing it on Fancy. If you're a fashion house, get your new seasonal range on there; Fancy can act very much like an affiliate site in that respect.

Take IKEA, for example – they could set up a pin board for every room in a house on Pinterest and show off their latest product range for each room. It would allow Pinterest users to find IKEA products most relevant to them and be influenced by those which are most favoured by the community.

Harness the crowd as a focus group

The great thing about Pinterest and Fancy is that they can be likened to a large online focus group. Why not upload an image of a new product in development and see how people react?

Consumer insights

Definitely one of the most interesting opportunities. Seeing what's popular on these sites can provide valuable insights to your audience, helping to fuel new product development, future trends, spending habits, the list goes on.

If your target audience is there, see how they behave. Brands could take a pragmatic approach and look at key influencers to see which of the products they share get the most feedback – they can then use feedback, positive and negative, to influence how they develop their sales or products.

For example, a fashion brand specialising in denim wear could run a search for people who have shared images of denim clothing. They can then look at what other items of clothing have been tagged and shared by those people and then use that information to start piecing together a "product cloud" of potential new outfits. Food vendors could also look at what sort of meals or recipes people are sharing. If one proves to be extremely popular, this could form the early stages of a new product recipe.

Competitor insights

It's always important to keep an eye on the competition. Are they using these channels? If so, how are they being perceived? What sort of content are they posting? Could you do better? Why are people posting images of your competitor's product more than yours? These are all questions worth asking.

Recruitment of brand advocates

Build a rapport with people who have liked, pinned or shared your content because they'll be the ones more likely to do it again. The more people you interact with, the more reach and links you'll have directing to your website. Easier said than done I might add but it's important for brands to embrace the community, rather than a quick "get in get out" approach.

In developing a relationship with users, thank them for sharing your products by commenting on posts or by re-tagging or pinning things relevant to your brand that users have posted. Generally give the impression that you appreciate things other than your own brand. This will increase your following and should widen the exposure of the things you post.

Inspiration for new product development

Brands can see what people are favouring across the web to help inspire new product ranges. Both sites feature thousands of different products, places, pieces of art and so on – pretty much anything you can think of. If you can't find inspiration from that, then where you can you?

Get discovered

I nearly bought a really expensive watch from a brand I'd never heard of before after seeing it on Fancy – I loved the design. I was talked out of it in the end but you get the point here.

Some brands are of course quick to make use of such channels. One good example on Pinterest is Whole Foods, who have set up various pinboards of the "things they love", as well as the various product categories you would normally find in store. It also shows off some of their charitable efforts they undertake as a company. With more than 8,000 people following them, it's a good start.

I'm certainly a fan of image tagging. Fancy, in particular, is a big source of inspiration and I'm a firm believer in the opportunities it brings for brands looking to market themselves effectively and engage with the community. It will be interesting to see how these channels develop over the next 12 months – if we see more brands and marketers getting more involved and hands on, I suspect they will.

Matt O'Shea is a digital strategist at Public Creative and Public Social – follow him on Twitter @MattyOShea and @PublicSocial

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