Bruce Warren

While consumers are using social media as a tool for reviews, price checks and other activities, retailers are less willing to embrace the social channel as a brick-and-mortar resource. Going forward, the question isn't whether consumers will use social media to help make purchase decisions, but whether retailers can engage consumers by successfully integrating social media into the larger customer experience.

Unlike Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites, Pinterest is primarily image-based. Engagement is all about leveraging visual images to establish quick connections between brands and consumers while promoting social sharing and ultimately driving traffic to the brand's website.